Stunning looks Bomb-proof construction Fine sound quality A classic Low depreciation

The styling is not subtle. Mk2 and Mk5 are better value for home use

I sold my last turntable two years ago. That was an original Ariston RD11 with SME 3009-II. I ended up wasting loads of money buying music I already in my archived vinyl collection on CD. My options for a new turntable were limited to the rather fragile audiophile models or a DJ deck. My Ariston sounded ok when it was set up correctly and it got through parts. It took ages to start up, the speed change was under the platter. The springs, belts and wood made it feel a little agricultural. More often thant not, it was feeling a bit off colour. What I really wanted was something that was built to last and convenient to use. Enter the MDF-free Tehcnics SL-1210M5G. The deck has been around for 30 years or so and needs no introduction. The M5G is a 30 year celebration model and has a special finish as well as some addtional DJ features, it looks stunning. Sound quality comes second to durablility in DJ deck design, and this model is no exception. Audiophiles usually steer clear of direct-drive turntables for obvious reasons but it actually sounds fine for home use. I added a Rega Bias 2 cartridge and it sounds as good as any other deck I've owned including the RD11 and a Rega 3. SL1200s have always been fast and fun to use. Long term running costs are cheap thanks to the abundance of spares and durable construction. Without doubt, the best record deck I've owned, a real classic!

Best overall turntable in the world.Best table for scratching. Torque is always strong and a solid feel. Minus the fact I dont have gold plated, this is a beautiful looking and impressive piece of equipment.

Expensive turntable for someone that just wants to play records.

These turntables are built for one purpose: Best DJ turntable made. Ask any dj that has had the chance to use and master the art of mixing, scratching and functionality of a turntable and this is it. I have been mixing for 25 years and have played in many clubs but always call the 1200's my home tables. I recently came across a great deal and bought the latest 1210 M5G. I had waited about 4 months online looking for a great deal and found them for $450 each. Keep in mind I paid almost the same price for 1200 MK2 15 years ago. Took not more than a few sessions of mixing to get used to the digital pitch slider (user replaceable). I have been so familiar with the dead spot just under +-0 (any dj that uses 12's knows about this) that it was a change to have to look where zero is instead of feeling it. I never felt the need to have more than +-8% mixing vinyl until I bought the M5G's. Just add one more tool to your creativity list! The anti skating has been increased and the all black finish is a dream to look at as is the blue led lights and pitch. The pitch control feels a bit less solid than the sliders on MK2-5's but in a different way. I have been using my M5G's now for about 9 months and pitch is perfect with both tables. Still feel brand new opposed to non digital 12's that get that broken in feeling after significant use. This is a Ferrari workhorse. Beautiful to look at and solid as a rock strong. My old 12's have been with me for 15 years and I still love playing on them when the need for 1 or 2 more tables are in order.

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I have tried just about everything on the market including: American DJ, Newmark, Vestax, Denon, Stanton and Gemini with a few that come close but the test of time sends me back to Technics every time.