If you haven’t seen my post on the “show your setup,” I have finally bought myself an external mixer (Ecler 2.0) and although my setup currently fits my needs, I feel like a turntable will make the setup look really sweet.
Although crossgrading to Traktor Scratch will be hefty (which may make me purchase a Denon Sc-2000 instead), I am curious to know exactly which turntable to invest in if I choose to go that route.
Of course we have the classic 1200s, but I also read some reviews that the STR8-150s are really good (and some say that they outperform the 1200s). I plan on purchasing one and then mapping it to a button to switch deck focus.
Any thoughts between these two turntables? Any other turntables I should look at? I began Djing digitally so I am excited to go back to Djing’s “roots” and try to learn how to use a turntable.
Shure M44-7 Cart, then google MAT Electronics…and look for the Shure N44-7 stylus, they track amazing, can get like 6 for $50. Then carts browse ebay, when I had mine I got 2 for $85.
Honestly, whatever works for you. But if you are going to make the move into the clubs and want to have practice equipment that is just like the club set-up then you’re only option is 1200s.
But you will be fine with Stantons and going to Techs
Ive owned tech1210 mk5’s… bankrupted me only for my then girlfriend to smash them… after i suffered the loss of the 1210’s i bought some stanton t120c’s and for half the cost of one of my tech12’s i was able to buy 2 t120c’s… turns out i should of just done that in the first place cause i ended up liking them way more… if you havent looked into them id try a pair of them out as well cause they are everything youd want in a deck plus more
i got some vestax pdx2000’s the other week and they cost me £165 for a pair WITH a flight case/coffin. I have never owned another set of turntables so cant compare, but ive read lots of very good reviews on them and i find them excelent, when u let go of the record its like bam up to speed straight away, i think for what i paid fo them they are an absolute bargain and im glad i got em…
Technics are TANKS. I was in the market for one turntable like you, and was looking at the 1200mII’s and t120c’s. like you! haha
I chose the 1200 because you can find a used one on ebay for half the price of the stanton new. I paid like $260 for mine and saw some go for cheaper. And a used technic is juuuust fine. they last forever!! haha, and the stanton may have better torque, but I say if the 1200 is good enough for like more than half of vinyl DJ’s then im sure its fine.
I would say any top of their line turntable is fine, that means stanton str8 150, technics, numark tt500, ttx, vestax pdx etc…
At those price point everything is good and rugged and will last you years (if you buy new), but i would advise to go with a second hand one, you’ll pay less, and those things are usually almost indestructible.
The advice given by alex 20 is good, its true that in clubs you’ll find technics, but if you are planning on buying only one turntable to learn to scratch, i think its not that relevant in the sense that it will take quite some time for you to learn the basics and to feel good enough about your skills before you have confidence enough to pull scratch tricks in front of an audience. And when you are ready to do so, usually the turntable you are using is by then irrelevant ( as long as you always bring your own slipmats and your carts, and that you recalibrate the turntable when you want to have a scratchy scratchy).
If you want industry standard get Tech’s, if you want to be different, get any of the others.. I like all the decks mentioned above but had to go for Tech’s due to finding parts is easy, learning them is easy, repairing them is easy, using them is easy and finding them is easy.
Dude I could of posted the exact same post. I am in the same situation as you right now. I want to buy one and switch the deck focus to learn some of the basics and just expand my DJ abilities. I am waiting for the best deal to come around for a Tech 1200!
I bought 3x ST-150 for the cost of a single 1210M5G (the only other deck I would have considered).
Really well isolated. I have my 8" studio monitors on the same desk barely an inch away from the decks, the cones firing straight into the tonearms. Not a skip or bump or bit of feedback to be recognised (though I’ve never done the same with Technics so couldn’t offer a comparison).
I was a little concerned with the wow & flutter numbers quoted, but so far I’ve done a couple of 3-minute long blends (pre-matched them; done for testing this specifically) and not a single beat has gone out.
25% has actually been quite handy trying to swap between genres.
I [had] all mine in battle style to be able to fit them on my desk: no issues with accidently hitting all the extra controls. And love the detachable RCAs and right-angled cables supplied, which help to keep things neat.
Being able to modify the brake has proved for some interesting braking effects, but never really adjusted the starting torque off MAX.
After a few weeks, I really can’t fault them. I just wish I knew how to take the tops off with dismantle them: wanna get them powder-coated black to match my mixer.
The STR8-150 beats out the mk2 if the mk2 is unmodified, mostly because the detent at 0% pitch is annoying (it’s not the easiest mod to remove it). It’s also a stronger motor that people say is better for scratching…I don’t really care, as that’s not what I did.
Any other model of the 1200 beats the STR8-150 if they’re the same price, IMHO. I’d choose an m5g over a 150 hands down every time. BUT that was based on the price I got mine for ($350 used from Guitar Center).
At current prices, I think the stanton just barely wins. 1210M5Gs are not worth a grand, which is apparently what they cost used now because everyone’s still freaked out about them being discontinued.
DO NOT BUY THEM AT THAT PRICE.
YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MONEY WHEN PRICES STABILIZE.
So, today, I’d get stanton and not worry about it. If you get a deal on the Technics, I like them better if they’re the same price.
Oh, and the wow & flutter difference is BS. You can mix tighter with controllers or CDJs than any turntable (don’t argue this with me…I’ve done it too much) and the differences between turntables are really minimal. It’s not like you’re going to be fighting the deck the whole time. It probably will feel like you’re fighting the deck the whole time if you’re used to CDJs or controllers…but any turntable would be that way.
I’d go for the stanton st150s if money didn’t come into it. (something unnerving about straight tone arms )
They have a few funky little features you might want to make sure of and the extra torque is nice. Round here I find there are three groups when it comes to the stantons, those who refuse to even try them as they believe anything other than technics are shit (even though they’ve never touched another pro turntable), people who have used them and respect them and those who have used them and actually prefer them over technics. I’ve certainly never met anyone who’s spent time with them and dislike them.
cons? No space on the turntable for a dicer Some people are less keen on the looks. I feel they are a little expensive new at the moment. You could probably get it (or any of the other super oem turntables) for an absolute steal if you watch ebay for long enough. Technics snobs will laugh at you.
All in all get whichever you find the better deal for.
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Some people are less keen on the looks. I feel they are a little expensive new at the moment. You could probably get it (or any of the other super oem turntables) for an absolute steal if you watch ebay for long enough. Technics snobs will laugh at you.