Most hyped turntable, tonearm, and cartridge?

I was not interested in Technics DD turntables and I did not know how good they were, but I pretty much ignored them and lumped them into cheap Japanese turntable category.

Then you have to check prices for Technics SP10 mk3.

@ihcho

It was very expensive turntable and still very expensive reference class DD.

You can’t ignore Technics because almost ever record made with Technics motor involved in lacquer cutting process on the Neumann cutting lathe.

There is a Technics Direct Drive motor under the Neumann platter when the cutting stylus working on doing its magic.

Almost every record you have made with Direct Drive a few steps before it’s actually pressed.

This is the most stable and powerful drive, and this is why Direct Drive (not Idler or Belt) chosen for Neumann cutting lathe!

Think about it.

But I recently saw a lot of people using new 1200GR at under $2K, and most users seemed to be just happy about it.

GR is a compromise, the reference is SP-10R and it’s new.

Even vintage SP-10 mkII is outstanding for the money, the drive is under $2k today.
The SP-10 mk III is over $7k and new SP-10R is about the same.

Regarding Technics most of us already posted tons of information here.

I've probably written this too many times already, but if the OP is interested in a vintage DD, then I think the Denon DP80 is a bigger bang for the buck than the SP10 MK2.  Can typically be purchased for under $1000, with or without plinth. I have owned both, side by side on the same system for about a year. I eventually kept only the DP80.  This is not to say that I can claim the DP80 is superior to any of the new G series Technics and certainly not to the Mk3 (which I also own) or the SP10R.  Those latter two are world class. Considering that the lower cost G series tables come with a good plinth and tonearm, that's where I would go if on a budget of under $2K.

You can’t ignore Technics because almost ever record made with Technics motor involved in lacquer cutting process on the Neumann cutting lathe. 

There is a Technics Direct Drive motor under the Neumann platter when the cutting stylus working on doing its magic. 

This is misleading. The Technics cutting lathe motor devloped for the Neumann cutting head was the SP02, Its about the size of a medium cooking pot with torque figures dwarfing even the SP10mk3.

Furthermore the SP02 was SPECIFICALLY designed to work in conjunction with the 70lb Neumann flywheel.

The majority of the direct drive turntables couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding by comparison to the Technics SP02 lathe motor, and their lightweight platters have little inertia compared to the Neumann flywheel.

I love the metaphor, Dover. And your point is well taken; it's been noted by others as well, and all you have to do is look at the SP02 to know it is far more massive than any turntable motor needs to be. However, the Mk3 does have a 21-lb platter, a bit heavier than the skin off a rice pudding, at least my wife's rice pudding.

Where did I say the motor was other than SP-02 ?

I posted many pictures of this motor in my posts earlier this year (thanks to jpjones for the images in his blog).

It is Direct Drive and your records made with Direct Drive, period.

SP-10 mkIII and SP-10R are best DD from Technics available today.

Technics platters are all super heavy!

Denon DP-80 and Victor TT-101 platters are lighweight.

Those are greatest direct drive turntables available today for very reasonable price in my opinion.

If you like something else - no problem.


I like Garraard 301 Hammertone, but only because it looks cool, never tried. Using Denon, Technics, Luxman, Victor direct drive and I can’t detect any single problem with these different type of direct drives.