The 1200 MKII is the turntable I have ever used, and I've had MANY!!!For those of you that know how much they cost,I got one that was repaired
by a friend for someone and they never picked it up. He sold it to me for
the cost of the parts----$80.00!!! You can't beat that for the best turntable
you can get! All I can say is if you can get your hands on one ,grab it!!

I used technic 1200's to do a little turntablism for a couple of years and rate them tops for constructing soundscapes with vinyl. as a tool they are are the best paint brushes you can tear up beats with...but in comparing them with the warmth of a rega or a vpi or a thorens it's not even fair because they are two different beasts. if you are looking to construct and make a new soundscape get two 1200's and you will fuse sound like none other, but if you are in a pure aesthetic realm, go with a belt driven purist like a rega, thorens, or dual everyone can't afford those multiple thousand setups. leave the ignorance off the sight.
these table are meant for construction and too outlast humanity. therefore the soundstage cannot be expected to be better than other tables.

Yo, dese babies are da ones I've been lookin for. I'd be bringing on da Boogie. Just call me da Scratchmaster. Da Boogie Man is comin and he's got 2 1200 MKIIs. Da Boogie will getcha in da end.
Peace.
Enjoy-

da BM

Magnetic-field quartz direct drive (no belts,no belts, and no belts), quartz speed & pitch accuracy unbeleivable, wow & flutter kept to near cd level (hard to detect any),attracticve styling has never lost it's edge after all these years of introduction back in 1979, cannot hear any rumble as associated w/cheaper name brand direct drive models, tone-arm manual calibration controls,pop up periscope-like stylus light.Overall straightforward sturdy and heavy anti-resonant construction.Sound quality is warm and brings many records to almost cd like sound that would otherwise sound flat on lesser quality turntables !

neither semi nor fully automatic operation available (would be nice if made with full automatic control that you could override from casual listening to dj purposes...

I can add nothing more than what other previous critics,djs, reviewers have to say in praise of this wonderful analog electronic masterpiece ! All it's strengths & weaknesses are listed above; It's strengths way outweigh it's trivial weaknesses.It's not just a turntable for dj's but in-home consumer use as well (especially for people with large lp collections who still value music recorded in the venerable analog format and hard to find lp titles never released on cd). Just be cautious of pricing range from electronics dealers to electronics dealers (differences are astounding from anywhere from $50 to $400 )...

Similar Products Used:

Entry level Technics turntables (SL BD-20 & 22),the 1200 MK M3D (identical to the regular 1200's motor and plinth except comes w/handy reset/pitch kill button,hingeless dustcover,recessed on-off power switch, and a slot for djs to hold an extra cartridge and a price tag of about $200 more than this MK 1200)

When I say I'm an audiophile, I mean I like music. Equipment is secondary. I am an avid record collector and have used many turntables over the years--rim, belt and DD. I find the 1200-II to be a remarkable piece of gear at a reasonable price. For those with many cartridges (like me) the EIJ headshell system is a dream. The arm VTA is adjustable during play, and the speed is rock steady. The platter is damped on both sides and a stylus light is quite handy. The arm works well with a variety of cartridges from high compliance MM's to medium MC's.
This table is now mainly used by the pro industry, but it was originally designed for the consumer market(just look at the manual and you'll see). I'm told the motor is the same as that found in the erstwhile SP 25. People say that DD imparts vibration to the platter. But if you look at the construction of the 1200, it is hard to see how. The platter rests on the spindle bearing. Nothing else touches it. The "motor" is a simple magnetic field which does not touch the platter but repels it at 33 1/3 rpms. Vibration is usually caused by high speed unbalanced rotation--not a problem in this designs. In these days when people hear great differences between amps and cables (until the levels are matched and the brands hidden), I suspect that those who denigrate this table are more swayed by the visual aesthetics of multi-kilobuck record players than with actual sonic differences. At a street price of less than $500.00 there is really nothing of equal build quality out there.

In any case, considering that an exotic turntable arm combination can easily cost as much as a high performance motorcycle, this thing is a downright bargain.

The 1200's as they are known have nerver let me dowwn. I have been beat mixing since 1987. All types of music. The Quartz lock pitch will not fade off beat. You set the mix and let them ride. Mathched with the right needles you are able to scatch with no worry of damage to the record, or the needles jumping all over the record. Lets not forget one of the many features, the anti-skate. The best turntable ever made.

there is no other turntable, technics 1200 mkII kick ass.

Solid as a rock and more reliable than your best friend.

Too costly.

I used to DJ in the 80's and had the good fortune to own two MKII. I dont know what I would have done with out them. they were with out a dought the most trust worthy investment I ever made. They were built for travelling, and taking a licking. They are the true "WHEELS OF STEEL".
And for all you "sensitive listeners" out there hearing is subjective as everyone hears differently. With the correct. cartridge any turntable will sound great.
I was partial to sure and stanton cartridges as they gave me the most bang for the buck. I still own my MKIIs and they
are still going strong. A must buy for any one seeking a
life long companion.

Similar Products Used:

Technique 1800,Numark various models and almost any other
brand made for dj's between 1983 and 1989

great turntable. easy to use. keeps speed perfectly, even after touched.

could use more tha 8/-8 pitch variance

technics 1200's are the best turntables ever and have been an industry standard for decades. i've had mine for 6 years now and have dragged them from house to house, used them in clubs, outdoors, etc etc and they still work perfectly. sound quality is great if you use high quality needles.

Similar Products Used:

gemini turntables

This turntable does not deserve a 5 star rating. I have sold this unit for more than 10 years and I do not hesitate selling it to DJ's, but in terms of sonic quality, it is pathetic. It is another example that what is "pro" is not necessarily better. Based on the vernacular of the reviews here, I can understand the ratings that this turntable received, but lest readers be swayed, this is not by any means the "state of the art" in turntables. Nor is it the best buy in it's price range if you use it for personal listening.