Hifi Choice Review of 1200GR

[fletchdirect]

Just read this in WHSmith. Ed Shelley did a review. Mainly good, but found that the midband was a little coarse knocking it down to 4.5/5 stars for sound quality. To be honest, they didn't really push it cartridge wise - entry level Nagoaka and an Ortofon Quintet Black S towards the end of the session. Could that coarseness be down to PSU or tonearm or both? He did note that the stock technics headshell could be improved by an Ortofon one.

What's more alarming is that idiot from Technics - their "audio specialist" Jonathan Danbury gave a small interview. When pressed for a cartridge reco, he said "we found the Ortofon 2M Red is a good match, but refer to your dealer". I mean, call himself an audio specialist? They should be obsessing at Panasonic HQ on the best possible components to make the 1200GR/G/GAE sing at their best. A boring £85 2M Red on a £1200 turntable. Seriously? I just found it to me another cogging cog full of lameness to come out of that man's mouth. Jonathan - its not enough to take a product from japan, stick a Plug & Play Ortofon 2M black on it, play some Diana Krall at Bristol...........and call yourself an audio specialist!!

I really wish David Price had done the review, or Noel Keywood had got a new stock 1200GR in and compared it against a 1210mk2 with mods - to see what the best way of spending £1200 is.

Rant over.

[allthingsanalogue]

Micheal Fremmer tested it with £6500 Lyra ETNA. He rates it.

[Spectral Morn]

Micheal Fremmer tested it with £6500 Lyra ETNA. He rates it.

The one he reviewed was the limited edition not the one selling for £1200.

[RobbieGong]

The 1200GR in my opinion is an improved version of the standard 12XX but I dont think those improvements will translate to something that I'd call true or real hi fidelity, so lets not expect that.

My 1210MKg was in stock form a 'deluxed' version of the 12XX and sounded ok but wasnt sonically what I'd call hifidelity in the true sense of that term, not at all.

Currently in it's well modded format it is a very different turntable sonically to what it was in it's original stock form.

It gets right into the recording, thus the music, tangible lifelike vocals and instrument sounds etc.

Absolutely a case of building on and around its excellent motor drive system and strong weighty build / plinth, removing and replacing it's weak links with better / quality, genuinely fit for purpose and intent components.

My worry is that the new Techie still retains things that I'd regard as weak links there fore hindering it's performance in my experience - transformer / power supply under the platter, ringy heavily damped platter and so on.
The arm I think the arm could be better too.

If you want a new player pretty much in the vein and reliability of the original then fine but if you really want more in terms of genuine sonic insight, realism and so on then your stuck - how do you mod it ? certainly not like the original can be done to BIG effect.

And seriously - Whilst its improvements will make it a little better than the stock MK5g, someone bolts a £6.5K cartridge on it !?!! a waste of time IMO. The £85 2M red suggestion shows accidentally or otherwise that it is not regarded by Technics as a 'proper' hi-fidelity turntable (that's where the pretty much no compromise SP10's come into play and always have)

Stick any exotic cart on the old or new SP10 then I get that, or one of the highly modded 12XX's.

The 1200GR is more so a nice solid player, updated from the one we all love and know, loved by dj's and given a good polished 'new' look so new vinyl lovers with £1200 to burn can get one and feel cool ( of course having one in your city pad will be cool and a talking piece)

You can tell I'm not convinced or certain about by the pitching of 1200GR.

Right got that lot off my chest - time to chill

[Spectral Morn]

Just read this in WHSmith. Ed Shelley did a review. Mainly good, but found that the midband was a little coarse knocking it down to 4.5/5 stars for sound quality. To be honest, they didn't really push it cartridge wise - entry level Nagoaka and an Ortofon Quintet Black S towards the end of the session. Could that coarseness be down to PSU or tonearm or both? He did note that the stock technics headshell could be improved by an Ortofon one.

What's more alarming is that idiot from Technics - their "audio specialist" Jonathan Danbury gave a small interview. When pressed for a cartridge reco, he said "we found the Ortofon 2M Red is a good match, but refer to your dealer". I mean, call himself an audio specialist? They should be obsessing at Panasonic HQ on the best possible components to make the 1200GR/G/GAE sing at their best. A boring £85 2M Red on a £1200 turntable. Seriously? I just found it to me another cogging cog full of lameness to come out of that man's mouth. Jonathan - its not enough to take a product from japan, stick a Plug & Play Ortofon 2M black on it, play some Diana Krall at Bristol...........and call yourself an audio specialist!!

I really wish David Price had done the review, or Noel Keywood had got a new stock 1200GR in and compared it against a 1210mk2 with mods - to see what the best way of spending £1200 is.

Rant over.

Comparisons with a modded 1200/1210 are not going to happen in a mag. The negatives mention match the issues to a degree that one finds in an old 1200/1210.

[rubber duck]

Ed Shelley did a review.

I think it's Ed Selley. Haven't seen the HFC review but ES gives a very positive review on AVforums. He certainly writes better than DP.

I really wish David Price had done the review, or Noel Keywood had got a new stock 1200GR in and compared it against a 1210mk2 with mods - to see what the best way of spending £1200 is.

Seriously? DP who famously rubbished the SL1200 arm? I have this and a Moerch DP6 on two identical SL1210 decks and can assure you a rewired SL1200 arm is far from embarrassed. NK/HFW have not even been able to compare a (Time Step) modded deck against an un-modded one, so why would we expect a comparison of a modded SL1200 vs the GR?

As for comparisons with a modded SL1200, I would rather spend £1300 on a SL1200 with a new motor and bearing/platter than £1300 in mods on my SL1200.

[User211]

Nick Tate did the HFN GR review with Paul Miller doing the lab stuff.

I have the review on my phone in front of me now.