We’ve owned the Technics SL-1200 MK5 record player for well over two decades now, and so, review it here. It is a quite versatile and high quality machine. Why? Because not only does it work well as a mobile disc jockey (DJ) record player. But it’s also gives likely the best audio possible from LP discs. Great plus for the audiophile man cave.
You can’t do much better than this machine for that; not without spending a ton more money. And even if you spent with abandon, the improvements to the sound that you’d get, would be at best marginal.
The entire SL-1200 line serves readily as a medium to high end audiophile turntable. This version of the 1200, the Mark V, is the same. It’s been around for years. Plus, it gets many accolades for its low noise, military tank-like build and craftsmanship. It offers ease of use, many settings for both the novice and audiophile record listeners. Its overall performance is (should we say it?) second to none! . We’ve owned this model for over five years and have digitized many records on it. Yet we find no major problems in the Mark 5. Indeed nothing about it kept us from fully enjoying our vinyl recordings.
Now anyone can easily nit pick and find valid gripes about any piece of technology. But even the most grumpy would struggle to come up with any complaints about this turntable.
Receives wide-spread, rave reviews, as this review is going to be as well.
The Technics SL-1200 MK5 has a thick metal console and platter, and a thick plastic bottom along with shock-absorbing feet.
The buttons, knobs, and sliders are as follows:
The tonearm specific controls, though a bit more intricate than the others, are still quite use able. They include the following:
You can adjust about every setting affecting how the tone arm and stylus play the record. Adjust cartridge positioning by loosening the screws that secure the cartridge to the shell. Then, slide the cartridge to the correct position within the shell. Then, tighten those screws again to lock the cartridge into position.
You can replace the included tone arm.
Swap able head shell, for quickly switching out pickup cartridges.
Under the platter, we have a braking setting. This controls how quickly the platter slows down to a stop when you press the halt button. Round holes in the platter give access to this control.
This means that the motor never spins faster than the platter spins, for lowest mechanical vibration. In fact, the platter is itself, part of the drive motor. So it’s speed is about as stable as you can get.
Direct drive almost guarantees no hum, rumble, or any other mechanical noises. So you won’t hear them in the audio output. This is perhaps the first audiophile level DJ table we know that does not add its own “noise print.”
Unless you hear the music playing, you won’t hear this device running. It employs neither fast-turning fans or drive motors, nor loudly humming transformers.
Low power consumption at just 13.5 watts; the cost of a couple night lights running.
The Technics SL-1200 MK5 features top grade internal wiring. Well-shielded hi-fidelity cables connect the audio pickup cartridge to the outside world. These cords have two RCA-style male plugs (stereo). A separate ground wire connects this table to your amp’s chassis.
Well, four to be exact. All of them LED, including
None of the lamps in ours has ever burned out, and we’ve owned this unit for over a decade.
Plays 33 and 1/3 as well as 45 RPM vinyl LP discs.
Even at the 45 RPM speed setting, the platter spins up to full speed in well under a second.
Pressing the start / stop button quickly halts the platter. And though this halt is quite abrupt, the playing record never skips. Starting up is the same. Rapid acceleration without noise or jerking.
The platter has strobe mirrors for correct speed setting. There are four rows of them on the angled outer edge of the platter. While rotating, adjust speed so that one of these bands appears to stand still. The user’s guide, referenced below fully explains how to use the strobe.
Other record beds, such as slip discs for scratching work are available too.
Technics built many of these units over the decades. So you can often find them at great prices in the used audio market. They cost from $500 on up to over $2000.
When cased the right way, you can operate the MK5 in a mobile disc jockey environment for years without failures. That said, it also functions well as a top-of-the-line audiophile turntable too. It seems that Panasonic made no trade-offs between durability and performance in the MK5, for this table does both quite well.
Adjust these for platter leveling.
Definitely has some solid mass; especially in the metal platter.
Depending on the time of year, pricing for the MK5 can rise well into the thousands of dollars. But often you’ll find them on eBay for less than a grand.
Other tables have this setting as a knob. It’s not a small screw setting that you must remove the mat from the platter to get at.
We like using top notch cables for this purpose that we select ourselves. Some tables feature RCA jacks at the rear that allow you to plug in your own patch cords. However, the cable quality used herein seems plenty good for our sensitive ears. We hear no loss of frequency response or music distortion on our records.
The manual recommends that you remove the weights as well as the platter. Lock the tone arm too, into its retracted position. For added safety, apply tape to help hold it more securely.
As mentioned, Technics built this record playing system to last a very long time. Still, keep in mind that this is a delicate piece of electronics. It has many settings that can go awry with too much rough handling. So avoid shocks and bumping the unit. Further, be sure to take apart according to the operations manual if you wish to transport it. This helps preserve the platter’s spindle bearing life.
Our rating for this fine record player is 97 out of 100. You’ve found a top notch turntable in the Technics SL-1200 MK5. It produces near CD quality audio from your well-maintained record collection. We highly recommend it for this, as well as for everyday play of your vinyl. True. Panasonic stopped building the SL-1200 line in 2010. But they again making a similar table due to vinyl record comeback.
The MK5 turntable by Technics (a Panasonic brand) is widely available for sale on eBay and Amazon. But we’ve not seen this product sold at any brick-and-mortar shops in our travels in recent years.
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