(3) Turntables, which one would you pick and why?

I can. And it's not that I dislike Technics tables. I just like the uni pivot design of the VPI tonearms and the ability to tweak the VPI a little more. I know there a Technics tweaks. Some people dislike the uni pivot and get frustrated with all of the set up options. It's just different from a gimbal-ed arm. I enjoy the setup part of this hobby.

 

Appreciate your take. I like unipivots also and do wish Technics had allowed for other tonearms in the 1200G design. In terms of sound can you comment between the two tables?

 

Sound wise I would give a slight edge to the VPI. Image just falls into place in my setup with just a little effort with the VPI. The Technics was great but image felt a little more displaced. I could never get it like the VPI. I currently am running a Classic 2 and that is slightly better. Everybody will get different results I suppose. It's hard to expect that what I hear is what everyone else would hear, obviously. It's so subjective.

 

Thanks for the description. Was the Technics you had the new SL-1200G, or a previous version? Did you also have a VPI Prime, or are you comparing it to the Classic 2?

 

Are you really expecting there to be some huge difference? Come on - enjoy your table but don't play that - have you heard the exact deck stuff - that it silly. These decks are great and they are not miles apart. The 1200G didn't solve any major problems other than make some audiophiles happy.

 

4) Michell Gyro SE

Because it can give any of these turntables a good run for the money...it's a killer soundwise. IMHO I think it's worth to take a look outside the 'box' before deciding which turntable to go for in this case...

 

I was curious about his impressions. I don’t need validation. I made my choice and it’s the right one, though I’m sure many will disagree (as evidenced by many of the posts in this thread). I’ve gotten the same sort of blow back about McIntosh components. To each his own. The good thing about this hobby is it’s not a one-size-fits-all. Though what I don’t like about this hobby is the more recent dearth of measurements and objective (or even subjective) comparisons between comparably-priced products (like the VPI Prime and the Technics SL-1200G). Wouldn’t that be a logical shoot-out for Stereophile or The Absolute Sound?

Incidentally, I’ve heard a stock MKII and the G in my system. There are some differences. The G sounds somewhat brighter (maybe due to tonearm wiring), sounds like it produces a bit greater dynamic range, and seems quieter – the backgrounds sounded “blacker.” The G is a lot heavier, both in the platter and the plinth. And the arm is a bit nicer. But what inspired me to check out the G in the first place was listening to a friend’s MKII and my former Clearaudio ‘table in my system. And again, that MKII was bone stock, with none of the KAB upgrades. So the G is an improvement, but the MKII is still very good. I’d like to hear the GR vs. the G now.

 

Understood - and agreed regarding McIntosh fans - not my favorite to deal with. I see the G as a great deck as are the others. Some of the tropes are so tiresome - speed stability - needing some controller etc - Technics needing a new arm...

I see the 3 offered here as safe bets but be prepared in buying one to hear lots of silly notions.

Thanks,

 

As do I. The unipivot arm sitting on that needle, and its feel.. I just feel that it rides a groove better, really allows the tone arm to comply to the groove with no resistance and thus I just assume it is better 'on' my records as well.

 

Direct-Drive all the time.

 

The Technics. The other two lack a 78 RPM speed. Moreover, the Technics arm allows for changing headshells, which is a major plus when one maintains separate cartridges for 78s and LPs (perhaps several for each), and the speed control allows for enough pitch variation to cover most "78s" anyone other than a really advanced collector is likely to encounter in practice, albeit not the entire range that's possible.

 

Thanks for the impressions! Wondering if you ran the Technics for a lot of hours? According to Fremer (if memory serves) and others (I'm thinking of the Audiogon thread) the 1200G sounds better until the bearing is broken in with adjusted manual torque setting, and then once bedded, back to automatic.

 

do you think the Prime imaged better of the uni pivot and all of the adjustment flexibility?

 

I heard those comparisons and although the 'G was close, the Caliburn sounded extremely sweet as did the Lyra cartridge.

 

Right, it did. Same cartridge on the Technics. But a $4k ‘table/arm vs. $100k+....I A/B’d those high-res files before he revealed their identities and I had a hard time consistently saying one was better than the other. Not saying that couldn’t be also true with a $4k VPI Prime, but just sayin’...

 

none, especially not technics

 

I did that too playing them over my stereo. I went back on fourth on which file matched which table.

For me once you are moving into the 3K plus range belt drives just don't do it for me and I prefer the new Technics and Garrard's.

I've owned direct drives and belt drives and currently own an RP6 which I think is a pretty good table for the money and ease of use. It replaced an SL1200. I have played them side by side, both with a 2M Blue. The RP6 had a more detailed more open sound with a bigger soundstage. The last I checked the table it was rotating at 33.4 rpm. A touch fast but the improvements in other areas made the upgrade worth it. After hearing the 1200G I felt the improvement was as much over the RP6 as the RP6 was over the SL1200. Maybe a little bit more. Plus you get the build quality and ability to resist room vibrations, ability to swap cartridges, and play 78s. So worth the money in my mind.

The VPI Prime still has what I describe as the belt drive sound. It's like hitting a loudness button in that it has a pleasing bit of distortion that makes everything thing sound fuller and bigger but can get to be too much. I'm not saying all belt drives have that. I've heard some expensive belt drives that don't have it but those are out of my price range.

 

None of the above. All of the above. Partial to the Technics here.

 

RP8 - Great stuff

 

VPI prime if I lived in the US, possibly Rega if I lived in the U.K....

 

Yep. Relative (import-related) value is where price-equivalency (and associated perception) can get heavily skewed; and also where the '£1K turntable vs. £2k turntable' thing can become a bit of a nonsense.

As in the UK I'd go RP8.

 

Rega, because I used to have one.

 

I think it did but I also think cartridge selection plays a big role. I ran both with the same carts. Maybe the G would've imaged better with a different cart.

 

If the Rega is the direction you’re going to go, I’d wait for the P8 and P10, which should be announced fairly soon.

Also, another dark horse candidate would be the Well Tempered Amadeus GTA.

 

I'd get the VPI - I prefer belt drives because they sound smoother to me but maybe the 1200 is just as good, I don't know. But I do know in my own experience I prefer the belt. I like Regas okay, they are musical sounding. I guess I would still pick the VPI though.