[Closed] Technics SL-1210.. are they actually any good?

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

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.

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.

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.

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! 😆

Gettin on down to the badboy sound, my selecta!

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.

You should get yourself one, or two, then get a rather stylish [url= https://www.teamjmc.uk/product/rotordecktshirt/ ]T shirt[/url] with an illustration drawn by some bloody chancer, celebrating your love of both Technics and mountain bikes 😉

[img] [/img]

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.

The difference is:

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

Simples.

What speakers are you using with your 66KI?

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.

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.

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...

[img] [/img]

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.

Stanton STR8, ftw...

https://www.gumtree.com/p/decks-turntables/stanton-str8-150-turntable/1229888953

Following on from this thread - [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-very-ot-other-half-has-asked-me-to-clear-out-my-speaker-collection ]Clicky[/url]

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 -
[img] [/img]

Stupidly, I don't have any photos of it actually in place, but I had a similar set up to this -
[img] [/img]

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

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

Slimjim78 - I've sent you an email.. Hopefully you don't mind!

J

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 🙂

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! 😀

Binners - Also just ordered. Fantastic design!

Josh

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

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

[img] [/img]

8)

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

Seriously....is it a pink triangle?

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

Has to be a Gyrodec if you want classic spinner!

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

[img] [/img]

If only I had the funds....

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

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!

OK then
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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.

You are confused sir...

Always. Thats why the make me wear boxing gloves.

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.

Jealous

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

I like retro stuff, and I like a good hi-fi set up

You have two reasons not to buy the Technics then.

erm.. Its a 40 year old design, and it sounds really good.
You've listened to a well set up one?

I have one with a decent Audio Technica cartridge. I think it sounds lovely. I've had it about ten years, I can't imagine replacing it.

I much prefer it to the flimsy Project / Rega style turntables, like a good steel hardtail versus an XC whippet...

I think its changing my opinion on some of the 'audiophile' designs too.
Considering my old RP6 is based on an MDF plank with a motor directly coupled to it, the 1200 is starting to make some audiophile options look a bit daft.

Mind you, have you seen the price of a brand new 1200/1210?..

Nowt wrong with Vestax IMHO

Nowt wrong with Vestax IMHO

Solidly built and sounds OK, but I never satisfactorily got the cartridge stable enough for scratching and the pitch control was poor; there was far too big a delay between small changes on the pitch slider and an actual change of pitch. Beat syncing was much harder on the Vestax PDT-5000 than on the SL 1200/1210s.

I have a pair of 1200's.

Back in the day I had a separate headshell with a hifi needle, rather than a DJ type. For recording or sampling, or even listening to albums I would swap the 'hifi' needle in and use the rubber platter in place of the slip mat and it sounded great I think.
My brother is an audiophile nut and he still uses 1200's in that guise. Mostly so he can mix too rather than it being the best sound in the universe.

erm.. Its a 40 year old design, and it sounds really good.

Well, it sounds pretty good, given that it's a DD table for DJing.

There are better tables out there for just listening to, both old and new. If you want to abuse it like a DJ then it'll be great, but it's not HiFi. And compared to something like a LP12 or TD124, it's not old, either.

slimjim78 - Member

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

Where and how much? 🙂

A well setup up SP10 will pee all over a rega planar 3, although we are talking different ball parks in terms of cost.

I have one with an origin live arm on, but my mate has one with an SME 5 on, in a corian plinth, with a modest Denon DL304 MC cartridge and it is exceptional.

When he sold them he would have people bringing down their sondeks, etc to compare and would leave with an SP10.

You do surprise me, Vestax were sold on their scratch ability credentials, most stuff I've used of theirs has been solid kit, but admit it must be 10 years since I've used a Vestax TT

The last TT I had in the house for mixing before I went fully digital /controller was, and don't laugh now, Numark direct drive, it just did the job solidly and sounded great. Some of my last vinyl rips were done on that deck, and a couple of DJ's I know have copied them after wearing out their vinyl

Well, it sounds pretty good, given that it's a DD table for DJing.

but it's not HiFi

Hi-Fi Definition please.

compared to something like a LP12 or TD124, it's not old

I've used 1200's & 1210's for the last 15yrs or more and yeah they are great bits of kit, but... it all depends what you want from them. High end bespoke stuff will sound better but if your mixing then why would you? Belt drive/direct drive etc
The functionality of 1200/1210's are what makes them awesome. That said if you're stabbing, chopping hip hop beats the precision of newer Newmark's and Vestax's are a step on from Technic's. Status and reliability keeps them the choice with DJ's and I'd not, not have a set.
For me a set of gold 1200's is where's its at but at £1500 a deck its a lottery win away 🙄

That reminds me, Radio 3 last Saturday did a special vinyl only Record Review for Record Store Day. They broadcast from Spiritland in London who seem to have some esoteric looking kit.

[img] [/img]

by the way, curiosity got the better of me and I splashed out on my first brand new amplifier for 15 years. A Marrantz PM6006.

Phono stage sounds good, amp is warm sounding, 2 optical inputs for Chromecast Audio and TV audio connectivity, plus through my B&W CM5's.. oh boy, these speakers sound good.

Oh, and just sold the spare SL-1200!