A trip down turntable memory lane...

[Joe Cox]

We gave this a rather provocative headline but it's not a million miles from the truth. These are certainly some of the best value record players to pass through our test rooms over the years. I see 'bombayteddy' has already pulled us up on some glaring omissions so feel free to do the same, or just enjoy some of the archive pictures and reminisce...

The 10 best turntables of the last 25 years

 

[Andy Clough]

Shouldn't that be 35 years Joe

 

[audioaddict]

such a shame whfi doesnt regard the technics sl1200/1210 like other places do.....some owners say they have out performed some of those decks in one aspect or another........the build sound and all round package is hard to beat.......imo

 

[Andy Clough]

The Technics SL-1200 is certainly a classic among the DJ community.

 

[chebby]

The Technics SL-1200 is certainly a classic among the DJ community.

Oh my god! Not you too? If you don't understand the nature of my protest then what are you doing editing a 'hi-fi' magazine?

This magazine has gone to rat#### and i'm off.

 

[audioaddict]

i knew i should have kept my mouth shut about the technics, but hey i dont know why i should as its a great turntable AND ITS A GREAT DOMESTIC MACHINE NOT JUST FOR DJS........THANKS CHEBBY I,M GLAD SOMEONE AGREES WITH ME.......THINK YOURE RIGHT ABOUT THE MAG

 

[tinkywinkydipsylalapo]

AND ITS A GREAT DOMESTIC MACHINE NOT JUST FOR DJS

Zackly! It was never designed as a DJ machine, but as a high-quality turntable: it only got adopted by the DJ'ing types because it has a strong, high-torque motor and is built like a brick トイレ, so will withstand a lot of abuse.

But then you are talking to a 'tech' magazine, and we know what a hash they tend to make when they try to do one of these '10 most iconic (ugh!) products' things :-(

 

[davedotco]

Thirty five years of turntables and that is the best you could come up with? There is virtually nothing on that list that really pushed the envelope in its time let alone now, in retrospect.

I know that you are selecting from your own archives and I can understand why rare imported exotica such as EMT, Goldmund, TNT, VPI and the rest are omitted but seriously, no Xerxes, Pink Triangle, Voyd, Nottingham Analogue, SME, Oracle......*unknw*

If you are going to invoke National Record Store Day with an artlcle like this, at least get someone who actually lived through and understands the era to write it. This suggests that the office junior was given friday afternoon to knock something together and told to have it finished before he could go home.

 

[Al ears]

The Technics SL-1200 is certainly a classic among the DJ community.

Oh my god! Not you too? If you don't understand the nature of my protest then what are you doing editing a 'hi-fi' magazine?

This magazine has gone to rat#### and i'm off.

Yep, I concur.

 

[Al ears]

Thirty five years of turntables and that is the best you could come up with? There is virtually nothing on that list that really pushed the envelope in its time let alone now, in retrospect.

I know that you are selecting from your own archives and I can understand why rare imported exotica such as EMT, Goldmund, TNT, VPI and the rest are omitted but seriously, no Xerxes, Pink Triangle, Voyd, Nottingham Analogue, SME, Oracle......*unknw*

If you are going to invoke National Record Store Day with an artlcle like this, at least get someone who actually lived through and understands the era to write it. This suggests that the office junior was given friday afternoon to knock something together and told to have it finished before he could go home.

Quite agree.............. Oh, and you forgot to mention the Townsend Rock

Good morning Dave..

 

[audioaddict]

youre dead right mate thats exactly the story with the technics..........i dont know why they cant see that at whfi towers

 

[John Duncan]

I'm taking delivery of an SL1200 shortly...

 

[audioaddict]

well done john i think you.ll love it mate........deep tight weighty sound bomb prrof build easy to use rock solid all round and that pitch stability.........awsome deck

 

[John Duncan]

Bloody ugly though. I will get a Gyro in the fullness of time but a friend has a pair of Techies sitting in his loft and I have the space and inclination to get the vinyl out again.

 

[Andy Clough]

I'm sure you'll love it John, not suggesting for one minute it isn't a great piece of kit, although I do seem to have unintentionally annoyed a few people. As a matter of fact, my first deck as a student was... a Technics.

Plenty more turntables we've tested here, including Thorens, Kronos, Origin Live, Fletcher Audio and Acoustic Signature, among others:

http://www.whathifi.com/products/hi-fi/turntables

There are certainly more in our print archives, but not all of them made it online when we started adding reviews to the website (ie from 2008 onwards).

 

[Al ears]

Bloody ugly though. I will get a Gyro in the fullness of time but a friend has a pair of Techies sitting in his loft and I have the space and inclination to get the vinyl out again.

Good choice sir, I am looking at a lovely Mk3 right now. Just hoping enough hints to the wife will result in my birthday present being sorted.

 

[davedotco]

Thirty five years of turntables and that is the best you could come up with? There is virtually nothing on that list that really pushed the envelope in its time let alone now, in retrospect.

I know that you are selecting from your own archives and I can understand why rare imported exotica such as EMT, Goldmund, TNT, VPI and the rest are omitted but seriously, no Xerxes, Pink Triangle, Voyd, Nottingham Analogue, SME, Oracle......*unknw*

If you are going to invoke National Record Store Day with an artlcle like this, at least get someone who actually lived through and understands the era to write it. This suggests that the office junior was given friday afternoon to knock something together and told to have it finished before he could go home.

Quite agree.............. Oh, and you forgot to mention the Townsend Rock

Good morning Dave..

Absolutely, good call.....*good*

Probably a few others too, so many really fine players to choose from, it makes me wonder what so many of todays vinyl enthusiasts would do if they heard such a player in a good setup, faint probably..

I know that I am a complete dynosaur, but I am a dynosaur that has been around the block a good few times and I know a good turntable setup when I hear one.

And yes, most of the players discussed routinely on this forum don't even come close.

 

[Al ears]

Thirty five years of turntables and that is the best you could come up with? There is virtually nothing on that list that really pushed the envelope in its time let alone now, in retrospect.

I know that you are selecting from your own archives and I can understand why rare imported exotica such as EMT, Goldmund, TNT, VPI and the rest are omitted but seriously, no Xerxes, Pink Triangle, Voyd, Nottingham Analogue, SME, Oracle......*unknw*

If you are going to invoke National Record Store Day with an artlcle like this, at least get someone who actually lived through and understands the era to write it. This suggests that the office junior was given friday afternoon to knock something together and told to have it finished before he could go home.

Quite agree.............. Oh, and you forgot to mention the Townsend Rock

Good morning Dave..

Absolutely, good call.....*good*

Probably a few others too, so many really fine players to choose from, it makes me wonder what so many of todays vinyl enthusiasts would do if they heard such a player in a good setup, faint probably..

I know that I am a complete dynosaur, but I am a dynosaur that has been around the block a good few times and I know a good turntable setup when I hear one.

And yes, most of the players discussed routinely on this forum don't even come close.

Quite true. I guess if you are a dinosaur (check spelling Dave ) then I am probably one as well as the big 60 is just around the corner.

I was very sorely tempted by a Rock some time ago but ended up with an Origin Live Aurora Gold instead. (Notice there is no mention of them either come to that).

Most turntables discussed on here do tend to be the newbies buying their first (RP1 / ProJect Debut or the like) but I do like to be able to assist wherever possible, although as you so rightly say most would probably faint if they god a well set up second-hand Rock or Xerxes, but I guess they have to start somewhere.

 

[davedotco]

My spelling has never been great, but I was probably thinking of this.....

http://digitalroam.typepad.com/photos/space_madness/dynasoar_sml.jpg

I saw this and several variants when we did the Nasa Tour of the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards air force base in the early 90s.

Sadly these days, for 'security reasons', the Museum is off limits to the general public.

 

[thescarletpronster]

I've been a hi-fi listener since 1986 when I was a lad, but two years ago was the first time I ever heard anything above entry-level, with the RP3, and that blew me away! I'm sure if I ever could afford something more expensive I'd get blown away again. Mind you, I did pop into my local record shop this afternoon to pick up an album I'd ordered, and they were demoing the RP6 and Elicit-R, and I couldn't notice much improvement over my RP3/Brio-R/RX-6 set-up.

 

[davedotco]

Rega players are much of a muchness these days, no significant improvement on the Planar 3 from the early 80s.

The outboard psu helps but is rather pricy, could have been built in for a fraction of the cost.

Mind you, your choice of cartridge is very positive, much better than anything Rega are currently making.

 

[Al ears]

Rega players are much of a muchness these days, no significant improvement on the Planar 3 from the early 80s.

The outboard psu helps but is rather pricy, could have been built in for a fraction of the cost.

Mind you, your choice of cartridge is very positive, much better than anything Rega are currently making.

Quite so, this is why I never progressed past the Planar 3. I decided to head off in a completely different direction (Roksan / Origin Live). Quite agree on the excellent choice of cartridge and certainly way better than any equivalently priced Rega I'm sorry to say.

 

[stevebrock]

The Technics SL-1200 is certainly a classic among the DJ community.

Oh my god! Not you too? If you don't understand the nature of my protest then what are you doing editing a 'hi-fi' magazine?

This magazine has gone to rat#### and i'm off.

you just realised !

 

[luckylion100]

Maybe certain posters need to remember that not everyone on here has unlimited budgets. Whilst most upgrade eventually, some may have to downground. My Nottingham Analogue is consigned to history but I'm happy enough with its replacement for the time being. There are always better, more expensive options out there and perhaps the bulk of us that either can't afford to buy them or simply haven't had the opportunity to hear the undoubted benefits of such models should be allowed to enjoy the shortcomings of our particular models in ignorant bliss. ;-)

 

[Joe Cox]

*sneaks on to thread* ...I have two Technics 1210 turntables... *sneaks off again*