@aj523 Apparently you know nothing about DJing history, back in the days Radio Broadcast and Discotheques were equipped with serious systems (speakers, turntables and stuff) brands like Technics, Victor, Denon, EMT and even Garrard created some of the best studio turntables ever. Many cartridge manufacturers also oriented on professional market (Stanton, Grace, Denon ... ) in the 70’s. In Japan you can visit a lot of bars with Pioneer TAD speakers or Altec, JBL 4350... and tons of vintage equipment from that era for playing records and create an atmosphere. Professional format was Vinyl and R2R. It was analog era and i think innovative design from turntable manufacturers was made for (and tested by) industry professionals first, then adopted for rich music lovers.
Same with recording studios, pressing plants ... it is all professional field, not home audio. Ortofon was manufacturing cutting styli, Technics was manufacturing motors for Neumann cutting lathe. Victor also made a lot for professionals. Denon 107 MM and later 103 MC originally designed for radio broadcast at NHK in Japan.
This is all history, Technics should not hesitate to mention that SL1200 mk7 or even GR or even GAE cab be easily used by professional DJs/Clubs if they have funds to buy them.
The problem is that DJ industry is no longer about high fidelity, it is an entertainment, most of the modern analog equipment for DJs is dirt cheap crap, but everyone can buy it and use it and we have a lot of very bad djs with awful taste in music.
A cell phone in the beginning was very exotic device for rich people only, now every teenager have a cell phone and it’s a micro computer in his pocket. Technologies goes masses. Digital replaced analog even in professional field (radiostations, studios, clubs).
Now an expensive analog gear is for audiophiles, fanatics. but the majority of them are all digital already.
But we have analog audiophiles and we have analog DJs, those people prefer analog format (Vinyl Records, R2R... ). Many studios are still analog and many musicians recorded in analog only.
If Technics has improved their iconic turntables to an audiophile level it is great ! But visually it is almost the same iconic DJ turntable like older SL1200mkII, even more powerful motor, 78rpm included for some models, pitch control and high torque are still there. So why not mention that every professional DJ can use it (or every audiophile can be a home deejay:)) ?
All that speech about Technics (DJ turntable or Audiophile turntable) is about an image and reputation. It’s like a Heavy Metalist in leather jacket going to the stylish Mod Club. He may shock someone, because it’s two different cultural group of music lovers, but they are all humans.
If i will tell you that before Technics many Deejays have been using Thorens TD125 belt drive and Garrard 301 idler drive, do you think it can effect somehow the quality of those classic turntables that now mainly used by audiophiles (and not by DJs anymore).
