The Technics SL-1200 GAE/G/GR general questions thread

anyone contemplating putting the magnesium G arm on the GR?

$1200 US smackers
Complete Tone Arm / Tonearm Base Assembly SL-1200 G & SL-1210 G

 

I would be interested in one IF it could be added to the 1200G some how. Just not enough room and would need a longer arm to mount it to the side of the base somehow. Would like to have 2 cartridges mounted and ready all the time versus changing out head-shells and resetting everything.

 

Must say I don't quite agree.
Better visual speed indicator is the pitch slider position.
Beatmatching is done by ear, no one compares the dots as they tell you nothing else but the pitch slider position at 4 certain values. When mixing, fast or slow, a dj doesn't go: aha, so let me see, first row is still, so that means track is spinning at +6% pitch etc, but he listens to the beat.
Hitting the quartz lock button* activates a led, a even easier to spot signal.
* It's not quartz lock button but a zero pitch reset button. The speed is quartz locked at every speed, not only at zero.

A speed indicator should be a permanent part of a turntable, not an accessory.
The quartz system can fail at some point and you'll know immediately.
Regularly, it's nice to have a visual confirmation of the speed stability, no matter how confident is Technics in that regard.

 

Had the same dilemma and then I did the logical thing a bought a second GR. Like that old-school chewing gum commercial said, double your pleasure double your fun my 1200GR/1210GR's make for a dynamic duo

Is it even confirmed that a G arm could be fitted into a GR? Will everything line up the same?

That being said, as cool as it would be to fit the G's magnesium tonearm on my GR I would much rather buy an AT ART9XI cartridge for the same price. The GR's tonearm is more than up for the task!

 

If it doesn't only the wand could be swapped probably, but that's a high price. They should sell just wands, as did with mk2-6.

 

I think a fair number of consumers pass on Technics because they don't like the DJ aesthetic, and the only civilian version they offer is from the bottom of the range (or the $19,000 SL-1000R). I think a civilian GR or G would be a hit. It's like the old Radio Shack good/better/best menu. Technics has a good and best civilian table option, but not better.

 

Hey guys.

I found a SL-1210G for sale in Brazil new in the box.

Of course I'm itching like hell.

Model is SL-1210GEG-K according to a sticker on the box. What does that mean? Does it indicate voltage?

 

Specs - SL-1210GEG-K Grand class Turntables - Technics New Zealand
If it's new and in Brazil I'd be willing to bet it's compatible w/ your local power.
Buy it!

 

I’d rather just buy a G, since that’s about the price difference over the GR, anyway.

 

Just buy it, do some comparison recordings of both decks and post them here.
Please?

 

It's just someone who bought it overseas, brought it here and put it for sale. Not a shop so no guarantee.

Anyway, we have 110v here and specs are compatible:

• Power Supply
  • AC 110 - 240 V, 50 / 60 Hz

 

If I did that, my recording system would be the bootleneck, I'd just connect my Dell laptop to the amplifier with a RCA-P2 cable and record it through Audacity.

 

Sound like you’re in the market for a nice USB audio interface too!

 

Finally pulled the trigger on a Nagaoka Jeweltone JT-80BK for the sl1210gr. Have been eyeing it for a good long time and have to compare to the other carts I have (2m black, Dynavector 20x2L, Denon 110, AT OC9ML/II). The phono pre will likely be my Sutherland Ph3D, or my Hagerman Trumpet). Feedback welcome!

 

Looking forward and exited to hear your findings once runned in.

Two things has so far kept me from buying one of these.

Even its Boron needle must be a plus, I would have hoped they'd offer a better tip than elliptical.
After owning Gyger, VDH, Shibata and Micro Ridge cut tip cartridges, hearing no inner groove distortion with these, I'd thought the Nag as minimum should have a fine line.

Even this I am tempted, so far my usual dealers haven't any stock (for ages actually)

 

I’ve been interested in this cartridge as well.
Let us know your first impressions, and some pictures of course!

 

Thanks for those comments. I’ll be sure to report back after proper set-up and break-in.

Excited by the general hype, that Technics may have worked closely with Nagaoka in Japan, and that it’s 3mV. Just think that’s gonna be a good number for my set-up, specifically. The only concern is rich lows coupling with subs, which has kept certain records from being played more loudly from time to time in my room. I have fairly good isolation in place, but anyway…hoping to enjoy up to perhaps just > 80dB if desired, but usually around maybe 75…also depends on artist.

Cheers!

 

Just a question : With the Sutherland Ph3D, you have to choose loading and gain. For example on the 2M black the loading is 47Kohm but how to know the gain (there's no indication on the manual)...?

 

The lowest possible gain setting is always right for 2m…in my experience, anyway. Can’t imagine adding there.

 

Agree, I read here that the 2M Black tests revealed a higher output than the 5mv stated in the specifications. Low gain is your friend with this cartridge.

 

The Hi-Fi News lab measurement was 5.8mV for the 2M Black at 5 cm/sec and 1kHz, and 4.7mV for the LVB version, so not that much higher for the base model, but I agree that lower gain is always better than higher gain to preserve as much overload margin as possible for best sound.

BTW, I think some of the high output voltage confusion resulted from a couple review measurements that incorrectly (or incompletely) reported the values, and we did discuss that in the past here. The Hi-Fi World review incorrectly applied a multiplier thinking their measurement was done at 3.54 cm/sec instead of the standard 5 cm/sec, and the Lowbeats review only published the 8 cm/sec value, which was around 10mV. Still measures a little hot in both cases, but if they can't consistently report the values, not sure they are very reliable sources.

 

Correct. The output voltage specs that Ortofon provides is unreliable and often quite a bit higher.
Not just for the Black, but the complete 2M range.

 

Well, I think you can say that about the whole industry, not just Ortofon. Check the Lowbeats test of the AT VM740ML, L/R output was measured at 7.8/8.7mV, but they measure at a higher velocity, so the more customary 5 cm/sec values would be about 4.9/5.4mV (spec is 4mV). Their test sample of the VM540ML measured quite a bit closer to spec. I think cartridges today have a lot more sample-to-sample variation than most of us realize, or like to admit

 

Yes, definitely.
I made a thread about it quite a while ago, but was surprised that it was dismissed by many people.

 

SL-1210G is in the house!



Two pictures of it doint its job, and another picture of the G side by side with the GR when I was setting it up.

Every little detail looks and feels more premium than the GR, I'm very impressed. When I got the GR, I lost the darker dust cover I had on my Pioneer PLX-1000, now I have it back.

I just mounted my AT-OC9XML which was already aligned to the Technics gauge, taking advantage of the fact that it's mounted on a Jelco magnesium headshell to have a all-magnesium tonearm.

As for the sound, well, it sounds absolutely amazing! Better than the GR? Not sure, I always thought the GR sounded absolutely amazing too!