Technics Turntables...really???


Ok, what am I missing? When I hear Technics turntables, I think Craigslist and DJ tables. What am I missing? 
pawlowski6132
Post removed 
Post removed 
I have the technicus SL- 1100.he is one of the best ever made . Very stabile, good build, beautifull realistic sound,with Benz gold element.
The premium Technics product certainly holds its own against many of the best in the business. I’ve just finished restoring a SL-1700mk2, which was the basis for the more simple SL-1200mk2 that everyone knows and some misguidedly despise. That despicability I believe, comes from association of the SL-1200mk2 with fake “DJ”s, who really aren’t using the turntables or the medium for quality. Real deejays are pretty much an extinct breed of music curators for music lovers. Not that FM radio is anything close to true HiFi, but the spirit is in the presentation.

Cleeds, The problem with the post is that it threw Technics as a brand under the bus inferring that Craigslist and DJs were unworthy. Audiophiles = snobbery? Since when?

Yeah, I have a problem with that and the OP should know better, or at least ask an enlightened or focused question, such as, how do you all feel about Technics tables? Are they worth considering compared to the competition from an analog enjoyment perspective?

But no, instead the brand is sent to the garbage dump. Recall, many lathes upon which laquers are cut are powered by Technics’ direct drive technology.
Had had one in my college system in the 70’s,  must have been good because it was stolen. 

I spun some good tunes back then without the new audionervousa ocd problem I have now. 
stevecham2,602 posts07-31-2018 12:31pm
Happy Technics 1200 and other series table owners, of which I am one, have nothing to defend. This thread was started by a someone who simply wanted to throw an unqualifed and inexperienced hot potato in the middle of the room and then run like hell. Let’s not be vulnerable to such nonsense and unqualified provocation.
It seemed like a legitimate post to me. After all, Technics has made many junk turntables through the years and, as another contributor noted, so did many of the other major turntable and electronics manufacturers.
I bought a new 1210 m5g for peanuts a month before production ended a few years back as a 4th table. 

I use it strictly for 6 vintage MM cartridges and it punches far above its’ weight class. 

I also own an SP-25 which, after many years, operates perfectly. 
Happy Technics 1200 and other series table owners, of which I am one, have nothing to defend. This thread was started by a someone who simply wanted to throw an unqualifed and inexperienced hot potato in the middle of the room and then run like hell. Let’s not be vulnerable to such nonsense and unqualified provocation.

No amount of education and good will changes the minds of such provocateurs.
To expand on creeds' comment, there were lots of "junk" tables produced by many Japanese manufacturers, Technics was not unique in that.  The reason?  Large companies (relatively) produced a wide range of products to appeal to the full spectrum of the market.  That meant lots of quality compromises at the lower price points.  But Technics, Denon, Kenwood, Sony, JVC, etc. all produced quality tables for the upper portion of their price range, in addition to many cheap lightweight models.

Another point regards the reputation of the SL1200 series as "DJ" tables.  Those were designed and sold initially as consumer products.  As it happened, some years later the DJ crowd discovered the very good build quality and durability in the modestly priced 1200s  and adopted them as their standard instrument.  That demand is what kept the 1200s in production long after their competitors gave up.  So while the DJ label suggests a negative reputation to audiophiles and music lovers, it really speaks well for the quality of the units.

In fact I believe the discovery of the musical qualities of the SL1200s led the way to renewed interest in direct drive tables at least 15 years ago.  Used ones were inexpensive and they responded to a few modest upgrades, thus an underground reputation began building which lead to reconsideration of several quality used DD tables. 
As @cleeds said, to be fair, Technics did make a lot of cheap junk and it should be avoided. The old SL1200's were good, solid DJ tables that could perform pretty well as an audiophile table, especially if mod'd a bit.

The new/current SL1200G is a high end audiophile table that happens to look like the old DJ table. It's also $4000. There is the "trickle down" SL1200GR version for $1700 which also gets you a solid starter audiophile table.

Summary: Yes, there are a lot of old crap Technics tables out there on Craigslist, etc. There are also 2 new Technics tables that have receive a lot of praise at their given price points.
Post removed 
To be fair to the OP, Technics has made a lot of cheap turntables that were just awful. I can imagine that they do show up on Craig's List as they do at yard sales. They are worthless, and can't be compared to tables like the SP-10 except for the name badge.
Just what the world needs: another Technics Turntable Thread!

Can you recognize a troll when you see one?

SP10MK3 will run circles around just about anything. Educate yourself.

Good Listening 

Peter 
The new Technics tables.
The old 1200s are as you understand them - solid DJ tables which respond well to mods.