So listen before you buy if possible.Īrm Bearings: The arm should move smoothly and have no play in the bearings, this can only be checked by feel. RCA Plugs: These connect to the amp or mixer and can have loose connections which cause crackling sounds.
Screws: Check under the turntable and platter to ensure no screws are missing as this can indicate flaky repairs. Platter Bearing: Spin the platter by hand in both directions to ensure it runs smoothly, remove the platter and check that the rubber underneath is not coming away and that the magnet is not damaged. Also check that the arm base lock works and that the lift/lower device damps the arm as it drops. Pitch Control: Is it working accurately? Use the strobe to check that the platter turns at the right speed and that the speed changes appropriately when the pitch control is moved.Īnti-skate Mechanism: The dial beside the arm bearing should pull the arm away from the platter. If you want a turntable that sounds great and will sit in your lounge looking cool go for a Rega or Pro-Ject, both companies make better sounding turntables than Technics and Regas are almost as robust.Īs robust at the Technics decks are they aren’t entirely bomb proof and there are a few elements that are prone to problems. It was not made to be the best sounding turntable that Technics could build the SP-10 probably deserves that crown. The SL-1200 was built to be a work-horse for DJs. Buying a turntable used always carries risks (particularly if you shop online) but our step-by-step guide to buying a Technics SL-1200 second hand tells you what to look out for and why.
So if you want an industry standard DJ deck at an affordable price point, the best option probably remains going used. Before you hit the ‘Buy It Now’ button, follow this guide to make sure you end up with a pair of SL-1200s you don’t regret.Ĭonsidered by many to be the best ever, the Technics SL-1200 and its dark side variant the SL-1210 have garnered a legendary reputation in DJ circles and beyond.Īlthough Panasonic recently resurrected the 1200, the cheapest of these has a £1,299 price tag whilst the ‘regular’ edition is available for an eye-watering £2,799 and the limited edition fetches even more on the resale market.
0 kommentar(er)
