A turntable for DJ and HiFi use
Written: Sep 05 '02 (Updated Oct 28 '02)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Rugged construction, quiet motor, good tonearm adjustments,
Cons: Precise setup for home use could be time consuming, manual operation, dust cover not hinged,
The Bottom Line: Equally at home in a HiFi system and on a DJ station. Rugged construction, precise motor and tonearm.
|
|
|
| akshobhyavajra's Full Review: Technics SL-1200M3D Turntable |
Summary
The Technics SL-1200M3D is a industrial turntable with a direct drive high torque motor designed for broadcast and DJ use. The plinth (body) is a molded aluminum die cast cabinet with a heavy rubber base, which minimizes vibrations. The M3D comes with quartz locked pitch adjustment to assure precise motor speed. The Technics also comes with a low-mass S-shaped tone arm, which has a helicoid height adjustment for precise cartridge VTA adjustment. In addition the tone arm can be properly adjusted for 1/2 inch cartridges of various weights and designs. The turntable also has antiskate adjustment features to insure proper tracking all the way to the spindle.
The Technics 1200 M3D comes with a removable dustcover, a 1/2 inch headshell with leads and a 5 gram removable weight, an easy-to-use manual and two mats - one felt and one rubber - for both play and scratch operation.
What else to I need to purchase?
When purchasing a turntable such as the 1200 it is important to note that you also need to purchase a moving magnetic phono cartridge made by companies like Shure, Audio Technica, Stanton, Grado, etc. In addition you need to make certain your receiver or preamp has a phono stage, which can amplify the small signal from a phono cartridge.
If your home system does not have a phono stage you will have to purchase one. Finally, it is helpful to acquire a cartridge alignment tool, which will assure that your cartridge is seated properly in the headshell to avoid damage to your vinyl during play.
Impressions:
I purchased the Technics for home audio use rather than for broadcast or DJ purposes. I chose the Technics because of its rugged construction, parts availability at major music stores, and overall reputation as a reliable machine.
The unit is relatively easy to assemble (remember you're dealing with a turntable - not a DVD player or tuner - so some patience and prior operational knowledge is helpful).
Simply unpack turntable, place the platter on the spindle unit, add the counterweight and mount your cartridge. Follow the company's recommended setting, balance the tone arm and use a phono cartridge protractor to properly align your cartridge for optimal grove tracking and music retrieval. After you're done plug the turntable into your phono stage and the unit is ready to play.
The Technics is a manual turntable, which means that it lacks auto start and lift features. I personally prefer this and do not view this as a negative feature. Remember that the table is also used for DJ and broadcast purposes, where auto features are undesirable.
I chose a Shure V15VxMR moving magnetic cartridge for the 1200, which works well and picks up good detail from the record grooves. I did upgrade the headshell with a Sumiko model with OFC leads. The tone arm tracks well and yields no unpleasant sound. In like manner the motor is very quiet and precise. The illuminated stroboscope on the side of the platter shows no variation in speed. The tone arm height can be adjusted on the fly ( - 5mm) as can tracking weight and antiskate.
The only complaint I have about the 1200 M3D is that the dustcover is not hinged as its predecessors. I understand that for DJ use a hinged cover may not be desirable, esp. when coffins are in use, but optional hinges could have been made available for those of use who use the table at home.
Finally
It would not be entirely appropriate to say that the 1200 "sounds good", since the sound is generated by whatever cartridge you may use and what type of phono stage and audio system is employed. Unlike CD/DVD players the actual turntable is a mechanical device, which is used in conjunction with a phono cartridge to assist in the retrieval of information from the record groove.
What I can say it that the unit does not get in the way of the information. It is well built, reliable, and does a good job of tracking the record groove while maintaining a constant speed. It adds little in terms of mechanical noise and treats your precious vinyl collection with care.
I am happy with the 1200 and recommend it to those who are interested in reviving their old LP collection or wish to replace a 20-year-old table that may have seen better days.
Though I cannot comment on its use in the DJ or broadcast market, its rugged build and precise tracking make it a good choice for home audio use.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
akshobhyavajra
|
|
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Reviews written: 31
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
~Carpe diem - vita brevis~
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.