Technics 1200 Critic Fremer Praises the newer 1200G

chakster, you may have overshot the mark a bit in your reply.  I was certainly not denying the extent of the utilization of the Technics SL1200 series by DJs.  My basic point was to object to those who claim they were designed and marketed (originally) for DJs.  Correct or not, that carries an implication they are not then suitable for "serious" music lovers for vinyl playback.  So I've read, as you likely have too, many critiques that discredit the SL1200 series because they think of it only as a DJ table.

In actuality I expect many of the qualities that make those tables attractive to DJs such as speed consistency and build quality should also appeal to "audiophiles".  Anyway, they certainly can be thanked for keeping them in production long after they might have otherwise been discontinued.

So I think we hold similar views.

@pryso audiophiles have this hatred for direct drive turntables that goes deep in their soul. Then add pitch control, strobe light and that its a japanese mass production table that takes them over the top. 

vinyl, in my opinion that "hatred" is misguided.

Those who have been in this hobby a long time such as myself will remember the advertisements from a certain belt-drive table manufacturer in Glasgow who criticized direct drive tables for cogging.  I'll admit I drank the kool-aid and abandoned interest in DD systems after that.  At least for many years.

But then I realized a few important points.  First, I'd never experienced cogging in any DD I owned or heard in friend's systems.  Second, recordings which contained long sustains such as with piano sounded more natural on DD tables than all but the most expensive belt-drive examples.  And third, few tables produced the energy and drive of the music like a decent DD example.

All this is not to suggest that decent sound can't be produced by a belt-drive system.  But I find advantages with DD which tip the scales for me. 

I prefer DD. Mechanically an elastic belt is just an inherently bad design to begin with - it needs an insanely heavy platter to be stable in pitch. Pitch changes are extremely discernable to our ears. It is also possible to design a good DD motor with low vibration that is at least as good as a belt (in addition to the solid pitch advantage). I am perfectly happy with a Pioneer PL 550 like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfrQ7Ylowr0&feature=share

Great DD TT with upgraded veneer. Mine is in magnolia burl to match my speakers. It is inexpensive and even though cost is not an issue for me, I just really like the clean simple classic elegant look compared to Rega or more industrial steampunk looking designs like Transistor Tourbillon or Triangle Art. Funny but I don’t like the straight tone arm either - the S shape is just so sexy and elegant. I also think a dust cover is actually quite useful and practical on a TT - ;-)

@shadorne nice link. Living in the desert with it's dry climate DD is the way to go, elastic belts dry out quickly when the humidity is in the low teens most of the time.