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Turntables & Tonearms Where Analog still Rules

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  #31  
Old 09-21-2018, 01:40 PM
Mille162 Mille162 is offline
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Originally Posted by phishphan View Post
My 2 cents... I have the 1200mk5 and I want to upgrade. I haven't even hooked it up since I moved, 9 months ago. There are far better options. Check out the needle doctor's website. They have a store here in Minneapolis. Great guys that know TTs inside and out.
Phishphan, did you ever upgrade?

I have a SL1210M5g, have done many upgrades, only thing left is to replace the platter (waiting for a now discontinued Mike New to pop-up). The M5G had an improved tonearm and wiring so I doubt I’ll upgrade that; when I reach that point I’ll probably just purchase a 2nd table and move this to my office system.

1st question is, what cartridge are you using? Essentially a turntable just spins the record; the cartridge is what makes the biggest difference in what you hear. Just a simple upgrade to a better cartridge could be a night and day difference.

Single biggest improvement on my table was the Mike New bearing, followed by removing the power supply to a remote unit. Put mine up against friends MT10 and he was blown away by how it sounded next to his (A/B with both C100 and C50). I attribute that mistly to the cartridge, however the 1200 has always been dismissed based on its price point and mass production...but it was that mass production (3million + units) that allowed Panasonic to use better materials and better machined parts that smaller shops would not have been anle to. There’s a reason it was the broadcast standard for so many stations and for so long! If they made only a few thousand per year you’d expect to see the price at $10,000+

Personally, I used to have an on-air show and the 1200 was my first table so I was willing to spend sone time and $ to upgrade one to higher standards despite another brand OTS system might have been faster/cheaper. I also feel the DD motor is more accurate for consistent speed playback vs. a motor with a rubber belt wrapped around a platter.

Start with the $ going to a cartridge upgrade (which can always be carried over to your next turntable if you change!).

My upgrades:
-Mike New Bearing
-Herbies Way Excellent II 4mm mat
-Timestep HE III PSU
-Ortofon Quintet Black S MC Cartridge (25ohms loaded)
-Ortofon LH4000 Headshell
-Ortofon LW800S Headshell Leads
-Isonoe Feet
-Transparent Audio RCA jack conversion
-Transparent Super MM2 RCA interconnects
-Transparent PRPL2 power cord

Just for looks:
-Mercedes-Benz 010 black paint w/metallic flakes
-LED light replacement
-Silver metallic lettering
-Anodized black aluminum buttons
-Hinged dustcover

Last edited by Mille162; 09-21-2018 at 01:43 PM. Reason: Spelling
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  #32  
Old 09-21-2018, 06:01 PM
Allan W. Allan W. is offline
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Word is the new 1200's are better built then the originals. I changed the arm on my old 1210 myself. When they say "It's Built Like A Tank" they are not kidding. The new ones gotta be engineering marvels.
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  #33  
Old 10-20-2018, 07:54 PM
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I am a proud owner of the newSL1200G turntable. It co st 4K, has the brass top on the platter ( platter is twice as heavy as the original SL1200G), magnesium tone arm, etc. the only difference in it and the GAEis The badging and feet.

Prior to this turntable, I had a VPI Prime and VPI Scout before that. The Technics blows away both of them! I couldn’t stand the unipivot arm, constantly had to fiddle with it and could not get rid of acoustic feedback. I have no such problems and the music just flows. I have played more vinyl sinc3 I bought the Technics than I have in the last 15 years. I have zero complaints and am extremely satisfied. For myself and my wife, this was a solid upgrade.
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  #34  
Old 10-20-2018, 08:40 PM
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Sounds like a great upgrade! The true test is how much you use it, and it looks like it passed that test with flying colors! Congrats and enjoy.
Tom
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  #35  
Old 10-22-2018, 03:59 PM
damacman damacman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stereo_5 View Post
I am a proud owner of the newSL1200G turntable. It co st 4K, has the brass top on the platter ( platter is twice as heavy as the original SL1200G), magnesium tone arm, etc. the only difference in it and the GAEis The badging and feet.

Prior to this turntable, I had a VPI Prime and VPI Scout before that. The Technics blows away both of them! I couldn’t stand the unipivot arm, constantly had to fiddle with it and could not get rid of acoustic feedback. I have no such problems and the music just flows. I have played more vinyl sinc3 I bought the Technics than I have in the last 15 years. I have zero complaints and am extremely satisfied. For myself and my wife, this was a solid upgrade.
I guess that's why I've clung to my 1300 Mk2 as long as I have ...
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  #36  
Old 10-22-2018, 08:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stereo_5 View Post
I am a proud owner of the newSL1200G turntable.
Nice. Post a pic or two.
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  #37  
Old 10-22-2018, 09:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stereo_5 View Post
I am a proud owner of the newSL1200G turntable. It co st 4K, has the brass top on the platter ( platter is twice as heavy as the original SL1200G), magnesium tone arm, etc. the only difference in it and the GAEis The badging and feet.

Prior to this turntable, I had a VPI Prime and VPI Scout before that. The Technics blows away both of them! I couldn’t stand the unipivot arm, constantly had to fiddle with it and could not get rid of acoustic feedback. I have no such problems and the music just flows. I have played more vinyl sinc3 I bought the Technics than I have in the last 15 years. I have zero complaints and am extremely satisfied. For myself and my wife, this was a solid upgrade.
That's good to read, I really am curious about these tables. The engineering sounds top notch. So many turntables, so little time
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  #38  
Old 01-19-2019, 01:35 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stereo_5 View Post
I am a proud owner of the newSL1200G turntable. It co st 4K, has the brass top on the platter ( platter is twice as heavy as the original SL1200G), magnesium tone arm, etc. the only difference in it and the GAEis The badging and feet.

Prior to this turntable, I had a VPI Prime and VPI Scout before that. The Technics blows away both of them! I couldn’t stand the unipivot arm, constantly had to fiddle with it and could not get rid of acoustic feedback. I have no such problems and the music just flows. I have played more vinyl sinc3 I bought the Technics than I have in the last 15 years. I have zero complaints and am extremely satisfied. For myself and my wife, this was a solid upgrade.
VPI Aries Scout to Technics SL-1200G upgrade today for me too. Much less kitschy, and much more user friendly. I agree with the uniPivot issue, although I had it figured out. Definitely a worthy sound upgrade. I will be trying more cartridges with extra headshells.

I am awaiting a Mint alignment guide. I just used the Technics mounting guide today.

I do probably most of my day to day listening with the Bricasti (just so easy), but sometimes when I just want to sit and enjoy music, its vinyl.

Today, I have been listening Dire Straights, ZZ Top, Nickel Creek and now some Bill Evans - Waltz for Debby
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  #39  
Old 01-19-2019, 05:03 PM
Mikado463 Mikado463 is offline
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nice to hear those with the new '1200' are enjoying it .....
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  #40  
Old 02-05-2019, 10:52 PM
gykl3344 gykl3344 is offline
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I have my 1200G for more than a year now.
It is just solid and well engineered.
I used to bought a VPI prime scout before this. When my finger tapped on its plinth of the VPI it just feel 'hallow'. Compare to the 1200G's dead solid feel, even the 1200G does not looks as audiophile as a VPI, in terms of engineering, it is way way above it.
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