Anyone heard the new Technics 1200-G/GR?

[antennaguru]

IMO, there's better available for that price, and the weak link once again is its tonearm...

 

[thewas]

IMO, there's better available for that price, and the weak link once again is its tonearm...

Which ones would those be and are there measurements that underline its weakness and the superiority of the others?

 

[anmpr1]

Heya! I currently own a Bryston BLP-1 turntable, and I love it - but the motor seems to have crapped out and I'm not sure if they will cover it under warranty.

The deck has a three year warranty. I'd call you distributor/dealer and get some satisfaction. Bryston is not a company that won't stand behind their products. Even a motor replacement is bound to be a lot cheaper than a new SL-1200. Unless you just want a new record player and are looking for an excuse. In that case a new SL-1200 would likely last the rest of your lifetime. If the old ones are any indication of the newer model.

 

[Ambientwks]

The deck has a three year warranty. I'd call you distributor/dealer and get some satisfaction. Bryston is not a company that won't stand behind their products. Even a motor replacement is bound to be a lot cheaper than a new SL-1200. Unless you just want a new record player and are looking for an excuse. In that case a new SL-1200 would likely last the rest of your lifetime. If the old ones are any indication of the newer model.

I have a feeling that Bryston will come through as well. They haven't got such a good reputation in the pro market for nothing! Of course I'll have a look around while I'm waiting though...

 

[Angsty]

I have a feeling that Bryston will come through as well. They haven't got such a good reputation in the pro market for nothing! Of course I'll have a look around while I'm waiting though...

Bryston is repairing my 18 year old preamp right now under the 20 year warranty. They are a top class shop and I own several of their components. I'd be very surprised if they did not fix the turntable motor.

 

[Ambientwks]

Bryston is repairing my 18 year old preamp right now under the 20 year warranty. They are a top class shop and I own several of their components. I'd be very surprised if they did not fix the turntable motor.

I hope you're right! However it's been two months and no direct comment from Bryston. How did you manage to get in touch with them?

At this point pmc are suggesting i pay for the replacement but hoping Bryston will chat directly.

 

[Nutsfortubes]

BRYSTON LIMITED WARRANTY Bryston analog audio products are warranted to be free from manufacturing defects for twenty (20) years from the original date of manufacture. The warranty includes parts and labour. Bryston digital products and cables are warranted for five years from the original date of manufacture. The warranty includes parts and labour. Bryston products having motorized moving parts, excluding motorized volume controls, are warranted for three years from the original date of manufacture. The warranty includes parts and labour. Refer to the manual for additional information.

 

[restorer-john]

IMO, there's better available for that price, and the weak link once again is its tonearm...

Here we go again with the 'weak-link being the tonearm' innuendo. It's just not true. Never was. Not since the very first 1200 arm, certainly not since the mk2 and definitely not the latest arms.

Technics made the finest tonearms in the world and even their bottom of the line belt drive turntables made in the 1980s had great arms for the money. Even the cheap T4P straight arms on system turntables were good.

 

[Nutsfortubes]

Here we go again with the 'weak-link being the tonearm' innuendo. It's just not true. Never was. Not since the very first 1200 arm, certainly not since the mk2 and definitely not the latest arms.

Technics made the finest tonearms in the world and even their bottom of the line belt drive turntables made in the 1980s had great arms for the money. Even the cheap T4P straight arms on system turntables were good.

Have you listened to every tonearm in the world?

 

[Ingenieur]

I have a GR. As far as how it sounds?
It sounds like nothing. Dead accurate speed, low W & F, high SN.
The key is cartridge matching and alignment. (As is for any TT).
Many variables in vinyl playback:
Cartridge
Alignment
Phono preamp loading (including cables)
Clean lp's

imo this TT is far from the limiting factor, ie, a minor variable in the equation.

 

[GeorgeWalk]

My current. One owner, bought new in 1978.

 

[Martin Takamine]

I have a GR. As far as how it sounds?
It sounds like nothing. Dead accurate speed, low W & F, high SN.

ditto

 

[Tom C]

I have a GR. As far as how it sounds?
It sounds like nothing. Dead accurate speed, low W & F, high SN.
The key is cartridge matching and alignment. (As is for any TT).
Many variables in vinyl playback:
Cartridge
Alignment
Phono preamp loading (including cables)
Clean lp's

imo this TT is far from the limiting factor, ie, a minor variable in the equation.

Please, do tell. What cartridge(s) do you favor for this TT?

 

[Tom C]

And don’t you just use the alignment tool supplied with the turntable by Technics? I’ve tried others, but in my hands they don’t seem to be any improvement.

 

[mike70]

I have a GR. As far as how it sounds?
It sounds like nothing. Dead accurate speed, low W & F, high SN.
The key is cartridge matching and alignment. (As is for any TT).
Many variables in vinyl playback:
Cartridge
Alignment
Phono preamp loading (including cables)
Clean lp's

imo this TT is far from the limiting factor, ie, a minor variable in the equation.

What many people don't understand is that vinyl SNR is generally more than enough for the standard recording quality, room noise floor (and acoustics) and also our hearing limitations (getting older only made it worst).

Good vinyl doesn't sound bad at all ... and a great machine like the 1200s (any of the models in the objective price tag) properly adjusted, proves it every day.

 

[Ingenieur]

Please, do tell. What cartridge(s) do you favor for this TT?

I do not have a lot of data points but I've used 2 so far.
Goldring E3, budget, sounds great, fwiw Stereophile Class B, $170
Audio-Technica VM540ML, outstanding

Obviously these are subjective opinions.
I have seen plots ( @JP ) for the AT with C and R loading optimized (36 kOhm, 150 pF).

My phono amp has great adjustments and once dialed in sounds great. I'm at 34 kOhm and ~180 pF (inc cables, tonearm wires, etc) the 540 and 740 are the same electrically. The higher C will boost the hi end a bit and the lower R dampen the hump a bit, but the result will be ~ the same.

 

[anmpr1]

What many people don't understand is that vinyl SNR is generally more than enough for the standard recording quality, room noise floor (and acoustics) and also our hearing limitations (getting older only made it worst).

A lot of low-level grunge appears to be masked once the music starts. I was listening to an 'audiophile' pressing of Bill Evans (heavy 180g plastic). It sounded alright, until the diamond hit the lead out groove. At that point I heard a lot of 'static' type of groove noise--crackles and such. I was surprised that I didn't notice it during the musical portion, since I presume it was vinyl noise 'baked' into the entire record surface.

Maybe if I was listening more critically, in quiet passages it would be noticeable. Or maybe it was just something peculiar to the lead-out groove.

That's the great thing about records. They give you something to worry about, that you don't get with digits. It's really more for your dollar.

 

[restorer-john]

That's the great thing about records. They give you something to worry about, that you don't get with digits. It's really more for your dollar.

It also means people endlessly argue about what arms, brands, cartridges, alignments and what silly tweaks they think they need to do. Digital drew a line under all that. Nothing to tweak or argue about anymore.

 

[mackat]

Here we go again with the 'weak-link being the tonearm' innuendo. It's just not true. Never was. Not since the very first 1200 arm, certainly not since the mk2 and definitely not the latest arms.

Technics made the finest tonearms in the world and even their bottom of the line belt drive turntables made in the 1980s had great arms for the money. Even the cheap T4P straight arms on system turntables were good.

Very well said! The EPA-100, EPA-100MK2, and EPA-250/500 are world-class tonearms. It seems to me that many of their design elements trickled down into the tonearms of the 1200MK2 and other contemporary models. As you stated, even their earlier models are quite good.

Nothing wrong with preferring other tonearms, but I find the "weak link" argument fairly disingenuous.

 

[Chrispy]

Have you listened to every tonearm in the world?

How the hell do you listen to tonearms?