Technics SL1200mk7 review from DJ point of view. Pointing on the main design flaws and giving usage impressions from DJ perspective. I am not a pro reviewer or media person and English is not my native, so you have to take this in mind.
Wow ! I thought I was only DJ thinking same things, my MK2’s still work after taking hard fall from crazy girl friend many years ago , I almost broke her fucking neck too ! I just bought one MK7 after your review I’m thinking of returning it . Great review and we all appreciate your time to explain what you found Good day sir 👍🏼
That was the main point - to be honest. I am tired of all these reviews where the reviewers simply repeat official specs/promo pages without real usage.
thankyou very much for pointing out thre build quality.i almost bought a pair 2 years ago ,lifted up the turntable with a finger.thats all i needed to do to know how bad they are buiilt.they create alot of feedback as they are made of plastic ,almost hollow.tap on the turntable while you are mixing and you will notice feedback
The mk7 has a wonderful motor without cogging problems that is a lot better in terms of wow and flutter than 1210 mk2. That justifies all other things such as power switch where they reduced other costs for less important parts.
Just got 2 of these - only opened 1 box , but haven't set it up yet. Used my mint set of MK5's for the gig yesterday. Your review has me thinking about returning them without wasting my time plugging them in and turning them on . . .
Well if you have mk7s delivered i think it would be logical step to open and do a couple of mixplays on them just to build your own opinion and also to compare with the points i said in my video. Maybe your platters are flat or maybe you will simply like them. I would find it out for sure.
Brilliant stuff!! Honest good review. I have 4 x 12.10. mk2 .. Two of them for 30 years. :) Go Reloop RP7000 MK 2 , Quality turntable. I also had these sent them back.
Thanks for the reply keep the reviews coming. I bought a red and yellow one and I’m just setting them up. I’ll let you know my opinion,you can than add that to your reviews. Kg
@@champain7357 hi buddy yeah used to run 1210mk2 as well 1200 mk2 but had too sell to keep a roof over mine and my families head. Been saving for years to buy these. I mix more than scratch, no slip sheets just felt slip mats. Peace and love to you and yours. Kg
My 35 year old mk2 looks and runs like it's new. What i love about the mk2 aside from its tank like build is that it's a pure analog deck and very easy to maintain. The horror stores I've read about the mk7 disappoint me. Sadly the mk7 are made in Malaysia not Japan.
My mk2s are 37y and they are great. I dont think it matters where mk7 is made, you can have great quality product assembled in any country if it is designed properly and QA is strict. Unfortunately mk7 is simply designed as crap and QA is not the best or their acceptance criterias allow warped platters as qc passed.
I have 2 black mk7s. Ive had them for 2 1/2 years now. I agree with everything you say. I wish they had been made better in terms of the build quality. For mixing i find them to be the best new deck you can buy. The pitch is very good. I do prefer an original mk2 pitch though. The bottom line is parts have run out for old models. Most are beat up. I had an aftermarket pitch put in the last mk2s i had and they were awful. I sold them as i couldnt mix on them. The only thing id swap the mk7s for is an all original, lightly used set of mk2s etc. Finding those is hard and expensive. I hope they bring a mk8 out. I hope its made in japan ... and ill think about buying them.
Wow that's a long term. How often do you mix on them? If frequently enough, do you already have any color washouts somewhere on the body? Around pitch for example.
A few friends of me are international dj’s who are traveling the world and although they have MK2’s and MK5’s at home they are really happy with MK7’s in front of them. Especially because the pitch is so accurate and the sound quality (with good rca cables) is great.
Your english is fine. I first saw the 1200 back in 1979 (I'm 63 now). I bought a brand new SL1200MK2 for my sound equipment in my bedroom and with the Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge with a nude stylus it sounds amazing. I still spin 80s vinyl but the MK 7 is awful and cheap. Matsushita/Panasonic made a big mistake stopping the 1200 MK 2.
Hi, great review! A curious question: what's the difference between the MK2 and MK7 in practice? In particular, do you experience any difference in terms of pitch control granularity (fineness) between the analog one of the MK2 and the digital one of the MK7?
Hi, thanks! Mk7 was returned after this vid but i played on mk7 a lot while it was at home and in terms of pitch accuracy i would say mk7 is almost as mk2. Very good!
I recently bought new tables after having MkII's for years. I looked at and played with the new Mk7's and I ended up going with Reloop RP-7000 MKII's instead due to the Reloops just being built better and at a fraction of the cost. The buttons and feet and the whole table just feels better. Especially the buttons though the strobe tower is also plastic, but again just seems to be built better even though that part is plastic. the Mk7's are just not worth the cost unless the name is the only thing important to someone...
I have tested rp7mk2 too. What i didnt like is floating platter, empty left side (where buttons are on rp8) and double play-stop buttons. But main issue is their pitch which has quite big steps so you can forget precise mixing.
You are absolutely right about the new mk7 and this lousy quality compared to the expensive price and the history of the brand is a huge shame. The mk7 is not a point of pride, but a shame!!! Today, nothing matters except money and everything is deliberately produced in poor quality. It's very good that you made this video, because if someone from "Technics" sees this, then maybe they will fix the errors... :)
Great review buddy! Loved it. I have few questions. 1) If the pitch on Mk7 has steps, do you have to move it more than Mk2 to change speed? 2) If the Mk2, even with very minimal movement changes speed shouldn't the Mk2 pitch be more precise? 3) So which pitch is more precise? Mk2 or Mk7?
Thanks! Regarding pitches: analog has infinite values range while digital is limited to resolution range. But analog needs calibration and depends on many parameters. Even temperature can affect resistance. i did not perform Lab Class comparisons and checks. But I fould mk7 pitch resolution precise enough for smooth long blend mixing.
Hey! Mostly yes, original parts are gone, they are no longer produced. But there are some replacements available, especially electronic components. And i think even pitch sliders are being made by one guy from UK i guess.
Hello, nice video ! , indeed , the platter is also on my 2 mk2 (2001/1995), and honestly make no problem..., and the On-Off button is in metal but yes it feel very plastic beceause of the paint i guess, but yes i dont like the feeling of the pop up Light !!!, but i love my mk2 and mk7 !!
Good review. I sold my 1200mk's a good few years ago and was looking at picking up a new set. To be honest if I want a "new" mk2 the GR2 would be the way to go but £1600 per turntable is too expensive.
1600 pounds can be reasonable price if you will get deck that will last 30+ years. But the issue/specific of GR is many reviewers out there say their pitch is not designed for DJs - they are hard to long blend. I would love to test them, but yeah :D
great review man! didn't think the mk7 sucks this bad... and to think you can get two decent mk2 for the price of a mk7. planned obsolescence is becoming worse and worse!
Well you can't nowadays as everybody understood the price of pre-mk7 decks. Recently saw used mk2 in good condition for 1300eur ONE player. How about that?!
I had a pair of 1210MK7R (Red Bull edition). They played well, but the cheap feeling overall, and the cheap target light, was something I couldn't get used to. I sold them and purchased a pair of 1210GRs. The MK7s should have never been made.
I would like to try GR and compare it to mk7 and mk2, but 1400eur for one deck is too much. I saw Mojaxx and Just Technics both saying GR is not good for DJing. It is kinda reincarnation of mk2 in terms of build quality but pitch resolution is not good enough for precise sync. I would like to hear from you how they are in mixing. Are you able to sync tracks and keep them locked for atleast 60 seconds? Are they "fighting the mix"? Any platter deformations? You could actually record a review based on mine :D
@@champain7357 I'll grant you that SL-1210GRs are expensive, but The SL1200s have always been expensive. In 1983, I paid over $400.00 each for my SL-1200MK2s. That's about $1200.00 in today's money. As for Mojaxx and Just Technics' reviews. I would have to respectfully disagree with them both. Mojaxx complained about the GR feet being too soft for DJ use. I suspect that may have been due to reviewing a (probably well) used deck. I've experienced no such issues. Just Technics issues, if I recall correctly, had to do with the digital pitch. I'll grant you that the digital pitch of the 1210GR is not the same as the analog pitch of the SL-1200MK2, but beat mixing is not impossible. Out of the box, I found (yes, I looked) no strobe dot deformations, or any other Q.C. issues. As far as a review, I'll point you to one that has already been done. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IjvfMqUUnQE.html
Haha, i saw that joke crap toy today on the web. I am pretty sure it will have good feedbacks! People spending 1.5k euro on painted mk7 will not realize how much they overpaid.
Man I been jammin on 12s for 32yrs as a turntablist and never knew anything about the table "Compensating" if i use finger on side of platter to pitch blend!? I dont think it does to be honest, at least it def doesnt on mk2s, and I dont feel that on mk7 or any other turntables..weird!? Lol and neva heard of a capacitor you modd to stop it lol..I built my Mk2s from nothing so I know all the parts! Pce Djs
Спасибо за обзор. Но я так и не понял, лучше он чем мк2 или нет в плане синка? Ты говоришь, что ты в мк2 что-то куда-то припаял, если я правильно понял, и у тебя синк стал отличный. Но изначально то на мк2 ничего дополнительного не припаяно, значит с точки зрения синка мк7 будет лучше? Следующий момент. Если выбирать между мк5 и мк7 с точки зрения синка, что будет лучше? Есть опыт с мк5? Ведь мк5 это улучшенная мк2, но питч такой же как на мк2, насколько я понимаю.
Синк - это прежде всего уши и навыки. Мк2 имеет такую же особенность как и мк7 - figting the mix. В мк2 я это убрал (отрезал один провод и выпаял резистор) и стало гораздо удобнее, но это не синк. В мк7 явно не убирается, но настройка мощности двигателя частично спасает ситуацию. Сам питч в мк2 и других моделях вплоть до m5g остаётся непревзойдённым, но в мк7 он тоже отличный. Я бы брал мк5, если бы нашёл, тк это в принципе вершина техниксового прогресса, но реального опыта у меня нет.
Под синком я имею ввиду питч, нормальную его работу, когда два трека держатся долго без расхождения. У меня были мк3 (купил бу естественно), и там была проблема с этим. Я делал техническую диагностику, ревизию. Все чистил и т.д. (не я лично конечно), калибровали питч. Но все равно, держали они плохо, поэтому я их продал. В клубе играл на разных, и 5, и 2 в том числе и все они держали отлично. Поэтому я сделал вывод, что те мк3, которые я купил себе домой, как ты их не калибруй, видимо уже свое отработали. Либо не то калибровали или нет так. Но это уже не важно. вот рассматриваю, что купить другое именно в сторону мк5. Пробовал m5g, у которых питч цифровой (в общем-то мне питч понравился, держит хорошо), он скорее всего как у мк7 (их я не пробовал еще), но m5g на порядок дороже мк5. Также есть мк6, и там питч такой же цифровой как и в m5g (судя по документам), но не удалось попробовать их в деле. Но на всех форумах как-то на мк6 не очень. Якобы уже это не то. А вот по питчу в мк7 я смотрел ДжастТехникс и там он хвалит питч мк7, как раз для дж. То что они пластиковые да. Но неужели они развалятся через пару лет как ты говоришь? Если их в стену кидать может и развалится.@@champain7357
Я не претендую на звание "специалист по Текникс", просто поделился своими наблюдениями и выводами. Мк7 могут и прослужить долгие годы, если с ними бережно обращаться. Но как я сказал в обзоре - это всё же инструмент, а по своей конструкции он ощущается хлипким. Запаса надёжности там нет, зато есть потенциально слабые места. Для дома играть - хороший аппарат, но не за тыщу евро. Плюс в случае поломки его уже на коленке не починишь, как те же мк2. Детали если и получится достать, то цена будет огого (это если не сдохнет материнка или контроллер на ней, тогда как и всё сейчас - на мусорку и за новым).
Technics sl1200 mk7 are very expensive, over $1100 for one turntable, theres no excuse why the mk7 feels cheap. I was going to buy them but its not worth it to me. Mk7 should be $500 the most bc its a very cheap made turntable even though its good too but not for over $1000. I bought instead audio technica LP 140 turntables and there are identical to mk7 and half the cost and feels exactly like a mk7 even looks like a mk7 too.
Yeah i was very sad when i unboxed and assembled my mk7. But as i said to the other guy, these hanpin decks (reloop rp7000 or atlp140 and others) they all identical and their pitch steps are too big so you will struggle to sync tracks perfectly. But if you play hiphop or just do modern style 15sec transitions then you will be fine 😂
I’ve been in industry and know a ton of DJs. I’ve seen many many broken 1200s over the years. Broken lamps, non-responsive speed buttons, broken tone arms. If you got one that’s close to 40 it probably was in someone’s home for decades.
Technics MK 7 is perfect turntable for deejaing . Direct drive coreless motor , robust tonearm , rechangeble rca cables . Not feel cheap at all . Using pair MK7 for two years,i can honestly say that beat maching is bliss whith these . Pich fader is super precise (which is most important features a DJ needs)
excellent review. i must point out that I definitely think the MK7 will survive another 40 years. It's motor is much more sophisticated than that of the MK2. it's still Technics - and the turntable is very high quality, certainly compared to the other turntables from hanpin - it's a different world and a completely different user experience. so maybe it's lower quality than the MK2 - but it's still an excellent turntable.
I brought the plx 1000s lose tone arm bearings so, I decided to take the plunge and pay 500 extra for mk7. Wish I didn’t… Why didn’t I listen to my gut instinct and you?
@@champain7357yes mixing on them is good. But on mine the platters are so warped all my records looked warped. I put them on my PLX500S and wow the records are flat. I’m returning. I currently have plx1000s and mk7 that I want to return. My next purchase.. Mk2 !
Yeah, that is tragic. Side note: if you do video (or even only audio) mixes, record 1-2 on mk7 while you have it. Just for your own memories. I recorded one video on mk7 but when i realised that video is fcked up mk7 was already returned. So i left without it.
@@champain7357The platters on mine are warped badly. They are being returned tomorrow. Great to mix on, but terrible build quality. Meanwhile the plx1000 was solid, platers stable. It’s a difficult market, by new and have the ability to return, but crap quality. Buy old and get burnt when they die on you. If they did a mk7 with m5g build I’d buy it.
Thanks for the review, you have right 1210MK2 are build like a tanks but we have 2024, now its not possible to buy those in mint condition, 99% are broken, hard to repair and after club usage, or pricey like hell so makes no sense for me to buy them thats why I got 2x1210MK7. Maybe they are build from ABS mixed with fiberglass, I don't mind. About your legs, try to screw them more into turntable, mine are fine. About vibrations there is no deck which will compass vibrations, yours mk2 or any other one, you need to use right base, concrete one. :) And I dont mind about 'plastic' buttons, they are working fine, like this little LED tower. I think the most important thing is tonearm, pitch and torque which are high class and do they work. :) If people dont like cheapness of the new MK7s they can buy OEMs. :)
@@champain7357y3ah i heard about that also. I think it is out of most DJs budgets but I think overall the GR2 is a god value proposition. It's the latest tech, that most DJs will wait patiently to trickle down into their line of decks
I don't know where you see the plastic on the strobe and on keys 33 and 45, it's not plastic but "ALUMINIUM" very different from plastic and it's the same aluminum as the mk2 strobe!! the change is that on mk2 they were knurled while on mk7 or GR they are smooth. the fact that it seems plasic when you press them is not the button itself but the button inside... DO NOT write reviews saying that it's rubbish.... I can assure you that I have two silver mk7s from 2022 and the plate It has no undulations and the glass of the strobe is fixed and doesn't move like yours! I think they gave you a rip off.
Strobe tower with on-off switch is plastic. Get multimeter and try to measure tower surface resistance. My review was not based on emotions but physical condition of mk7. I am glad you have two mk7 with fine platters but warp issue is quite common on all new technics range up to G model. So i reserve the right to say what i see and think.
@@champain7357but what serial number does yours have? if and before 2021 mk7 had serious problems.. mine do not have the slide that moves and the plate turns straight on both one and the other or within the tolerances reported by the parent company.. as regards the turret, it strobes to the touch I'm sure it's not plastic but aluminium.. maybe different from the aluminum that was on mk2, a different alloy but if it were plastic you wouldn't feel the same sensation of cold to the touch.. I can agree with you about the pop up light which seems less resistant but even there I believe that the game that the parent company left to them is precisely because on the old mk2 series the light burned out (and even if they fixed a new generation product there would have been negative comments) the base and ABS which feel plastic to the touch is true but it is a thermosetting material whose cost and its resistance to both low and high temperatures or to impacts is much better than the rubber base present on the mk2... in fact there are many examples of mk2 or mk5 in which the base over time it was deformed due to temperature changes... then unfortunately it's true that they suffer from Larsen... but I think it depends, as you also say, it depends on the feet... problem that can be solved anyway... Sven Vath screwed us in public.
I think we talk about different things. :) You are talking about strobe dots on the platter, am i right? And it is of course metal, not plastic. No doubts here. While I am talking about cylinder tower in the left corner above start button with on off switch and leds inside. This part is plastic on mk7 but metal on mk2.
@@champain7357 you're right, mine too, the strobe glass moves... I don't understand why they didn't fix it... before mk7 I had the GR and the strobe glass was fixed like on mk2
