Tell about your experience with your old Audio-Technica SL-1200s..

I had a fully KAB modified SL1200 Mk II and it was a very satisfactory turntable in every way.   When introduced, I bought an SL1200GAE and the two sat side by side for perhaps 6 months, one set up for mono and the other for stereo.  The GAE is sonically superior, more open sounding, cleaner somehow, more revealing.  This difference is pretty obvious on all kinds of music, but was especially easy for me to hear listening to Diana Krall singing and accompanying herself on piano.  Not everyone knows it, but all of Diana's recordings are done live and unedited, meaning she does not do dubs or voice overs.  What you hear is what you get.  Piano is very demanding on vinyl because any amount of wow is noticeable.  This is where some people get confused into thinking direct drive is superior.  Really the most important thing is that the hole is centered in the record.  Generally CDs are better than vinyl for piano, but Sony/Columbia and ECM seem to know how to make superior sounding vinyl records when it comes to piano.  But I digress, both the older MkII and the newer G series play Diana well speed wise, with the G being quieter, cleaner and more open.  Anybody will be able to hear the difference.

Sure they will, you are talking about $400 old Technics (still available at this price) versus $4000 new Technics with completely different motor and superior tonearm and cabinet. No questions that G is simply different class of turntables. 

Chakster you are correct, but let's put this into perspective even more.  An SL1200MkII with a full complement of KAB modifications and adjusted for inflation is probably comparable to at least any $1500 turntable on the current market.  It is still a decent turntable.  My GAE sits beside a VPI HW40, a $15,000 turntable currently.  And yes the VPI sounds better.  But the delta between it and the G is not as great as the difference between the G and the MkII.  I am not going to say that the G series is the best compromise between price and performance in high end turntables on today's market because I haven't compared it to every competitive offering in it's price range.  I am going to suggest, however, that it should be given serious consideration by anyone looking to invest in a new high performance turntable regardless of price.  It is quite simply that good.

All KAB mod, except for external power supply, is pretty cheap mod, I did it myself with better parts (cardas wires for tonearm, zu audio mission phono cable, isonoe feet). I removed KAB fluid dampers, they are not necessary if the compliance of the cart is not very high.

You can count inflation rate, but SL1200mk3 always available in Japan for $150-250 used and parts are very cheap. Restored units goes for higher price from resellers for sure.

But the G is another level, even it’s finishing. For those who can spend $15k on a belt drive this G is a great value DD at $4k.

I do not see a relation between SL1200 mk2 series and the new G series, internationally it’s completely different turntable, only dust cover is the same.

People should look for SP-10 mk2 if they want reference class from Technics classics, not the SL1200mk2 for sure. I paid $1200 for SP-10mk2 in mint condition including shipping, now they are a bit more expensive, but this is a great value, not the SL1200 mk2 with all the mods. The SP10mk2 is superior without any mods, the EPA-100 tonearm is superior without any mods.


The SL1200 mk2 is great for $450 today, at this point this is a great value.
For $900 Technics already made brand new Mk7 and for $1700 they made new GR model. The old SL1200 mk2 for higher than $450 is nonsense in my opinion (I bought mine in 1995 and still have them with mods).


But this is what I use in my main system now .

Very good, appreciate the information and pictures that everyone is sharing.  I'm always on the lookout to upgrade whatever pieces of my system I'm focused on at the moment, and right now I'm going through a treasure trove of used LPs I picked up at a Goodwill - my kind of music, and in pretty good condition, one of those they-just-rolled-a-cart-of-the-back moments.  I'm not sure I'm going to stay with Technics for my next upgrade even though there would be less adjustment to a new table - I did in years long ago use the pitch control to make mix tapes and slow pieces down to hear certain portions when learning songs in my band days, but not all in on going for an admittedly better GR (can't really justify the G right now after the money I've recently spent on other pieces) with the pitch adjustment/cue light/strobe - maybe one of used SP's or a VPI table might be the ticket.  Any SP models to stay away from or not worth the trouble?  I know nothing about those, except some have the separate power unit and others that do not.  I see used SP-10's going for not that much but they look kinda cheesy to me, like the ones with the separate speed control wheels.  Better to stay with the SP-10mk2 and above?