Open Box Technics Grand Class SL-1210GR Professional Direct Drive DJ Turntable Level 1

In doing a side by side audio comparison with the G and GR, the GR Audio Quality is every bit as good. Within the confines or our music room, we heard NO difference in external noise or vibrations creeping into the audio. The G model having more heft may perform better if placed directly on top of a big Floor Speaker. But who does that anyway? Tone accuracy is impeccably perfect and stable due to its superbly accurate speed control. This GR blows away my older 1200 M3D! Save some money with the GR, and use this money on a better preamp and phono cartridge. You'll have an awesome system then!

Technics SL1210GR can handle every cartridge like a pro. Routinely I use an Ortofon bronze MM and I alternate the bronze head with a Ortofon black MM (shibata tip). I also track a Nagaoke MP 500. All works beautifully. With the bayonette easy removable headshell you can have a wide variety of choices. The motor is coreless and it keeps a constant rate of turning speed, which you can also vary if you desire. I acquired a cork mat and place it underneath a second platter mat made of acoustic resonance resistant material. This is something I did to increase isolation because I am like to absolute prevent anything unwanted to get into my sound. You might not be that sensitive. This turntable is an absolute must if you love music. It is a veritable Stereo Lab.

I use this product everyday to listen my record collection or to transfer my records to digital (needle drop). It currently runs with an Audio-Technica VM750SH cartridge. This turntable is built like a tank. With basic care, this thing should last me a lifetime. I measured pitch and wow/flutter, and it hit the manufacturer's specs over and over. Everything about this turntables screams QUALITY and PRECISION. As for how it sounds... it sounds great! It replaced a vintage Kenwood KD-2070 (which was also running the same cartridge), and it is quieter, holds speed better, and has more punch and impact than the Kenwood. Detail reproduction was a little closer, but the Technics still had an advantage. Some audiophiles may scoff at the table because it has the trappings of a DJ turntable. Personally, I like the DJ-centric features like pitch control, detachable headshell, stylus light, and push-button start/stop (along with a power switch that can't "accidentally" be shut off). All those features, plus the quiet, torque-y direct drive motor, and push-button speed switches (it even does 78 rpm!) make it a no-brainer for me. I have only one minor beef: The included mat is too thin. My preferred stylus is 17mm, and per the manual, I should be able to set the VTA at "0." Because the mat is so thin, my tonearm sat tail high, so, the VTA was off. I could not adjust the tonearm further, because I was already at "0." I was left a couple of choices: buy spacers to put between the cartridge and headshell, or buy a thicker mat. I chose to get an after-market poly-metal mat and combine it with the included rubber mat. This combo squared away VTA with my preferred cartridge. I'll take a look at my other 2 cartridges (one 15mm, the other 18mm) to see if they need spacers. I think the 15mm will need a spacer for sure, but that isn't too tough to do.

I had and tried several turntables, Project Debut, Pro-Ject 6Perspex, Rega Planar 6, Elac 90, Thorens TD160. Technics is something different, everything seems simple and functional. The sound is extraordinary in low range, balanced in medium and high range. I can not give advice for DJ use, but if you like high fidelity, it's the turntable to buy and keeps the price forever.

Technics 1210 (1200s) what can I say that's not already on the blogs. Rock solid for sure, but for the price I agree they could have added more up to date technical features. I give if 4 stars because the torque is a bit short on start ups. For blends and turntablism I find the insulator feet was not the best for this, being they are not at all stable which tells me for sure these were not designed with the DJ in mind. I know, I know, this was pointed out in the press release, but I still had to get my hands on some. If you swap the feet out with ones from previous 1200s they are rock solid. Overall there's not much difference, in my personal opinion, than playing on these and the Pioneer PLX-1000 turntables. For the price of a pair of these you could get a pair of Pioneer PLX-1000 and and Pioneer DJM-S9 mixer. Maybe in the near future Technics will put out a set for the DJ, but these are indeed made for the audiophiles. This is DJ Elo and until next time keep boom bapping.

Technics 1210 (1200s) what can I say that's not already on the blogs. Rock solid for sure, but for the price I agree they could have added more up to date technical features. I give if 4 stars because the torque is a bit short on start ups. For blends and turntablism I find the insulator feet was not the best for this, being they are not at all stable which tells me for sure these were not designed with the DJ in mind. I know, I know, this was pointed out in the press release, but I still had to get my hands on some. If you swap the feet out with ones from previous 1200s they are rock solid. Overall there's not much difference, in my personal opinion, than playing on these and the Pioneer PLX-1000 turntables. For the price of a pair of these you could get a pair of Pioneer PLX-1000 and and Pioneer DJM-S9 mixer. Maybe in the near future Technics will put out a set for the DJ, but these are indeed made for the audiophiles. This is DJ Elo and until next time keep boom bapping.