Thoughts on moving from a 1200G to Sota Saphire or above


Two different animals, I know. I’ve read some pretty decent reviews on the Sota’s with the vacuum option and intrigued. We’re always looking for that little extra something, something. I’m interested in retrieving a bit more detail and upping the sound stage. 
Maybe this would be a lateral move? Maybe I should change my cart? Something else? Be happy and spin vinyl? Thanks for your feedback. 
Gear:
Technics 1200G
Ortofon Cadenza Black
Herron VTPH-2A phono preamp
Audible Illusions L2 Line Stage
Levinson 532-H
B&W 803 D2 speakers
AQ McKenzie interconnects for phono

Ag insider logo xs@2xbfoura
There is no doubt that you can improve your turntable by changing the tonearm. I replaced the arm on my Technics 1200G with a Glanz and the improvements were notable.

Did you try any Glanz cartridges? @dionisofun

Thanks for reminding about GLANZ, I enjoyed Glanz MF cartridges for a long time, but never tried their tonearms, Glanz is back in business, so let me posts some additional information from my old notes:

Glanz is a brand that has been producing Cartridges and Tonearms masterpieces for many years, and has been adored by audio lovers for a very long time.

Mr. Masataka Hamada who was the developer of “GLANZ” at Mitachi Acoustics, has resurrected “GLANZ” within his own company, Hamada Electric. A legendary brand is reborn! New Glanz tonearms appeared in the market recently. The head office is located in Numazu City, Shizuoka, JAPAN.

Glanz tonearms are manufactured by Hamada Electric and exported by Sibatech Inc.

Mitachi Acoustics for whom Mr. Hamada developed various analog products and was founded in 1951 under the brand name Glanz and closed in 2003. In 1980 Hamada-San established Hamada Electric and secured the Glanz brand license from the Mitachi family in 2008.

Quote from the advertising literature:

"Beyond time Glanz’s legend has been revived. Many long-established audio manufacturers have vanished since analog audio entered its glacial epoch with the advent of digital. Against this tide Glanz issued products such as tone arms and phono cartridges favored by audiophiles to survive with its ingenious technology. The birth of an ultimate tone arm—the Glanz — proves the real advantage of analog audio and talks of its regeneration."

"After engaging in the development of Mitachi Onkyo, I spent many years doing jobs such as repairing Ortofon’s SPU series cartridges. During this period, I learned a great deal from the audio fans, who talked about their dissatisfaction, and made suggestions concerning the various tonearms that were being sold around the world. Armed with this information, THE GLANZ tonearm was designed and manufactured to faithfully reproduce “sound”. My policy is to pursue “original pure sound”. Our company’s products are aiming for the top. “Original pure sound” is the pinnacle! The sound produced by the current electronics industry is far removed from “original pure sound”, but when I air my opinion about this, I am considered ‘eccentric’! I am therefore keen to get to know other people who agree, even a little bit, with my ideas." - Hamada-San (Glanz).


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It’s time to spread the light (AGAIN) on some of the very best Moving Flux cartridges made by Mitachi Corporation in Japan. This cartridge is the Glanz MFG-61 with Boron Cantilever and special design "PH" stylus tip. This is not a typical vintage MM/MI or MC, the patent for unique Moving Flux technology belongs to Mr Tsugikuma Minamizono (Japan). Mitachi Corporation made some very nice MF cartridges in the 70s/80s for US/Canadian brand Astatic, for French Jamo and for Italian Azzurra. But for the domestic Japanese brand, technical engineers of Mitachi Corporation designed the ultimate Moving Flux model in 1982. The Glanz MFG-61 is stand alone cartridge, the most prestige model among Glanz MF cartridges, employs BORON cantilever in order to achieve maximum efficiency at the electro-magnetic mechanism, where characterized most advanced feature of MF cartridge, when the energy is converted from mechanical vibration system to electric vibration system. BORON is considered as an ideal material of cantilever in its character that transmits sound as fast as 7 times than Aluminum, due to its large young rate and small specific gravity. With use of Boron cantilever, the signal picked up from disc to specially designed PH stylus tip is faithfully transferred to the conversion system, and hi-fidelity sound reproduced. The rest of the MF cartridges made by Mitachi for other brands do not have such cantilever and diamond. This fact makes my Glanz MFG-61 highly collectible. This is the best sounding Moving Flux cartridge. Find one in my virtual system.


I have been dealing with TT upgradis for may years I had a G that I put a Triplanar top 10" model on and yes it is better I didn't like the anti skate on the TP so I sold it went to a high end belt drive table and it is just different the DD table seems to me to have better timing or PRAT as they say any way I now have the SL1200GAE and the SL1210GAE I am getting ready to move my Thales Simplicity II tonearm onto the 1210GAE to see what improvements that brings, I have always liked linear tracking arms best...stay tuned I guess but I have it will be my end all table
Somebody mentioned Glanz, engaging @chakster 's glands!

FWIW, yeah, I'd say my Sota Nova/Audiomods V/Dynavector XX2mk2 have a blacker background than my previous Technics SP10mk2/EPA250/numerous carts. Cheers,

I agree that Sapphire w/vacuum & SME V would be a safe bet. I'd love a Kuzma 4Point9 on mine, there's a different thread for that topic. Cheers,

Spencer
There is some compelling info shared here on both options. I’ve learned of some good options of tonearms I’ve never heard before. Searches for 1200 tone arm replacements have yielded so-so results. But, all these tone arms look to be around $5K? $3K or less is where I would be right now. One benefit from a tonearm upgrade is my wife wouldn’t notice a new turntable, like with a Sota on the rack, lol. On the Sota side, there are some strong opinions that it would out perform a 1200 in my system so lots to consider before I check out the Sapphire III next week. 
You’d better try it yourself in your system (if you can compare both), but, again, if you want a better sound you just need a different cartridge for your G, not a different turntable. For quite modest price you can completely change the sound and the whole impression of your Technics turntable will change, believe me (I did it many times). 

If you want a different look of your turntable then it’s another story.