psemeraro
Member
Hi friends, this is my first official post, thanks for welcoming me to the forum.
I recently purchased a spare 1200Mk2, it is the 11th 1200Mk2 I've owned, 6 of them for my DJ business starting in 1990, two of them at my last business (an AV company) two for my radio station, and now the spare so I can rotate them out and do some maintenance. I have a very un-emotional relationship with the 1200, which is unusual as the 1200 Mk2-5 is the most loved/hated turntable of all time. They are surrounded by legend and myth, here I simply offer truth.
When the 1200Mk2 arrived in 1979, there was nothing quite like it. It was part of Technics "professional" series but was sort of an orphan product with the intent of bringing "professional" performance to the home market. The professional market gobbled it up along with audiophiles and 3 million units later it can be considered the most successful turntable of all time. Everybody should own one for the sake of history, with the caveat that most used examples in 2021 are in need of serious maintenance and probably a lot of work is necessary to make them sound like did after leaving the factory.
It is a masterpiece of mechanical engineering, and having used SP10Mk2's at my first radio station, the 1200Mk2 brought a level of function and accurate speed that hinted of the Sp10's to the mass market. It is remarkably resistant to acoustic feedback, speed is accurate, startup is fast, the arm geometry is good, and the 1200 Mk2 set a standard that I believe forced other manufacturers offer better turntables to the market.
We've learned a lot since 1979 and these days we pay attention to acoustical engineering along with mechanical precision.
THE SOUND A properly working 1200 has a very distinct sound. It is quiet, competent, and good, but is the sum of a "dark" sounding plinth and a bright, "ringy" sounding tonearm. (Technics knew how to make a great arm, the EPA100 is legendary but on its own cost more than a 1200Mk2) Low compliance cartridges that put a lot of energy back into the arm will sound quite different than they do on a one piece arm like a Rega or something more stout like an SME V. Because of the mechanical precision, low compliance cartridges work and track just fine, but you are hearing the cartridge and the arm as a system vs the true sound of the cartridge on a better more neutral arm.
Most tonearms sound bad and the 1200 Mk2 due to its mechanical precision is better than many but there is more nuance to the conversation than the "it sounds great/it sounds terrible" reputation that the 1200 has developed over time.
It is a good platform to "mod" and there are real gains to be had although I believe many of the available mods are misguided. In 2021 the first "mod" should be a full recap of the electronics and disassembly/reassembly of the tonearm and readjustment of the gimbals to get it back to factory spec. It is not perfect but it is good and might be better than what you are using currently, and is an important part of history.
And it's still relevant in 2021, that in itself is amazing. I'm glad to answer any questions about the 1200 Mk2 from impressions, to how to repair, etc.
Pat
I recently purchased a spare 1200Mk2, it is the 11th 1200Mk2 I've owned, 6 of them for my DJ business starting in 1990, two of them at my last business (an AV company) two for my radio station, and now the spare so I can rotate them out and do some maintenance. I have a very un-emotional relationship with the 1200, which is unusual as the 1200 Mk2-5 is the most loved/hated turntable of all time. They are surrounded by legend and myth, here I simply offer truth.
When the 1200Mk2 arrived in 1979, there was nothing quite like it. It was part of Technics "professional" series but was sort of an orphan product with the intent of bringing "professional" performance to the home market. The professional market gobbled it up along with audiophiles and 3 million units later it can be considered the most successful turntable of all time. Everybody should own one for the sake of history, with the caveat that most used examples in 2021 are in need of serious maintenance and probably a lot of work is necessary to make them sound like did after leaving the factory.
It is a masterpiece of mechanical engineering, and having used SP10Mk2's at my first radio station, the 1200Mk2 brought a level of function and accurate speed that hinted of the Sp10's to the mass market. It is remarkably resistant to acoustic feedback, speed is accurate, startup is fast, the arm geometry is good, and the 1200 Mk2 set a standard that I believe forced other manufacturers offer better turntables to the market.
We've learned a lot since 1979 and these days we pay attention to acoustical engineering along with mechanical precision.
THE SOUND A properly working 1200 has a very distinct sound. It is quiet, competent, and good, but is the sum of a "dark" sounding plinth and a bright, "ringy" sounding tonearm. (Technics knew how to make a great arm, the EPA100 is legendary but on its own cost more than a 1200Mk2) Low compliance cartridges that put a lot of energy back into the arm will sound quite different than they do on a one piece arm like a Rega or something more stout like an SME V. Because of the mechanical precision, low compliance cartridges work and track just fine, but you are hearing the cartridge and the arm as a system vs the true sound of the cartridge on a better more neutral arm.
Most tonearms sound bad and the 1200 Mk2 due to its mechanical precision is better than many but there is more nuance to the conversation than the "it sounds great/it sounds terrible" reputation that the 1200 has developed over time.
It is a good platform to "mod" and there are real gains to be had although I believe many of the available mods are misguided. In 2021 the first "mod" should be a full recap of the electronics and disassembly/reassembly of the tonearm and readjustment of the gimbals to get it back to factory spec. It is not perfect but it is good and might be better than what you are using currently, and is an important part of history.
And it's still relevant in 2021, that in itself is amazing. I'm glad to answer any questions about the 1200 Mk2 from impressions, to how to repair, etc.
Pat
