Technics SL-1200MK2 or MK5

06-22-10: Tvad
IMO, the only reason to buy the MK5 is for the better tonearm wire.

The Mk5 doesn't have the better tonearm wire; the SL1210 M5G and SL1210 GLD have the upgraded tonearm wire.

This is a significant upgrade. IMO you should either get an SL1200 mk2 from KABUSA.com and get the tonearm rewired at the same time, or get an M5G. The wire in the KAB rewire is almost certainly better wire (Cardas) than the upgraded Technics, but I have had the M5G for 3 years with no complaints.

Thanks for the responses thus far...

I suppose I was concerned that the pitch slider wouldn't actually "lock into a groove," if you will, at dead zero - thinking that the button would, without a doubt, set things to dead zero.

I, too, owned an M5G and got rid of it. Now, I'm simply looking for the functionality again, without the frills.

My main reason for always recommending the MKII is that the tonearm on it has a much finer antiskate control than any of the other SL-1200 models. The MK5 and up models all have a 0-6 scale on the antiskate control whereas the MKII has 0-3 and is much better suited to home audiophiles use.

As someone has already mentioned, the only reason to order any other model is the upgraded wire in the MK5G. Even then, I'd prefer to have the MKII with the KAB rewire.