Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 56 total)
  • Technics SL-1210.. are they actually any good?
  • slimjim78
    Free Member

    Because I want one. I don’t need one, this is just a pure want.
    I like retro stuff, and I like a good hi-fi set up. I’ve recently sold my Rega RP6 and Elicit amp and am switching back to my Marrantz 66KI amp with phono stage.
    I picked up a lovely Planar 3 with R200 arm but am now wondering if I should have scratched the SL1200 itch, having only ever used Rega TTs before.

    Is there a clear and noticeable drop in sound quality between the Technics and, say, the Planar 3?
    Does the direct drive offer any obvious advantages over belt drive?
    Are they easy to set up/repair/maintain? ( would be an advantage if they are happy to be placed on wooden surface rather than isolated )
    What’s the differences between MkI/MkII/MkIII etc models?

    CaptJon
    Free Member

    I thought the 1210s were rated highly because of their robustness for DJs, rather than sound quality. Could be wrong though.

    slimjim78
    Free Member

    I’m lead to believe their bass response and timing is excellent, as well as the robustness factor.
    I used one during an stay at an apartment in Berlin a while ago and based on tactile response alone, it was really cool to fire up and cue the record – lots of flashing lights and instant response.

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    hammyuk
    Free Member

    They just “work” – time and time and time again.
    Only weak point is the speed slider – make sure its in good condition – use the optical guide to judge that its linear.
    Not hard to get and change but you shouldn’t need/have to.

    captmorgan
    Free Member

    Lots of British hifi magazines favour the belt drive British tts but good direct dive units have a very large following in Asian regions, I think both have a place in a hifi system and more so the 1210’s look mucking cool.

    mboy
    Free Member

    I thought the 1210s were rated highly because of their robustness for DJs, rather than sound quality.

    Exactly this

    For “sound quality”, there’s several reasons to look past the Technics. But for DJ use, they are the original and still the best!

    By all means, get one cos it looks cool and will outlast the holocaust, but in a good Hi-Fi setup like it sounds like you already have, you’ll probably notice a drop in sound quality.

    Or… Buy a pair, and a mixer, and scratch that itch instead! 😆

    slimjim78
    Free Member

    Gettin on down to the badboy sound, my selecta!

    hammyuk
    Free Member

    Don’t forget – if you aren’t using them for the designed use then fit whatever cartridge you want to to get the sound you want.
    The reason they often are seen to be down on quality is that in a hifi setup you are trying to isolate everything to the n’th degree.
    In a club you care that it works, doesn’t skip, tracks regardless of the state of the vinyl, etc so the carts used are a lot heavier duty.

    binners
    Full Member

    You should get yourself one, or two, then get a rather stylish T shirt with an illustration drawn by some bloody chancer, celebrating your love of both Technics and mountain bikes 😉

    redstripe
    Free Member

    I bought 2 in 1986 during a past life as a venue DJ, still going strong today & used by my kids. Never ever gone wrong, really sturdy well made bits of kit, just changed the cartridge every so often. I used to use Stanton cartridges back in the day but I think now Audio Technica for more home use.

    MrWoppit
    Free Member

    The difference is:

    In terms of playback quality, a Technics deck is absolute shyte, whereas a Rega Planar 3 is hifi.

    Simples.

    simondbarnes
    Full Member

    What speakers are you using with your 66KI?

    thebees
    Free Member

    I have one one sitting in my lounge that I bought back in the late 80’s and it still feels great to own something so iconic. In terms of hifi sound, I’m sure that I read in a magazine a little while ago about new 1210 s with upgraded high quality components for the true hifi market.

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    1210’s have had a bit of a revival even in Hifi circles quite a few experiments with new arms, isolation feet and so on. Generally the consensus seems to be that unlike high end direct drives like the Denon DP75 or big Micro Seki’s they aren’t built for the highest of fi. However I reckon that with a decent and compatible cartridge like a Sure MX97 they sound more than good enough for most people, very very good transient response. Also they are very adjustable and reliable.

    Needs to be well isolated on a wall shelf or similar but, given that, I’d say they are better than a Planar 3. British Hifi Journalists were very biased against Japanese gear back in the day which is why for a time you could get amazing stuff on the cheap. Remember also the 1210 started as a good quality home TT not specifically for DJ’s.

    Try one, you won’t lose money if you decide to sell.

    mboy
    Free Member

    Needs to be well isolated on a wall shelf or similar

    I’ve seen people go to all sorts of elaborate lengths to isolate hifi equipment. One of the best simple solutions I’ve used in the past are these…

    What we, back in the day, used to call “Hopper Poppers”, one under each foot works a dream. Not recommended if you’re going to be scratching on turntable, but just for playback… Cheap and effective isolation.

    Try one, you won’t lose money if you decide to sell.

    Will gain money if anything! They’ve been out of production a while now, and people are hanging on to them more and more. Prices were always strong, saw a ropey pair go for £450 some years ago, but that was the cheapest I’d ever seen. Both pairs I’ve had I sold for £600, last of which was 10 years ago.

    handyman153
    Free Member

    Following on from this thread – Clicky

    I have got 3 Technics SP-10 MK 2 Turntables, which are fantastic bits of kit. Obviously only ever used 1, but when they came up for sale I couldn’t say no!

    This is one of them –

    Stupidly, I don’t have any photos of it actually in place, but I had a similar set up to this –

    It did originally have a Audio Origami PU7 arm, but that got sold for a ‘downgrade’ to a SME M2 series around a year back.

    Fantastic bits of kit! And Mboy is correct, anything of this age seems to be going up in value an astonishing amount!
    Because of the previous sentence, this isn’t a sneaky classified add, as I wouldn’t sell these.
    (Until I have to!)

    J

    ocrider
    Full Member

    slimjim78 – Member
    Because I want one. I don’t need one, this is just a pure want.

    No you don’t. It’s already been pointed out that these things should always come in pairs 🙂

    I’ll always regret having sold mine in harder times.

    maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    I’ve got a 1200 – the un-DJ-ified version that the 1210s and later are variant of. It has the same internals and stop/start, pitch control etc but as delicate stylish little dials rather than big sliders and buttons. So you have to take your boxing gloves off to use them.

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    British Hifi Journalists were very biased against Japanese gear back in the day which is why for a time you could get amazing stuff on the cheap.

    Very much this.

    Another Marantz PM66KI owner, amazed at how good the thing is.

    They were designed in conjunction with Tannoys, as far as I recall.
    Mine works very well with DC6T floorstanders.

    slimjim78
    Free Member

    Binners – couldn’t resist, bought the Tee..

    Simon – currently running Neat Mytique floor standers

    Rusty – have had a half an eye on DC6s for a while now..

    As above, I’m going to try one out – as I can hardly lose money on one, they are seemingly a rock solid investment.

    brant
    Free Member

    I’ve got a 1200 – the un-DJ-ified version

    ??

    I was sure difference between 1200 and 1210 was that 1200 were silver and 1210 were black.

    I have still have my 1991 1210s. Rock solid.

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    Rusty – have had a half an eye on DC6s for a while now..

    They go really deep, sound very natural and have an accurate, flattish response.
    Great with everything from solo piano to punk, have a huge soundstage and really boogie.
    🙂

    Just one reservation.
    The horn tweeter is a bit different – can sound a bit coarse compared to a fabric dome now and then.
    Can’t say it bothers me, but it might you.

    Dalis and some older Missions sound really good with the amp too, nowhere near as natural and seamless as the Tannoys, but fun.
    The Sensor 3’s were a great, but had a cuppy intonation to voices that would have eventually have got to me.

    I’d be tempted to try the cheaper new Tannoys with the fabric dome, sounds like they’d be a decent match.

    handyman153
    Free Member

    Slimjim78 – I’ve sent you an email.. Hopefully you don’t mind!

    J

    simondbarnes
    Full Member

    Mine works very well with DC6T floorstanders

    Simon – currently running Neat Mytique floor standers

    Cheers. Using some old* Mission 773 with mine and like the sound. Interesting to hear what others use.

    *about 20 years, same as the amp 🙂

    binners
    Full Member

    Nice one Slimjim! They’re really nice American Apparel t-shirts too. None of your cheapo FOTL nonsense. And you’ll be pleased to know I don’t make a penny, as a donation goes to Lancashire Wildlife Trust instead.

    I drew that up as the 1210 is just such an iconic design classic, and as a fully paid up member of the acid house generation they provided the soundtrack to some of the best times of my life. Cheers Technics! 😀

    handyman153
    Free Member

    Binners – Also just ordered. Fantastic design!

    Josh

    BobaFatt
    Free Member

    I have a 1210 as my only turntable. I love it, had it from 2001 when they were 350 quid, not the 2 grand nutjob prices now.

    I’m sure it’s not as good sound quality as other turntables, but it’s built like a tank and everything feels solid. The direct drive is a delight to use

    maxtorque
    Full Member

    not sure why, but i have a lot of want for one of these:

    8)

    somafunk
    Full Member

    Is that a Pink Triangle?, or is it just the way you’re standing? 😉

    Seriously….is it a pink triangle?

    maxtorque
    Full Member

    It is indeed. An absolute classic of a disc spinner from back in the day!

    YoKaiser
    Free Member

    Has to be a Gyrodec if you want classic spinner!

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    Well if it’s degenerating into a TT thread I give you my personal favorite,

    If only I had the funds….

    binners
    Full Member

    Cheers handyman. A Technics 1210 and a Shimano XT rotor. That’s a whole lot of bombproof dependability going on! 🙂

    mboy
    Free Member

    I was sure difference between 1200 and 1210 was that 1200 were silver and 1210 were black.

    Correct

    I’ve got a 1200 – the un-DJ-ified version that the 1210s and later are variant of.

    You are confused sir… You have an SL-1200 mk1. The mk2 came about after criticism from DJ’s wanting more robust platform, and a big slider for the pitch control. SL-1210’s came later, but the 1210 was just a 1200 painted black. After that came mk3’s, 4’s, even mk5’s. But it was the mk2’s that are the iconic model, the turntable that revolutionised DJing, so much so that when they refined it with the later versions, demand was still so strong for the mk2’s they didn’t dare ceasing production at the time!

    slowoldman
    Full Member

    OK then

    joolsburger
    Free Member

    I literally just sold a 1210mk2 last week on ebay. Got 380 for it but super clean ones go for 500+ it was a lovely thing forgot how heavy they are until I picked one up again, built like a brick shithouse.

    maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    You are confused sir…

    Always. Thats why the make me wear boxing gloves.

    slimjim78
    Free Member

    So, somewhat unintentionally, I have ended up with 2 of the buggers..

    And I can confirm that they are indeed rather bloody good.
    In fact, with fairly rubbish cartridges they still sound 90% of the way towards my previous £1200 turntable.
    Plus they are much more tactile in use, and look so darn good.

    Picked one up fairly cheap and have fully serviced it including new lid and hinges and a good polish of the paintwork and its now looking 9/10 – so am going to sell it to fund the second one which subsequently popped up locally – a genuine 1 elderly owner in absolute mint condition. It’s a thing of beauty.

    Well chuffed. Great machines. Having taken one apart to grease the tonearm height adjustment mechanism I can happily testify to their incredible build quality.
    Am converted.

    stilltortoise
    Free Member

    Jealous

    One of my life mistakes was buying some Vestax that the DJ shop told me were as good as 1210s.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 56 total)

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