The Tech-12 is a pretty good deck. Most are horribly abused and still run well.
I think that the stock Technics arms on them are the weak point - they sound pretty rough - but if you mount something like an RB-301 (or if you're lucky enough to find a used RB-300) you'd have a pretty nice setup. But with that combination you'd be hitting the price range of a new Rega RP3 which would sound way better.
That said, there's nothing wrong with a Pro-Ject debut carbon. They sound pretty good.
I think that the stock Technics arms on them are the weak point - they sound pretty rough - but if you mount something like an RB-301 (or if you're lucky enough to find a used RB-300) you'd have a pretty nice setup. But with that combination you'd be hitting the price range of a new Rega RP3 which would sound way better.
That said, there's nothing wrong with a Pro-Ject debut carbon. They sound pretty good.
The real deal with the Technics 1200 is the user friendliness. Running a belt drive after getting use to the Technics is cruel and unusual punishment. Once upgraded, the Technics 1200 really is a great turntable. I could never go back to a crude belt drive turntable.
i'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the AR Legend. you can pick them up for virtually nothing but are a superb deck for upgrading and tweaking.
if you want something that will spin lp's for the rest of your life get an SL1200 put an RB250 on it and pick a cart that you like (dl110 springs to mind). it wont sound the best TT in the world but it wont sound the worst.
my personal choice of TT are Pink Triangle but they are a bit ermm delicate and prone to breaking, but oooohhh boy when they are on song they sound superb.
if you want something that will spin lp's for the rest of your life get an SL1200 put an RB250 on it and pick a cart that you like (dl110 springs to mind). it wont sound the best TT in the world but it wont sound the worst.
my personal choice of TT are Pink Triangle but they are a bit ermm delicate and prone to breaking, but oooohhh boy when they are on song they sound superb.
I'm not quite sure what that means. What's so un-friendly about a (belt driven) Rega RP-3?
Startup time? That's minor. Ability to switch between 33 and 45 rpm? How often in the course of a listening session do you do that?
Time to full speed, pitch control and 33-45 switchability are DJ requirements, not sound quality requirements.
The point I was making is that once you outfit a Tech-12 with a proper arm (and arm-board) and cartridge, and upgrade the platter mat, you're over a grand in expenditure. For that you can get a brand new RP-3 with the Elys-2 cartridge and you'd still be ahead in terms of ultimate sound quality, and have a deck that will last decades.
The user friendliness of the Technics 1200 or any other DD turntable is a big asset to me. I never play vinyl without first cleaning it. I can instantaneously switch to 45 rpm to clean and quickly switch to 33 to play without slowing down the platter while cleaning pressure is applied. Cleaning a disc with a belt drive will slow down the platter and stretch and damage the belt. For those who never clean their records and play them dirty, direct drive turntables will then have no advantage.
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