Ed Selley
Hi-Fi Editor
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2003
- Messages
- 12,046
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- Age
- 43
The SL range are/were for DJs where (before computers made it easy) you could use it for matching BPMs between records on two or more decks. Hence the pitch controls.Very interesting the point regarding pitch controls. Going back to my old Garrard 401, with SME 3009 arm, I never used the pitch control at all. I could never discern any difference, except at the instant of altering the control. Often wish I had not sold it, even if for only the monetary value
my god some are pricey now!
Does every piece of HiFi equipment have to have a 9 rating?
Wouldn't it be better and more informative if something that was average amongst it's piers received a 5, not forgetting that it's statistically impossible for everything to be above average
Does every piece of HiFi equipment have to have a 9 rating?
Wouldn't it be better and more informative if something that was average amongst it's piers received a 5, not forgetting that it's statistically impossible for everything to be above average
It would be if we tested everything but we don't. I will write 48 product reviews for AVForums this year. As I don't enjoy issuing a kicking to stuff (the only person who could do that with the flair it needed was A.A Gill), I pre filter what we look at. I take the view that these 48 slots are better served bringing good product to people's attention but I appreciate that viewed without this context, that might not be obvious.
Being into music (and vinyl) my whole life and eventually owning a mobile DJ business (many moons ago -- late '80s into the early '90s; I still have all my 12" singles from that time!) I was one of the fortunate turntablists that got my start on dual 1200s and a Numark mixer in the middle. Once I lost interest in the DJing and "grew up," all my equipment -- including the 1200s, Numark mixer, professional Kenwood integrated amp and Becker speakers, along with lighting and fog effect gear -- was sold (MAJOR mistake) and life went on.
From there on out, I fell victim to the "CD craze," like everyone else, building my disc collection and leaving my vinyl to collect dust in the milk crates I used to keep them in when DJing -- and they stayed in those crates through several moves, including a cross-U.S. relocation. Fast-forward to a few years ago when the "vinyl resurgence" took hold, and I, like many others of my ilk and age, began to "rediscover" my LPs, 12" singles and 45RPM/7" singles, treating them to organizational storage (the singles arranged by genre and then by title of song alphabetically and the LPs arranged by genre and then alphabetized by band/artist name, on two different sides of a closet in the home I'm in now) and purchasing perhaps the most popular affordable deck since the beginning of this resurgence, Audio-Technica's AT-LP120-USB. Since that time, I have given deep cleanings to most of my vinyl and re-discovered some of the magic I had forgotten about lost in those richly-shining grooves of yesteryear...
In getting back to the point of my post in context of this Technics review, I, like many others across the world, were ECSTATIC when I learned Panasonic was going to re-introduce the SL1200 -- I mean, THAT'S the turntable I wanted, hands down. When I discovered how much they were charging for them -- $4K U.S. at the time -- I couldn't get one; that was way outside budget for a freelance writer, unfortunately. I have been happy with my "1200 clone," the AT-LP120, save for some minor quirks like a broken pop-up stylus light (the lamp burned out on me after a few weeks of usage out of the box) and an onboard preamp I don't use (plus that idiotic USB feature; when are they going to drop this already in favor of superior sound?) as well as a kind of "ringy" platter (want to replace the DJ-esque felt slip mat with a thick rubber one).
Why do I bring this up? I would love to get another Technics, as I feel like that's the brand "to aspire to" if you're not going super-high-end with a turntable, and now I read that the 1500 has been launched...I like it, though I would miss the strobe markings/light and the overall appearance of the DJ-esque decks like the LP120/1240 and its Hanpin clones.
Again, though, Panasonic has included a built-in phono preamp in this thing, and I'm wondering if this would, in any way, hinder performance to the point that the 1500 wouldn't sound much different than my LP120 running an Audio-Technica AT95e...
Any thoughts?
Does every piece of HiFi equipment have to have a 9 rating? ...
The list price is £899 as noted at the top of the review. ....
Why do I bring this up? I would love to get another Technics, as I feel like that's the brand "to aspire to" if you're not going super-high-end with a turntable, and now I read that the 1500 has been launched...I like it, though I would miss the strobe markings/light and the overall appearance of the DJ-esque decks like the LP120/1240 and its Hanpin clones.
In the review I think Ed says something along the lines of the built in preamp being up there with a separate preamp in the region of £200. I would imagine that it would be a very nice upgrade to the LP120's preamp.
Andy
There is the SL1210 Mk7 if you want DJ features, but still pricey if you want a pair of them. I think I paid around 500 each for my pair of 1210 mk5 decks new (without cartridge). I learned my lessons of the past and didn't sell when I quit DJing this time round
I would have loved a Technica SL1200Does every piece of HiFi equipment have to have a 9 rating?
Wouldn't it be better and more informative if something that was average amongst it's piers received a 5, not forgetting that it's statistically impossible for everything to be above average
I would have loved a Technica SL1200 but as finances at the time were tight I purchased a Lenco Quartz L-3807 and although it's obviously not in the same league as the Technics it looks exactly the same, being a Chinese copy and for my elderly ears is more than acceptable. When I was much younger my dream turntable was a Linn Sondek LP12 but they were far too expensive for me to afford at the time. I've purchased a replacement stylus for my Lenco from AliExpress which cost less than £20 and was purchased purely to see what difference it makes to the sound. This cheap stylus has in fact received excellent reviews so I am looking forward to seeing what difference it makes.Does every piece of HiFi equipment have to have a 9 rating?
Wouldn't it be better and more informative if something that was average amongst it's piers received a 5, not forgetting that it's statistically impossible for everything to be above average
Would using my Audio Technica AT-VM95ML on the Technics be better than the 2M Red? I'm personally very impressed with the AT.
I understand your post but I don't think I've ever seen sound equipment hammered by someone marking it less than 6, perhaps maybe what hifi when the new technics equipment was first launched. I think the poster has a relevant point as most Hi-Fi high marks are awarded to pretty much all new product these days.Just to be clear, I'm not a moderator and I'm not an official AVForum Reviewer, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
There is an element of context to reviews. To illustrate a £500 "thing" that receives a rating of 9 is not the equivalent of a £5,000 "thing" that receiver the same rating of 9.
Then the same principle can apply to "what the Thing does". A rating of 9 to a full featured amp is not the same as a rating of 9 to a very minimalist amp of the same price. They each do different things, and are rated relative to other things that do the same thing.
And not all things receive an across the board rating of 9, I've seen 7 and 8's, and I'm pretty sure I have seen some 10's.
Then we have the context of the Review. Does a scale of 10, to the Reviewer, mean 5 is average, below 5 below average, and above 5 is above average? That is certainly one valid perspective, but not the only conceivable perspective.
Still if the Mods or Review want to respond, I will certainly defer to their opinions.
And you are certainly entitled to your opinion on the matter.
Steve/bluewizard