Depending upon where you’re based I would get into a good dealer and get some demos. Cymbiosis, Audiobarn and Signals amongst others can demo Rega, Linn and Vertere.
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I have been reading some excellent news about the Technics SL1200G Turntable. Has anyone here heard one? They are about four grand straight out of the box. Can they be upgraded? How do they compare to other turntables at this price level? I have a Naim Pre Amp Nac 282. Naim Naim 250-DR Power Amp. PSU Hiccup-DR. Niam CD player, NA CD5si. Project Xperience SB DC Turntable. Project Tube Box MM/MC Phono Pre Amp. Compare to other turntables at this price level? I live in the UK.
I expect you’ll find plenty even on this forum that own one, probably with equivalent systems to yours.
Best to have a listen for yourself and see where it sits relative to your budget and listening tastes and requirements.
Do you want swappable cartridge/headshell?
Do you want to reuse an existing cartridge (is it compatible with the Technics)?
Do you require MM or MC and might you consider a better phono preamp?
Do you want to modify/tinker with the deck, if so is something like a Linn LP12 more favourable?
Well I imagine you can change the cartridge on a Techhie, I’ve also read cases of people putting SME tonearms on older examples but the ultimate upgrade deck is a Linn LP12, in fact there are Linn owners from the 80s where the only original component is the plinth but that is the counter opposite of plug and play.
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What @Mr.M says.
But also, I own one. I auditioned against Michell Gyrodec SE, Technoarm and an Origin Live Aurora, Encounter.
I had two auditions, all with a DV10x5 and my own XS3 amp, Graham Slee Accession MM phono amp, Motive SX3 speakers.
I’ve upgraded the phono cable to a Yannis Tome Silvercord Duo24.
[edit: at least one UK company supplies aftermarket armboards to upgrade the tonearm with various standard pattern arm fitments]
If you want to read my thoughts on the decks I posted a few here
And here
Budget permitting you could always look at the Technics SL-1000R or you could even create your own custom solution using a SP-10R.
Whilst you can replace the tonearm and cabling on the SL-1200G the appeal in part of it is that it is mostly plug and play, has a lot of cartridge options, including being able to swop them for different listening requirements, and is well built with a low noise floor. There’s certainly options available to modify a stock deck but at a price, by which point your funds may be better allocated on a different deck in the first place!
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If you want to fettle Technics 1200, take a look at Sound HiFi, his additions were well reviewed in the past.
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Sticking on your own headshell and perhaps a better matt (though to be honest, the Technics rubber matt does the job and I like it) is about all you need. It’s a fit and forget turntable to last a lifetime. You can fit some aftermarket arms and feet but when the ones fitted are so good why tinker.
I heard the SL-1200G and GR. Went with the lower cost GR and a very good MM cartridge to pair with a Stageline/HCdr/282. If you can afford the G do that. If not, the GR gets bizarrely close for less.
There’s no denying it sounds very different from a Rega or LP12. I never got into vinyl despite years with access to a top end LP12 in the shop I worked and an entry level Rega. And I was sort of programmed to look down my nose at direct drive. But when I first heard a Technics in a hifi environment I was blown away.
To describe the character, against what I know, an LP12 is like a world renowned conductor. He comes out on stage in tails and bow tie. Clears his throat, “Ahem settle down people settle down. Places everyone! You at the back quieten down.” Tap-tap-tap of the baton. Beautiful music comes forth.
The SL-1200, on the other hand, comes out on a different stage. Puts his half empty pint of lager next to the mic stand. Scratches his crotch. Nods to his band mates to the left, then the right. “Right lads. Let’s Rock.”
Don’t get me wrong, the Technics does subtle and nuanced. But it’s all about the PRaT.
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I’d love to hear the ‘scratches his crotch’ part sound effect!
The renowned maestro probably had no balls to speak of.
My word, I now long for a hi-fi review that adopts your approach. I’ve been intrigued by the Technics decks for a while but have no room for one in either system, you’ve just made it a bit harder to keep to that line of thought.
Plus one for going to Cymbiosis.
They have a good range of decks, including all the Rega variants.
They can also make you up a very good Linn LP12 from pre-used parts, making it good value.
Either way, you’ll have a good time listening and demoing different decks.
Enjoy yourself.
DG….
Comparing turntables is very hard, almost impossible. It’s the deck, arm (although in many cases that’s a fixed combination nowadays), cartridge and phono pre. And apart from any synergy in sound, the cartridge has a technical synergy with the arm (resonance) and phono (loading). So even comparing with the same cart and phono pre isn’t completely fair.
With that long caveat, I own a a GAE. It’s much better than my Perpetuum Ebnet PE 1010 mk2, which to my ears, with a 2M Bronze cart, was on par or even slightly better than the entry level LP12.
I did not audition any Rega above P6 for aesthetic/domestic reasons. The P6 I would rate below either of the above.
Being able to swap cartridges with the headshell is a great bonus. And don’t believe reports that the stock headshell is bad. It might look the same as the ones on lower end models, but isn’t. Just check the part number, it’s different.
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