Technics still the best?

[Defunctpunk]

so they say vinyl is a hipster thing, but I’m 40 and can attest that there’s an openness and more personal experience with vinyl than CD, than MP3. When CDs came out, I was excited to get this new technology, and eventually they made CD players for your car. Wow. But now I find myself 40, divorced, and looking for nostalgia where times were innocent and pure. I had a technics player back then. I don’t remember the model but I remember it had pitch correction, it looked awesome and it sounded like you were at a concert. Any lyrics you didn’t quite understand on a CD where pretty clear on vinyl. It was almost as if the band was in the room with you. I want that again. I want to revisit that childhood interpretation of music. My questions are simple, is a vintage technics player still a viable option? Are they ridiculously priced or hard to find? I’ve heard of marantz but other than a cassette deck, never heard one spin vinyl. I recently went bankrupt so I’m looking for that experience but with a hefty coupon

 

[Riddley]

You are probably thinking of the venerable SL 1200 direct drive. Rock solid steel construction, super easy tonearm height adjustment ( = optimize Vertical Tracking Angle). This works hand in hand with the removable head shell, as you can have another cartridge (mono, or your big bucks reserved-for-pristine vinyl pickup) and swap it out in seconds. I believe they've started making these again, at a premium price. Many used units around, tons of parts, and folks who can restore them.

There is a pitch control but these units have rock-solid quartz speed control (and I don't know why you'd want to play records too fast unless you're a DJ making room for more commercials.)

You can spend as much as you want for a turntable but the SL1200 is a terrific unit - I got a rebuilt MK 2 last summer - no dust cover, a few minor blems on the chassis, for less than $400. Plays like a champ.

 

[slow_jazz]

I'm partial to my Pioneer PL-550.

Technics are plentiful and good.

Best of luck.

 

[gizzyman47]

I like my quartz locked pioneer pl-600.

 

[lurp]

SL1200 is a good table, but not much to look at. The vintage Marantz tables, most of which were made for them by CEC I believe (who also made Pioneer's, Kenwood's,etc.), are pretty, but really not worth the "Marantz" tax IMO, and I own most of them

• The 6100 is a fairly basic, vinyl-veneered belt drive with auto cueing
• The 6200 adds speed adjustment and a strobe, and adds some queuing features (repeat, etc.)
• The 6300 is a gorgeous direct drive with a nice heavy plinth and wood veneer, but the tonearm damper is fiddly and mine won't hold a stable 33-1/3 to save itself (better after being lubed and recapped, but not great). This one's looks and name demand a premium its performance doesn't live up to IMO.
• The 6350q is my favorite of the bunch. Quartz locked and a better tonearm than any of the above. I have a Dennon DL301 moving coil cart on mine, and aside from the typical direct-drive rumble, it sounds nearly as good as much higher-end tables.
• The 6370q... Someone else will have to opine, as I've never had one! Regardless, they're hard to find and anything but cheap if you do.

Given your stated objectives, I think a care-worn Technics, as others have suggested, makes a lot of sense, and hopefully leaves some room in the budget for a decent cart and phono pre-amp.

 

[bktheking]

Yes a mk2 1200 is a perfect option- affordable and bulletproof and will run for years without needing maintenance. Wanna step up the game, sp10 mk2 or mk3 it even better.

 

[likebike23]

I got a Technics SL-1900 for $20 on Craigslist a couple years ago. It needed work, but it runs great now. It's a nice fully automatic model which I find convenient. The SL-1200 is fully manual, so you will need to drop the needle and take it off at the end of the record.

 

[_tk]

Just a thought...but there are plenty of decent new tables being made that won't break the bank. Vintage is nice, but good vintage tables usually aren't cheap and/or they need some work.

You might luck into something on craigslist, but in my area if you're not there with money ASAP, the item will be gone.