Audiophiles and just connoisseurs of good sound are well aware that the best sound can only be obtained from vinyl records. And it's not even a “warm tube” sound, just vinyl tracks allow you to record music in high quality. A CD can’t allow this. That is why professional musicians and DJs prefer turntables. However, the question arises of purchasing a good vinyl player. And here a very interesting Technics SL 1200 comes onto the scene.
Positioning
The current 1200 is the reincarnation of the legendary Technics player, from which the culture of DJs and club parties began. The first 1200 had one very important advantage - direct drive platter. This is exactly what made it possible to twist the record as it pleased. The current Technics SL 1200 model is designed for audiophiles and costs fabulous money (from 50,000 rubles for a used version). But it provides a chic sound and can be used as a “turntable” for DJs.
However, for the most part, this is just a vintage vinyl record player for home use in tandem with a high-quality speaker system and an acceptable amplifier. It is worth remembering that devices of this class do not tolerate system components much lower level. They just completely refuse to work with poor-quality acoustics (for example). Why, snobs! Nevertheless, many audiophiles are willing to spend thousands of dollars on providing their closet with high-quality sound. While eating "doshiraki". Well, everyone goes crazy in their own way.
Specifications
This is the most interesting. The design of the SL 1200 has not changed a bit since the 70s. No "numbers." Everything is completely analog. This is the calling card of Technics SL 1200 MK3. The characteristics of the vinyl player are as follows: playback speed - 33 and 45 revolutions per minute (electronic gear change), tonearm length - 230 mm, tonearm mass - 12 g, case and disc materials - aluminum, disc mass - 1.7 kg, disc diameter - 332 mm, detonation - 0.01%, signal-to-noise ratio - 78 dB. The color of the case is silver, and the weight of this entire system is 12.5 kilograms. The player does not have any advanced technologies such as phono correction, loudness and other unnecessary things. This is a product for audiophiles. And they consider the use of equalizers, phono stage, loudness compensators and other things to be a bad manners.
Equipment
The vinyl player comes in an elegant box with a large Technics SL 1200 MK3 lettering. Instructions, cover and necessary connectors for connection are located inside the box. There is nothing else there. Purely Spartan equipment. For that kind of money, the Japanese could go broke even with a rag to wipe the vinyl. But no. Use what is. Do not expect more. It’s good that the player provides excellent sound. Spartan equipment seems to hint that we have a very expensive and upscale product.
Reviews
And now the most interesting part in the Technics SL 1200 review. Reviews are always important. They help to understand how the device behaves at home. Of course, there are few happy owners of Technics SL 1200 MK3 on the Internet. There are reviews nonetheless. One and all note the excellent sounding of the player, but immediately specify that to unlock the potential of the turntable, H-End acoustics are required for several thousand dollars. At the same time, they describe their budget Logitech. So the question arises: is it possible to trust such "couch analysts"? However, the player is really worthy.
Many of the appropriate owners of Technics SL 1200 note that the "great-grandfather" of this "turntable" was much better in quality. Yes, and worked much quieter. Indeed, compared to the oldest model, the current SL 1200 is already very loud. What it is connected with is not clear. But the Japanese with their vaunted quality could make the engine quieter. However, with a good speaker system this is not particularly critical. Many consumers note the most important plus - the player body dampens vibrations from loud speakers, which positively affects the sound quality.
Summary
The Technics SL 1200 vinyl disc player is a great gift for an audiophile (albeit a very expensive one). It is able to provide excellent sound quality, damp out unnecessary vibrations and make fans of "warm tube" sound jump for joy. But at the same time, he is deprived of the support of new technologies and has a very high cost. However, those who are fond of high-quality sound do not pay attention to the price.