What kind of turntable do you have/use

PrimeCutsLtd

There should be a quality selection of turntables. Whatcha have/use?I'll start since this is my post. this is my older one by the way anybody have extra needles for this I just saw how much they go for now takes me back to middle schooland a fisher price portable...

rook

i have 4 technics 1200s and a vextax portable

DJPrestige

2 technics 1210 mk2
2 tecchnics 1200
fisher price 820 portable
numark portable

piedpiper

using two technics 1210 for 10 years now, but I think about copping a high-quality hifi turntable nowadays

rook

using two technics 1210 for 10 years now, but I think about copping a high-quality hifi turntable nowadays

i want a hifi one for lissening purposes... but the techs will always be dj shits of choice

Duderonomy

x2

x1

But I normally find myself using Technics when I'm out... and I find Technics inferior. The pitch control is shoddy, far less accurate, things seem to go out of sync much quicker, and the majority of them are totally useless near the 0 mark. I like to play records as close to their intended speed as possible, and don't want to have to pitch everything up unnecessarily.

The tone-arms are sh*t. This is why everywhere you go, you'll find some money stuck on the headshell, and the counterweight rammed on as heavy as possible, putting unnecessary wear on vinyl.

For all the boasts about their longevity, the phono line + earth wire design fault also means I go places and find something wrong (mono sound or unable to earth the deck) and I can't simply plug in a new earth wire or phono line, and club owners can't be bothered to take the deck into a shop for a service.

I understand that the newest generation of technics have normal, removable earth wires and phone leads, and that the pitch control around the 0 is ok. But I'd just buy a straight arm Vestax instead, with better pitch control, and near-zero tone-arm skipping.

DB_Cooper

I've never heard anyone dog Techs like that. I'm perfectly happy with my 1200MK2s. When properly cared for, they'll still work well long after you're dead. There's a reason they've been the industry standard since I was in Underoos.

And I have a Vestax portable.

Swayze

I've never heard anyone dog Techs like that.

You haven't talked to many scratch nerds. Vestax tables are shit and have the worst wow and flutter rating other than Numark tables. But then again, most scratch nerds don't care about mixing.

IMO...

Duderonomy

You haven't talked to many scratch nerds. Vestax tables are shit and have the worst wow and flutter rating other than Numark tables. But then again, most scratch nerds don't care about mixing.

IMO...

Probably since they moved production to China - since then (2001?) I hear that Vestax production standards have gone downhill. My tables and mixer were built in Japan and are better than any deck I've tried (Techs, the straight-arm Stantons), and my primary beef with pitch control is because I AM interested in mixing.

When properly cared for, they'll still work well long after you're dead. There's a reason they've been the industry standard since I was in Underoos.

I know there's a reason they're the industry standard since _ _ _ _, but bottom line is that if they weren't part of a scene that's stuck in the past (playing records), people would've moved on to something better. I think anybody that's used Vestax PDX series (preferably ones without any digital extras to screw up) would cosign on all of the problems I mentioned above that become so very apparent with Technics. They've become an icon for dependability and durability, but that's half the problem - club owners don't think they need to look after them, and most DJs think that they don't need anything better - and yeah, better DJs than me will do more than I ever can using Technics, so these problems can be overcome, but they're still problems. I played out at two different clubs Friday & Saturday, and both clubs had Technics with problems with leads and an earth wire that could've been overcome by simply changing them, but I left my screw-driver and soldering kit at home with the Souljahboy records.

mannybolone

I've had the same two 1200s since 1993. I have the first gen of Vestax portables (not like this really means much I suppose but my friend helped designed it for them). I also have the Columbia GP-3 (bought off eBay), a red Sound Burger, the vertical, liner-tracking Sony portable (that I traded out another Sound Burger to get), and about 3-4 other vintage portables plus a handful of the battery powered, non-Big Bird Fisher Price models (so my daughter will have something to use one day soon).

mannybolone

Btw, I've been mixing records since 1993 and I've never had a problem with Technics anywhere, either at home or the clurb.

m_dejean

I've never heard anyone dog Techs like that.

The crappiness of the cables/connectors is pretty well-known. They often have problems with signal fallout in the left or right channel (or both) because of this. And I'll cosign on the pitch control. The response around the 0 mark is really annoying.

Those are the two major nuisances for me. Other than that, I'm happy with my 1210s. They are pretty damn solid in general. I haven't tried the Vestax, though.

I guess the technical issues are more noticeable for DJs who play out a lot and/or subject their own turntables to heavy use. If you just use it as a stand-alone turntable for home listening, you probably would't think of it.

When it comes to turntables at random venues, like Duderonomy mentioned, a little tech service goes a long way. You can't expect your turntables to always work perfectly if they get molested by DJ Scratch-A-Lot every weekend.

Club/Bar owners need to stop being stingy and invest in regular maintenence, replace the shoddy cables, get the settings adjusted properly, and change the goddamn stylus once in a while. Or pay one of the DJs to do it. I'll do that shit for them sometimes, because it's really not that complicated, and I hate playing on turntables that are not up to par.

batmon

1200

Duderonomy

I've never heard anyone dog Techs like that.

The crappiness of the cables/connectors is pretty well-known. They often have problems with signal fallout in the left or right channel (or both) because of this. And I'll cosign on the pitch control. The response around the 0 mark is really annoying.

Those are the two major nuisances for me. Other than that, I'm happy with my 1210s. They are pretty damn solid in general. I haven't tried the Vestax, though.

I guess the technical issues are more noticeable for DJs who play out a lot and/or subject their own turntables to heavy use. If you just use it as a stand-alone turntable for home listening, you probably would't think of it.

When it comes to turntables at random venues, like Duderonomy mentioned, a little tech service goes a long way. You can't expect your turntables to always work perfectly if they get molested by DJ Scratch-A-Lot every weekend.

Club/Bar owners need to stop being stingy and invest in regular maintenence, replace the shoddy cables, get the settings adjusted properly, and change the goddamn stylus once in a while.

Thanks for this - beginning to wonder if I'm just cursed regarding the condition/servicability of the Techs I've encountered. I expect needles to be blunt, dusty and old, so I always take my own, along with 45 adapters, headphones and (at a gig where I know they have Stanton straight arms), I'll also throw a spare phono line in the kit bag.

And I'll cosign on the pitch control. The response around the 0 mark is really annoying.

What's the problem that you have? Two possibles:

1. Putting on doubles of the same record both pitched at the same spot and having them not match

This problem I have-one of my decks plays '0' pitch when the slider's at +1.5 or so. If you assume the tables'll beatmatch just because they're set to the same pitch, it won't work. The sliders need adjustment.

2. Carefully beat matching different records in the headphones, then having some sort of 'flutter' that disturbs the mix

I've never had a problem like this on a 1200.

Of course, you're right about the cables.

1: This doesn't happen with my Vestax, but I've encountered it at gigs - wouldn't really affect my set as I'm expecting shitty pitch control anyway. This is exactly the kind of 'industry standard' I'm talking about.

2: Sounds like shitty mixing!

goodwill_hunting

i've got a technics sl-1300 and this panasonic portable

iron_monkey

I've had a pair of Technics 1200's for years and I've never had any problem with em. Yeah, I can understand someone's gripes about some beat up 1200s at the club. BUT... in many cases, the tracking force is not adjusted and the weight is all the way up, ripping the living shit outta the grooves on the platter. A lot of you dudes need to learn how to adjust tracking force and balance the tonearm BEFORE you start your set. You won't have any problems. Also, carry one of those De-Oxit pens in your dj bag to clean out the gunk in the stylus connectors. That's the main reason why you get channel problems.

1200's are still the shit....

Controller_7

I've had the same pair of Technics 1200s since 1995. I bought them used and they still work the same as they did the day I bought them. They truly are well constructed. It's pretty amazing for a piece of electronic equipment to be so sturdy, considering the amount of abuse they get.

I bought them when I was a sophomore in high school. I didn't know anyone who was into djing or even owned a turntable. I had previously been making collage things using a automatic tehcnics and a cd player (with no mixer, just an 8 track tape deck that you could get to play two things by pushing the aux and phono at the same time) and I decided to upgrade. I asked my parents for a loan and I bought them and a mixer out of a classified ad in the newspaper.

I remember taking them home and thinking "hmmm, it's not working right." I figured that since they were so expensive they would help mix things. I obviously had some figuring out to do.

mannybolone

i've got a technics sl-1300 and this panasonic portable


img src="http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e389/daleburback/1
00_1592.jpg">

what do the buttons do?

DB_Cooper

I've had a pair of Technics 1200's for years and I've never had any problem with em. Yeah, I can understand someone's gripes about some beat up 1200s at the club. BUT... in many cases, the tracking force is not adjusted and the weight is all the way up, ripping the living shit outta the grooves on the platter. A lot of you dudes need to learn how to adjust tracking force and balance the tonearm BEFORE you start your set. You won't have any problems. Also, carry one of those De-Oxit pens in your dj bag to clean out the gunk in the stylus connectors. That's the main reason why you get channel problems.

1200's are still the shit....

Right? Just zero out the tonearms, set your antiskate and counterweight to 2.0-3.0 each, and you're all set. Takes about two minutes. And major cosign on the De-Oxit, although I'm too cheap to rock the pen so I just use De-Oxit fluid and Q-tips.

DB_Cooper

Oh, and while you're zeroing out the tonearms, check the absolute antiskate. If the master screw is too tight, your antiskate dial doesn't do shit.

The_Hook_Up

for DJing: 2 Technics 1200MK2s
for home listening/recording Kenwood KD-600:


I want to get a really nice belt-drive for listening recording at home...86 that platter travel noise altogether

Swayze

De-Oxit pens

I'ma look that up right now. I use my own gear for my show, and clean the connection at home with tuner control spray, but it would be nice to have something in the kit to fix a gunk problem if it arises on the road.

A pencil with a clean eraser works perfectly.

iron_monkey

The best way to adjust your anti-skating or tracking force is to place a record with NO GROOVES on the platter and place the needle on various areas of the disc. What you are looking for is a needle that stays put and doesn't move backwards or forwards. In my experience, there is no definite or default setting for the tracking on any turntable.

Also, very important to adjust the height of your tonearm so that it's completely level when the record is actually playing. These are all pretty vital things to look out for when tryiong to avoid unnecessary record wear.

DB_Cooper

Oh, and while you're zeroing out the tonearms, check the absolute antiskate. If the master screw is too tight, your antiskate dial doesn't do shit.

I wonder if I have this trouble. Often when I'm balancing the tonearm, it tends to wander back away from the platter, towards the "resting position", even with antiskate set to '0'. You know, the arm's balanced, but moving around side-to-side of its own volition away from the center of the platter. I'ma have to have a look when I get home.

Edit: btw, is the "master screw" the one in the top of the tonearm?

1) I don't think that's a problem with the master screw, unfortunately. If it were too tight, the zeroed-out tonearm wouldn't move away from the platter even when you turn the antiskate dial all the way up.

2) Yup. That's the one, as seen here:

yoigotbeats

i've got a technics sl-1300 and this panasonic portable

I have a similar one of these - mine's called a "phonorgan" some of my keys ain't working right.

I also have:

2 1,200s
Columbia GP-3
Sound Burger
Avert player with Cassette deck (like like a bigger sound burger)

m_dejean

Oh, and while you're zeroing out the tonearms, check the absolute antiskate. If the master screw is too tight, your antiskate dial doesn't do shit.

I wonder if I have this trouble. Often when I'm balancing the tonearm, it tends to wander back away from the platter, towards the "resting position", even with antiskate set to '0'. You know, the arm's balanced, but moving around side-to-side of its own volition away from the center of the platter. I'ma have to have a look when I get home.

Edit: btw, is the "master screw" the one in the top of the tonearm?

Could be. I just played a bar where the turntables had just gotten back from service (thumbs up to the owner), and the top screw was wound too tight, causing the arm to pull back, even if the anti-skate was set to zero. It made the needle skip on every record I put on. I loosened it a wee bit and everything was OK.

And yeah, you definetely need to have spare needles with you always. I replace my home needles every year, a good while before they start sounding bad, and the old home needles then become my new gig needles. Then I throw out the previous gig needles. Constant circulation, and both pairs always sound OK.

DB_Cooper

Oh, and while you're zeroing out the tonearms, check the absolute antiskate. If the master screw is too tight, your antiskate dial doesn't do shit.

I wonder if I have this trouble. Often when I'm balancing the tonearm, it tends to wander back away from the platter, towards the "resting position", even with antiskate set to '0'. You know, the arm's balanced, but moving around side-to-side of its own volition away from the center of the platter. I'ma have to have a look when I get home.

Edit: btw, is the "master screw" the one in the top of the tonearm?

Could be. I just played a bar where the turntables had just gotten back from service (thumbs up to the owner), and the top screw was wound too tight, causing the arm to pull back, even if the anti-skate was set to zero. It made the needle skip on every record I put on. I loosened it a wee bit and everything was OK.

Sounds like we have completely opposite understandings of the master screw. I'ma fox with mine tonight and report back tomorrow.

The-gaffler

still got the early, early Vestax PDX 2000's...M-447's for sound

Beatsoup

technics sl-d202

I have two of these, not really anything to write home about, has a weak torque and some pitch adjustment. Mostly use them for listening now but I used to scratch and they were usable with a light hand.

Diggin

Like most people I have a pair of 1210s (which need service) but I'd like to get something like this.

Pro-Ject RPM 9.1

iron_monkey

Like most people I have a pair of 1210s (which need service) but I'd like to get something like this.

Pro-Ject RPM 9.1

As much as I'd also like one of these, the money would probably be better spent on a new car or maybe a down payment on a house.