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Has anyone ditched their belt drive deck for a SL1200G?

I've generally found Ritchers to be the cheapest, or the best deal. For example we bought a TV years ago and John lewis was the cheapest for it, yeah I know! When I told Ritchers they price matched it but they included a five-year warranty, which John lewis didn't.

Changed days! "I'm getting rid of my Garrard/Linn/etc and buying a better turntable from Ritcher Sounds"!!! ;0)
 
How good are the arms on these? I'm part-sold on the whole refined DD thing, but the arms...

How easy is it to replace with a Rega, SME, etc?
 
I am perplexed that so many assume the stock arm on the 1200g is a weakness. It isn't.... And then there's the Kab fluid damper.
 
alanbeeb said:
I am perplexed that so many assume the stock arm on the 1200g is a weakness. It isn't.... And then there's the Kab fluid damper.
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It’s probably years of being conditioned to believe that serious arms are straight with fixed headshells, while this one looks like a throwback to before all that. I must admit my reaction is similar, though if I was looking for a new deck I’d try to suppress and judge by listening.
 
alanbeeb said:
I am perplexed that so many assume the stock arm on the 1200g is a weakness. It isn't.... And then there's the Kab fluid damper.
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I'm just asking the question. What would you compare it to? What characteristics, good or bad, would you say it has?
 
Nic Robinson said:
Can you advise? CHEEKY QUESTION ALERT: I have a 1210 GR at home which was in the window of Richer Sounds Brighton so they had to re-box it for me. I paid full price £1299 on approval but can take it back for a full refund by a week tomorrow. I did ask the guy there if I did buy it, could I have it as ex-dem as it had been unpacked etc. He agreed and would think about a price. So...what should this be costing me assuming I decide to have it?
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I just got the 1210GR that was advertised in the trade classified ads with the Timestep power supply, I offered £800 plus postage for the Technics and not the power supply and he accepted. It is brand new in an opened box.

Ronnie
 
Tim Jones said:
I'm just asking the question. What would you compare it to? What characteristics, good or bad, would you say it has?
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On my old 1200 the arm, once fettled by Jonny at Audio Origami, was very good - it was, as I recall, re-wired, foam filled and had the KAB Fluid Damper on it. It just seemed to get out of the way. I would expect the arm in the G to be better still, being made to a far higher spec, and it can still accommodate the damper which made a big difference. I'd be interested in other's experience though.
 
Tim Jones said:
How good are the arms on these? I'm part-sold on the whole refined DD thing, but the arms...

How easy is it to replace with a Rega, SME, etc?
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The magnesium tubed arm on the 1200G is good , I think it suffers the "weak link" stigma because it looks just like the old arm . Sonically it is extremely neutral and it is put together very well , the only "fly in the ointment" is that ( in my case )
the adjustable VTA would not go low enough for shallow carts . Obviously this can be overcome with thicker mats or headshell spacers .

Changing arms is very easy to do , albeit there are a lot of screws to undo / do . I fitted a Jelco TK950S to mine and I couldn't be happier .
 
early said:
The magnesium tubed arm on the 1200G is good , I think it suffers the "weak link" stigma because it looks just like the old arm . Sonically it is extremely neutral and it is put together very well , the only "fly in the ointment" is that ( in my case )
the adjustable VTA would not go low enough for shallow carts . Obviously this can be overcome with thicker mats or headshell spacers .

Changing arms is very easy to do , albeit there are a lot of screws to undo / do . I fitted a Jelco TK950S to mine and I couldn't be happier .
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Is the cable dressing straight forward?
 
Nic Robinson said:
I think I've spent too many years with belt drive tbh.
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I don't think that's the right way to look at it.

You've used what you thought was the best at the time, and it may have been. You couldn't have bought the Technics years ago because it didn't exist. Similarly, I've just swapped the LP12 for an RP10 but thirty years ago when I first bought an LP12 the best turntable that Rega made was the Planar 3.

The turntable landscape is changing, I guess it always has. Technology is is allowing refinements and developments that were simply not possible before. Some companies are making the best out of these opportunities and others, not so much. Some buyers are noticing what's happening and others are happy to keep the blinkers on. I'm just enjoying the change. it's refreshing.
 
Nic Robinson said:
Agreed...but the Technics is doing exactly what I hoped it would.
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Yes, but it's only now you could get that. Sure, you could have bought an SL1200 years ago but from what I've gleaned they were not as good as the new decks. Many people mod them but the standard deck is not a giant killer.

The RP10 is also much better than the LP12s I've had. Despite being belt drive, the speed stability is amazing. Rock solid. The point is that it's not just about belt, or idler driver verses direct drive. What we are enjoying is decades of development in turntables in general.
 
Yes we are. And there will be several brands with excellent products to match your chosen Rega or my chosen Technics/Garrard. Life's too short and I'm beyond the contortions necessary to hear an RP8 (or whatever) with the same cart in the same system as a G (unless you know where this can be done with minimal convenience to me). You like your Rega and I'm pleased for you.
 
Mr Pig said:
Yes, but it's only now you could get that. Sure, you could have bought an SL1200 years ago but from what I've gleaned they were not as good as the new decks. Many people mod them but the standard deck is not a giant killer.
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You can probably still buy a good second hand SP10 (or Denon, Sony etc broadcast chassis deck), plinth and decent arm for the price of the SL1200G, so a high-end DD has always been an option at this price point.
 
Tony L said:
You can probably still buy a good second hand SP10 (or Denon, Sony etc broadcast chassis deck), plinth and decent arm for the price of the SL1200G, so a high-end DD has always been an option at this price point.
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Yeah, but we're talking about what's available brand new in the shops today.
 
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