Best Technics Sl-1200 model: mk2, mk5, m5g

nah, its key lock, as in in, when you move the pitch slider around, the key of the song will stay the same and only the tempo will change.

works great for beatmatching or sampling, if you want a sample to be slower or faster, you just turn the key lock on and move it up or down, and only the tempo will change

Having a wider pitch range is also great for sampling. No need to pitch things up or down on the MPC; just try it on the turntable and sample it right in.

cough cough SERATO cough cough



now my 1200 has key lock and +16

Which would be nice, but the ST-150 can do +/-100%. Plus who wants to rip vinyl just so you can do that when you can do it in one shot with the ST-150.

Key lock on the Stanton - it's a bit gimmiky and doesn't really work too well.

In my experience of both sets - Technics have better (lower) wow and flutter, but the Stantons come up to speed quicker - better torque I suppose.

I prefer a trusty old 1210 - just my tuppence worth

The 12xxs have a lot going for them. What makes me feel good about the 1210 over the ST-150 is that I listen to a lot of vinyl casually, and the 1200 tracks accurately with little speed fluctuation. If you're strictly a scratch DJ and don't listen to vinyl at all or mix, Stanton and Vestax have straight-armed tables that are excellent for turntablism.

Then again, I've heard people say that the ST-150s hold their pitch just as well as a 1200. And I'd imagine the s-shaped arms on the ST-150 and T120 are just as good or better than a 1200.

The ST-150s are beasts though -- like 40lbs. I've seen disassembly photos and they looked very well built. I just can't see you going wrong with them.

bedouin wrote:The 12xxs have a lot going for them. What makes me feel good about the 1210 over the ST-150 is that I listen to a lot of vinyl casually, and the 1200 tracks accurately with little speed fluctuation. If you're strictly a scratch DJ and don't listen to vinyl at all or mix, Stanton and Vestax have straight-armed tables that are excellent for turntablism.

Then again, I've heard people say that the ST-150s hold their pitch just as well as a 1200. And I'd imagine the s-shaped arms on the ST-150 and T120 are just as good or better than a 1200.

The ST-150s are beasts though -- like 40lbs. I've seen disassembly photos and they looked very well built. I just can't see you going wrong with them.

yeah shi*t those things are heavy. 36lbs i believe, i had a hard time flippin them over to read the serial number on the back for warrenty registration.

the material is very cool as well, its like steel on top and then that metal thats kinda covered in rubber makes up the rest of the body.

Isn't the top wood or something?

that might be true, but it looks like a half inch plate of steel if you look at it, and its a cold material. It looks like it could be wood, just convered in some colored protective coating.

Hope the new Stanton's are built better than the 100, 80 or 60's..Those things were filmsy as f--k and hard as hell to mix on coming from 1200's . Most professional touring dj's use 1200's.. I have toured with my 1200's numerous times and they still work like a charm. I tried the Stantons and they all felt plasticky to me. I have yet to use the 150's but Stanton does not mean quality turntable in my book.. My $.02... Technics 1200's are built to last and once you mix on them a while nothing else will satisfy you quite like the ol' 1s and 2s.. They are smooth , sound great , built like tanks and can take a hell of alot of bass rumble .. more than any TT I have come into contact with.. I have owner Vestax 2000's, Numark TTx's , Stantons and Always went back to them. If you are just sampling off of a Turntable you can use anything hell I used to use an old Turntable from a PE class.. but Mixing vinyl , Serato ect.. come on now... The 1200's are king.. and the differences in the MK's are pitch and anti skating features.. When they made the mk3's they got rid of the center pitch indent because when you would mix on the MK II's it would be a challenge to go over that 0 mark onto the next without falling in the indent and it throwing you out of pitch.. They put the button there for listening at perfect 0 pitch. I like the MK3's for the reason of the pitch control.. And alot of 1200 MK II users mod them to be like the 3's with a kit that will get rid of the 0 indent...

do the newer models have stronger engines?
i think i have read smth like that in a technics info, but its probably bull$hit

MPZ60 wrote:Hope the new Stanton's are built better than the 100, 80 or 60's..Those things were filmsy as f--k and hard as hell to mix on coming from 1200's

Probably because they're entry-level turntables . . .

The Str8 100's were priced at $350-400 a piece.. Just about the same as Technics I do not believe those were entry level.... Sr8 -80's were $300-350 a piece.. The 60 was the only real entry level Turntable.. But even the older cheaper Technics were built better than those Stantons. Stanton used to be highly respected back in the disco days for carts but from what I have seen ( 3 diff models and 2 of them $300 plus ) their decks are just a bit toyish...

i read that the 1200's only have 1.8kg of torque. the gemini TT04 has 5.0kg, more than the STR8-150, at 4.5kg.

does the lack of torque in the 1200's bother any of you? i'm trying to research as much as i can before i invest.

the TT04, with outrageous torque, you can get 2 for the price of one 1200 or STR8-150. there's got to be a reason for that, but i'm assuming it's because gemini wants to force its way onto the circuit for expensive, professional-level turntables, and is economically forced to charge a lower cost? ... or do they just suck?

and yeah, i've heard the key lock in the 150's is epic, in a lot of ways, but if you run serato, don't you automatically get that? can someone clarify this?

what are your thoughts....

While I'd usually say forget Gemini, those tables have received nothing but good reviews and everyone I've spoke to who owns them loves them. I wouldn't hesitate to jump on those either.

MPZ60 is a Technics zealot and he'll never part ways with his 'industry standard.'