Now looking at audiophile interests, the SL-1200mk2 units available on the used market are almost always severely abused and heavily damaged from rap”DJ” use. This is much the same as why you would not want to buy a car that had been used as a taxi. On the other hand, the rap”DJ” market doesn’t like spring-suspended turntables for record scratching, so used spring suspended units will seldom be found in thrashed and trashed condition, making them better candidates for restoration for HiFi applications.
I will repead again for this ....... person @sleepwalker65 (who always complain to moderator asking for post removal).
He always abuse DJs on this forum in every post related to Technics turntables, i’m sick about it.
I want to remind him:
Technics support the Art of DJing in any form and whithout DJs they could NOT sell 3 000 000 copies of their turntables to make the price so cheap for Made in Japan DD.
I will also repead again that he has no idea what the DJs are doing on the turntables, because it’s impossible to damage turntable using it for scratching or whatever dj’s tricks. Those people can only damage their own cartridges and records, but they can’t damage Technics turntable. The platter constantly rotate forward under the slipmat (felt mat) even when a DJ spinning record back and forth, look here. It’s also impossible to damage a tonearm or anything else. If they could damage turntable, those SL1200mk2 and SL1210mkII could not be used for such a long time as the industry standard woldwide for professionals.
The story that DJs damaging turntable during the dj-set is a myth!
We have fixed many Technics turntables for bars and clubs and normally there is nothing serious to worry about, except for the wires, rca connectors, pitch control fader, or maybe armtube if it was damaged by someone else during transportation of the turntables. All these parts available from Technics and cheap as chips. There is nothing to damage, the main problem is liquid dropped on pitch control, then pitch control must be completely removed to a new one (available for $40-60 max). The pitch control suffer from liquid, if anyone near the dj booth dropped a glass of alcochol to the pitch control then it will cause speed instability, after pitch control fader swapped to a new one then everythin is fine.
I’ve been using SP-10mkII for High-End application, but my pair of SL1210mk2 served me more than 20 years almost everyday use until i have upgraded them with new internal and external wires, feet etc.
However, old Technics is not a subject of this post since we’re recommending NEW Technics GR with the OP’s budget up to $2k (while the old SL1200mkII is $350-500 used)
If the question is about OLD Technics then definitely SP-10mkII (i paid $1200 for a MINT condition, without arm and plinth).
Only sleepwalker talking about his old semi-automatic 1600 or 1700 models for some reason. New Technics GR or old SP-10mkII killing it !
Anyone who prefer suspended footers can buy Isonoe for any old or new Technics. I’m using them on my SL1200mkII.