Technics SL-1200GR2 Turntable Review - An Audiophile Deck?
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- The legendary Technics SL-1200 turntable is back and better than ever! In this review, we take a closer look at the brand-new SL-1200GR2 and see how it measures up to its predecessors.
If you're a DJ, audiophile, or just a fan of vinyl, this review is a must-watch. We'll cover all the features of this high-end direct drive turntable and give you our honest opinion on its performance. Spoiler alert: is it a potential game-changer for the hi-fi market!
AVForums Hi-Fi editor Ed Selley takes a look to see what improvements have been made over the original GR model from 2016.
One of the big new features of the Technics SL-1200GR2 is the use of ΔΣ-Drive (Delta Sigma Drive) to control the speed of the direct drive motor to give the Turntable accurate pitch and speed, but also kill any unwanted vibrations or noise that could be transmitted to the cartridge pick up, giving you a cleaner sound.
With its universal design and high-fidelity sound, the Technics SL-1200GR2 is a must-have for any vinyl enthusiast. Whether you're a professional DJ or just enjoy listening to music, this turntable will take your vinyl experience to the next level. Watch this video to see why the legend has returned and is better than ever!
00:03 - Intro
00:42 - What is the Technics SL-1200GR2
02:20 - Design of the Technics 1200GR2
03:54 - Technics SL-1210GR2
04:10 - Using the Technics 1200GR2
05:07 - What we don't like - Connections!
06:06 - Why direct drive?
06:51 - The headshell
07:11 - Technics SL-1200GR2 performance
10:19 - Conclusion
11:49 - A note on cartridges to use with the Technics SL-1200GR2
13:03 - The end
Read the full written review - www.avforums.c...
Manufacturers Product information - www.technics.c...
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#technics #technicssl1200 #hifi
Our Hi-Fi editor Ed Selley gives you the full rundown on the new Technics SL-1200GR2 (SL-1210GR2). What are your thoughts on this revised edition of the legendary turntable line? Is it something you are considering for your system at home?
Ed the hidden plugs are to stop them getting knocked out etc when dj ING does that make sense.... Remember the originals on 1210 mk 2 were immovable...
Actually I think you ARE a natural video person. I really like your straightforward approach with little superfluous adornment. The review is informative, stating a preference while not discounting other options. I suggest you do more in a similar vein. I am subscribing.
0:50 No, the 1200GR was first announced in 2017. The 1200G and its limited version 1200GAE were announced in 2016.
2:05 The D/s principle is used as part of the motor controller, NOT the power supply. The PSU is upgraded with active noise cancellation.
This is the single most informative video that I have yet watched on the SL-1200GR2 as I attempt to convince myself that I absolutely need (I don't) a new turntable. This is the one that finally put me over the top, but it would have done that had I watched it first as well. Great job, more please. (Consider reviewing some open baffle speakers.)
Nice video. Thanks Ed, keep em coming. Looking at my pair of original Technics SL-1200 MK2's from the 1980's that take pride of place in my listening room while watching this! I still use my pair almost daily, and they haven't skipped a beat. I love how Technics has honoured the DNA of the classic. I've got a bunch of cartridges, but my current faves are the Grado Prestige Black 2, the Goldring E1, and the venerable Shure M44-7.
You've nothing to worry about Ed, definitely above average and you'll only get better. Looking forward to your next one.
Dear Ed. Great work on your first vid! You’re a natural. It’s nice to see your reviews “come to life”. I would have enjoyed some of your often mentioned cats joining in on the fun.
Love my 1600mk2, automatic heaven. Old school Shure V-15 type 4 with Jico SAS
Would love to see a review of the denon dp-3000ne to compare with this Technics.
Excellent video review and very well presented Ed. No need to worry!
This tt (w/ AT VM760SLC) made my Rega P3 50th w/ Exact sound like a toy. Love it! Still surprised though..
Nice review. More please 👍
I have both the GR & GR2. I love the GR2!!
Is it better sounding Than the GR?
@TemujinScott80, You are the person that I needed to talk to. I own the GR, what does the GR2 bring to the table from your prospective over the original GR. I might even move up to the G.
But my 1210 gr is made in Japan. The gr2 is made in Malaysia. How is the quality of the gr2?
@@edroskott5651It doesnt matter what country its made as long as the factory knows its shizz. If "made in Japan" was a sure fire good thing then loads of GR and G models wouldnt have wonky platters and flimsy arm lifts. And my Yamaha AS3000 amp wouldnt have had a flimsy creaky chassis with some uneven panel gaps to boot.
Its the design and execution of hifi components that matters. The irony of "Made In China" is that it usually means "made in the latest factories with the latest equipment with properly staffed workforces".
I personally know a british hifi designer who visits the Chinese factory that makes the many modern PSVane vacuum tubes and he cant say positive enough things!
Made in China, Made in Japan, Made in GB..... none of these statements matter... ONLY design and execution.
@@tomwebb7091 But i am glad to have a Japanese 1210gr🙂
Ed; Please don't practice - this was eloquent with good vocal clarity and, with the lack of trivia, a step up from the UA-cam norm.
The mains socket was a conscious decision to be up that way, because in the event of a flood the earth pin is grounded first and then the water shorts out the live pin, blowing the fuse. At least the phono cable isn't hardwired into the bottom of the unit any more. 😛 it's all a bit of a compromise, without altering the fundamental design of the turntable. I'm now going to uncover my good old 1210 MKII original (UK version from about 1988) and give it a spin.
Like the below a fantastic review with a lot covered and understandable for a turntable newbie. Thanks 🎉🎉🎉
You were really good on Camera.
Don't talk yourself down.
Keep up the good work.. 👍🏽
I love the 1200....these are fantastic for mixing get two and get your party started....but they are overkill for domestic use....the connectors are hidden as I recall so DJs aren't don't get tangled up in wires....mine uses a Stanton 500 cartridge..
I'm liking my SL-100C. Not the 1200GR2, but still happy with it. Happy with the lack of faffing around the Technics requires compared to the Rega it replaced. The Rega was going to be a lot of money to get up to this level even - and I'm just not inclined to that amount of hassle.
Yeah but the cue lever system is janky. Feels cheap and plasticky and fails to inspire confidence. They really missed the mark here.
I own the original techniques 1210 mk2 turntable it is in very good condition and still sounds really great. I can only imagine how good the latest model sounds because one reason I can’t afford it
Pulse width modulation doesn't have to be digital. I've worked on many devices that used an analog implementation of PWM. It's a great and very old technology. How does the GR2 compare to the GAE? Those bring some crazy prices on that auction site. The GAE has a magnesium arm.
I believe the cable hook-ups are so hard to get to because these are built-in to dj tables and drop-in to a tight spot, and access from below is important
Using something like a Denon 103 can be a struggle to get enough head shell mass (or effective tonearm mass I guess) for proper control of the low compliance cartridge. In my experience, I added head shell weight and the extra counter weight to balance or the sound suffered. I bought the DL-103 not realizing how low compliance it is and it sounded awful (noticeably worse than a N97xE or a AT-VM95ML) until I educated myself and applied the tuning above. Thought it was the stylus differences but no, for me it was setup. Also, it's worth mentioning something most reviewers tend to miss - the supplied head shell has a set screw which allows for azimuth adjustment. Mine was noticeably off out of the box and the micro-line cartridge sounded very unbalanced until I dialed in the azimuth. I'm not at all a golden ear but I do actually hear the differences with proper set up given all the cartridge and geometry fussing about for setup. I've since bought a bunch of head shells to experiment and realized after the fact most of the cheap ones do not allow azimuth changes - I encourage buying ones which do allow for azimuth adjustment. Absolutely love the TT.
Great view but there is something that I rarely hear if at all. The rubber mat is designed so that it's thicker on the outer part of it. This simply means that the record is only being supported by the outer edge keeping it away from the drive section and in theory reducing any motor noise.
What percentage of these tt’s will ever have the pitch control used more than once out of pure curiosity? I think they might sell better if they removed that ridiculous feature.
LoL. Love that question I have the gear version of this bought it a couple years back and have since actually modified it quite a bit upgraded the feet , tonearm, and I have a friend of mine who is a machinist and he actually turned for me a brass mat . I probably should have just bought the G Version. When compared to what I I paid for the New tone arm and the brass mat. But that's a conversation for another day . However, getting back to your original comment oddly enough three or four times at best and keep in mind I'm saying that as someone who owns a professional DJ company nowadays even the rigs that we have that use turntables have no reason for the pitch control because we don't actually play records everything is done digitally through serato software we more or less use the turntable itself for time keeping and mixing.. but with serato. So The record that you put on the turntable has a tone rather than having music. But that tone has a time code that a computer can read. The turntable first sends the tone to the computer. On the computer you choose what song you want to assign to each turntable. So no pitch is used..
@johnmason6213 to be fair the entry SL-1500C and the top of the range SL-1000R do not have the pitch control.
@@kevinwalker8639this is true, but there are other things to consider. Thec1500 vta is not as easily adjusted and the platter on the 1500 is quite a lot lighter. I believe the plinth is also less massive.
I'm not a DJ but I use the pitch control quite often. Some songs I like sped up or slowed down to suit my mood.
@@arrakian no issue with that but I think you are in a very, very small minority. I guess you have to own either this tt or a dj tt. Mid to high end audiophiles don’t do that because mid to high end tt’s rarely have that feature. Since this tt is aimed at high end users it seems ridiculous.
These are so good that they justify high end partnering equipment - chain, weakest link stuff. I have put a Ikeda 9TT cartridge on and an Allnic 1500 phono stage. Each of which cost far more than the TT. Is the TT embarrassed? Not at all.
I have often thought of purchasing one of Technics SL-1200 turntables. They seem to me to be generally as good as I could hope for, taking into consideration that I need a turntable to play 78s, along with the other speeds. Therefore it must have a turntable that can revolve at this speed (78) plus a pitch adjustment for the non 78 78s. (I'm sure you know what I mean). Also I need to have a turntable with interchanging head-shells for easy switching for the various styli required to play the variety of groove widths that these old records have.
One part of your video that did make me smile (perhaps not exactly the right word) is at around 1:40 into the video showing a record being played which has obviously been pressed well off centre. Obviously this is NOT the fault of the turntable but reminds me of the many times I had to return records I'd purchased because the pitch was so inconsistent (amongst other 'joys' that vinyl pressings presented) , all the merits of a good quality turntable being totally lost because of the dreadful pressings of the records. The CD, with its 'rock-steady' pitch made buying recorded music once again a pleasure, not having to think of how many times I would need to exchange the disc to get a half-decent copy.
I have a 1200mk11 and a linn lp12 and a garrard 401 what the technics does is make poor recordings very much listenable the linn makes a poor recording sound like a poor recording so does the garrard I rarely use the linn or the garrard for this very reason other than a linn costs 250 quid for a tune up a child can get a technics to work
I can live with the "tucked" AC Cord. Why is the head shell sloped? To what end in the installation of a cartridge?
Technis is taking us for a ride…l when you want to impress, use words like delta sigma….just check the W&F and see if they are any different. Even the 1200G has the same W&F, I checked both at an audio fair!
I like it very well
I have the original japanese 1210GR and i will never sell it.
Great review. Curious, I can pick up a 1200GR for $700 LESS than 1200GR2. What would you do ? :)
Pick up the GR, no brainer
@@pravstar1agreed.
Mine arrives in a week or so. Might be seen as a “downgrade” from my clearaudio performance DC, but I’m bored of belt drives, weird arms, fiddly setup and vinyl “mysticism”. 1200gr2 feels like a fit and forget way to enjoy good vinyl replay.
Technics needs to make the spindle a bit longer, perhaps add 3 or 4mm longer.
Most of the times “delicacy’s” in turntables are not a good sign. A SL-1200, any SL-1200 is immune, therefore a truly universal piece of equipment.
Great review.
I presume the review copy did not have the wobbly platter that affected the older GR and the 1500c? I had to return these older units several times because of this. Can an owner of the 1200GR 2 confirm the absence of Wobble?
I wouldnt count on it as Technics themselves deemed the many poorly made platters to be "within spec". This is what happens when a mass producer of low end goods by the name of Panasonic tries to milk the rebirth of the record collector.
What is the major difference between sl1200g & gr2 ?
Check the weight of the different models. G = 18 kg, GR = 11.5 kg
Another difference is manufacturing locations.
Now made in Malaysia, not Japan
😢
thank you
You're welcome
1:39 Looks like that cartridge could use a good dusting, and removal if the fuzz on the stylus. And the way the tonearm is wavering looks rather odd, so I put a record on my GR2 and it doesn't seem to have that movement nearly as much. Is it the anti-skating setting?
I noticed it too. The record itself may have been pressed slightly off-center. That's the only reason I've seen my tonearm "sway" a little, so that may be the case here.
@@dmnddog7417
Yes, that sounds logical.
You are explaining how good the speed / pitch stability is from this turntable. But I see the record you are playing in this video is not exactly in the midle of the turntable. So the needle moves from left to right and back again during one revolution of the record. This introduces differences in speed. I can't quite combine this with your comment about speed stability.
The only real real difference is the price hike from the original gr.
Better if the records were stacked straight, lot of weight pressing on the last record.
Mine came with a 2m black cartridge, does anyone know if I need to fit the spacer that came with the turntable to the cartridge?
No, it does not need a spacer you do need to alter the azimuth setting as the M2 black is quite critical angle of attack of the stylus I hope this is of use to you 😊
@@ianyates7742 thank you so much
Noob question, but does this have an auto lift/ stop when the record ends?
No.
at 1:45 "we" are treated to a view of a very dirty album (dust and hair) at the stylus. WTF?
The iec being put at such an angle is done deliberately so would be hard to fit rhodium or silver bigger better audio type iec. For better power supply Friend had same problem with different turntable to put better iec connector for power supply on the turntable. Manufacturers want you to use the thin cheap stock cable and make it difficult to put better iec connector unless you use right type of adaptor. Mostly turntables have internal chasis earth ground so do not have ground on power supply. This seems to have ground to the power supply. So is not chasis earth grounded. Must be new technics design for the power supply has no internal earth chasis ground connected inside turntable.
Mk7 is shitty plastic bottom layer, GR/GR2/G/MK2 is real rubber much better for damping!
Useless "review", sorry.
I believe it goes from 0 to full speed (33⅓) in just 1/4 turn.
The earlier SL's (incl 1200mk2) were 0,7 seconds to 33 rpm which is around 1/4 of a rotation at the outer edge of the platter (all SL models with the 0.15 Nm motor assembly). I have a 1976 SL1700 which does this. The GR is 25% more powerful so starts even quicker. In 1975 Technics introduced the SP10 which would go from 0 -33 rpm in .25 seconds.
I got to admit brother, you don't hear the word aperture enough in Hi-Fi reviews.
It's £750 more than I paid for my GR1
Because the gr1’s saw a lot of discounts of late, and this is a brand new unit to market, so of course it costs more. Give it a year or so and deals will start popping up at lower prices.
Well done, fantastic review can’t wait to see more videos review like this from yourself . So much information crammed in
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, fantastic eloquent, review….. I am very tempted to upgrade my MK5s eventually, as the parts will dry up before too long…… How are they for mixing? I’ve heard the original GRs weren’t great and the Mk7s had a few issues, especially with pitch deadzones….
Very expensive turntable, aimed at who? Connections tucked underneath the deck for battle mode use for a DJ, but it’s not a DJ turntable. I’ll keep my pristine MK2s.
Not interested in a DJ turntable. I wish they would make them without the slide.
I do not believe you can get better by spending more and certainly not for less. I bought mine back in 2017. It’s fitted now with a Shure V15 type III with Jico SAS-B stylus which delivers a lifelike sound via a Parasound 2.1 P6 Preamplifier.
Of course you can get better. The real question is whether the gains are 1) audible on your system and 2) worth the extra cost.
I purchased a 1200GR two years ago. I am very happy with it in every way except one , the "looks" I do not like the DJ styling. Too bad the 1200GR2 looks the same as the 1200GR. They should have given the 1200GR2 a styling change to look more like a "audiophile" turntable. Had they restyled the 1200GR2 (Denon DP 3000 ) I would have sold my 1200GR for the 1200GR2.