The Technics SL-1200MK2PK turntable may be a staple among DJs, but its
sturdy build and handy features are bound to endear themselves to all
who love good music and hanker for vinyl. Whether you can't find that
same purity of tone and sense of air around the music in CDs or you just
have a wealth of music you can't hear otherwise, there are plenty of
good reasons to invest in a turntable in the 21st century.In 1970, Panasonic introduced the world's first direct-drive turntable,
the SL-1200, which was superseded by the now-legendary SL-1200MK2PK--the
"wheel of steel" as it's affectionately called. The MK2, boasting a new
look, an upgraded motor, and a separate ground wire, offers DJs the only
motor capable of withstanding high-torque starts and record-gripping
stops--the signature moves in any DJ's "scratch."
As it happens, these features are also ideal for making pristine
minidisc or CD-R copies of your favorite LPs or vinyl singles. With this
'table you can find the start of the track, wind back to just before it
begins, hit "record" on your digital recorder, and let fly with the
SL-1200MK2PK's sturdy platter. You'll hear no sound of the needle
meeting the record, no wasteful seconds of surface noise before the
music starts--and no clipped introductions when you try to cut it close
by eyeballing it.
The SL-1200MK2PK grants a 16-percent pitch-adjust range (+/- 8 percent
from standard pitch), which is crucial for matching dance-music tempos
and convenient for correcting the pitch on poorly mastered old records.
