''Progressive All The Way''

Ask any pro DJ, and he or she will tell you the undisputed king of all turntables is the Technics “1200”
. In 1969, Technics (a division of Panasonic, which is a division of Japanese electronics
conglomerate Matsushita) produced the world’s first direct drive turntable, the SP-10. Ten years and
several engineering refinements later, Technics made history with the first SL-1200, and then the SL-1200
MK2, the industry legend. To this day, more than three million Technics 1200s have been sold, and are
still the smartest and best made turntables in the entire world. There have been a few minor changes
here and there over the past few years, but the 1200 still looks virtually identical to the way it looked
when it was first produced. It was made so well that there are several 10-, 15-, and even 20-year-old 1200s
still in service!
My personal 1200 MK2s are over 15 years old and they work perfectly even after thousands of club and
mobile gigs. I’ve personally used several 1200s that have run 5-7 nights a week for over 10 years with not
even one major problem. Those tables saw cigarettes, fog, dust, smoke, water, spills, chills, and other
abuse that would have rendered virtually any other non-alien mechanical component dead and buried.
Heck, even the Maytag repairman envies the 1200! Sure, some parts wear out with heavy use, but
Technics sells a wide range of user replaceable parts. They’re incredibly durable, and very easy to use.
The Technics 1200 (shown in Figure 4.1) is nothing less than the perfect electronic component. Even
though I gave away most of my vinyl, I’ll probably never sell my set.
Technics 1200s have some pretty cool features that other turntable manufactures have borrowed over the
years. They’ve got massive “torque,” meaning they’ll get up to speed incredibly fast, and easily let you
drag a record with a slip mat on top of the platter that’s spinning at full speed with no noticeable
changes in tempo or pitch. They’ve got a really cool “strobe” effect that visually shows the relative speed
of the platter, including when it’s locked in the zero pitch change setting.
There’s a small pop-up lightthat’s just bright enough to show your stylus and the record grooves in really
dark DJ booth or party situations.
There are four shock-absorbing legs and a rubber base to help isolate bass feedback and
skipping caused by unstable floors. There’s a neato cueing lever that DJs aren’t ever allowed to use
(because it’s not “cool” for DJs to use it). And the curved tone arm assembly is completely adjustable to
accommodate a very wide range of DJ styles, cartridges, and styli. They just feel good; heavy and solid.
A set of two 1200s will cost you anywhere from $400 - $800 used, and from $800 - $2,000 new. There are
four or five models of the 1200 available today, each with slightly different features, but all still with the
same basic look, their original tone arm, and direct drive motor. Cartridge, stylus, and a travel case are
all not included.
I learned on 1200s, so it’s very difficult for me to be objective about other turntables. Most other 1200
users will agree. If you’re new, you should approach your turntable choice with an open mind, and go try
a bunch of different brands to see which is best for you. Stanton makes some pretty chic turntables that
are barking at the heels of the 1200, including its STR8-150 with a straight tone arm, and some scratch DJs
are lovin’ it. Numark, Gemini, and several other companies produce some less expensive belt and direct
drive turntables. Feel it out for yourself and go with what feels right for your art, not your pocketbook.

The Legendary DJ Turntable.

the best!!!