Digital VS Analog pitch controll

  • Thread starter Thread starter Redbow
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Redbow

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Right, let me first introduce myself.
Im a 30 year young (mentally-uhm... challenged) boy from Norway, with around 15-16 years of dj experience. I've played in big halls and small closet-pubs, ive been a bedroom-dj and even a wannabe-hiphop-scratchmaster. Played with all equipment you can possibly imagine. Even built my own recordplayer with parts from a radiocontrolled car and my mom's ear-rings. Sound thumping from a couple of partly dissasembled handheld radio's fitted nicely into a cardboardbox filled with old clothes, while i eagerly try to switch from my portable cd-player to my working but very, very sucky recordplayer with a flick on the two wires i held in my hand.

Yes... Im your stereotypical Technics fan-boy. :rolleyes:

I wont keep you pondering about my mentality any longer.

---> The topic. <---

I've been playing my ol'faithfull 1210MK2's for a while now, but they need a new owner. Our relationship is growing old, and i just need some space to find myself. It's not them... It's me!

What im basicly saying is that ive landed a new job with a freakishly nice starterbonus, and i've been drooling over these hot young neighbours across the street. So i plan on getting me a couple as my very own midlife-crisis remedy, and as the Technics fanboy i am, the choices where limited, but unmistakable.

SL1210 MK5, SL1210 MK5G
Or back to newer versions of the MK2

What i need to know is this:

1. Will my desire for perfection be thwarted by a digital pitch-controll?

2. Does MK5 have digital Pitch controll? Or is it only the MK5G?

3. How much of a diffrence is there, is it at all noticable?

4. Is my condition cureable, doctor?



Hope someone can help me with these questions before i go impulse-shopping...

Thanks. :)


-Redbow
 
I dont think buying a new pair of mk5s will cure your condition.

You'll enjoy them for a couple of weeks - then think to yourself... "hey they're not that different to mk2s"

The differences are small, and probably not worth the upgrade.

If you didnt have any Technics, then maybe they'd be worth buying - but you already have a pair of mk2s.

How about getting a new mixer instead? Or some CD players?

There's a lot of gear out there to spend your cash on :)

Good luck!
 
Hehe, thanks for the reply, Sammy. :)

But i must insist, i need some new decks. A part of my plan is to introduce mixing to my nephew, who eegerly stands completely perplexed as i work. He's gonna need something to practice on.

So.... Digital vs Analog ? :)
 
Right looking at things objectively - i know its difficult when you've got gear lust - but bear with me for a min.

[1] You've got 15-16 years of DJ experience. I'm guessing you'll be pretty competent; and at least have some level of skill there ;)

[2] MK2s are the most balanced, and well rounded turntable out there. They must have got something right in the mid 1970s - otherwise all these years later they wouldnt be selling them. Sure there are better specced turntables out there - but they're not necessarily any better for a DJ with a reasonable level of skill or sound any different. The quirks in the SL1200mk2 make for a better DJ.

NB Djs with less skills than you (or I) *might* gain some slight increase in their ability with a 'new fangled turntable'.

[3] With [1] & [2] Im guessing you're probably quite hot. So why change a winning formula? Getting a different turntable wont change your level of skill at this point in your DJ career; make you sound better or anything else.

[4] More complexity in a turntable means more things to go wrong. Anybody with a small amount of knowledge of things electronic could fix just about anything with a MK2.

If I had to buy a new set of turntables - then i'd plump for a nice shiny pair(or three) of SL1200mk2s in Silver. As much as i love vinyl - i would guess my current pair will be my last (I bought my current set 9 years ago - and they are still as fresh as the day they came out the shop despite following me round the world).

I was in the same position as you about a 18 months ago. I took the plunge into Digital (that was really painful and took a lot of soul searching) and bought myself a pair of Pioneer CDJ800mk2s. Expanded my skills a lot more than just buying another set of turntables.
 
I'm not buying new players to get any better at mixing, but im still set to buy new Techs, so theres really nothing that can change my mind about that. My skills at cd'mixing isnt too shabby either, but personally, i prefer vinyl, so my 12 year ol' Denon DN2000, will have to cut it.
Now before we go any futher on that subject, i agree on your points, but i 'will' get new techs. Partly because of my Nephew, partly because they are beginning to look worn, partly because their second hand and i want the feeling of a couple thats really mine, partly because i got the funds, and probably because i "dont know better".

Dont get me wrong, Sammy. I enjoy your reasoning, but there are two technics 1210's out there thats going to end up in my livingroom. All i need to know is;

1. How about that digital-pitchcontroll, is it too static? Or whats the deal?

2. Does MK5 have digital Pitch controll? Or is it only the MK5G?



-Redbow
 
I know im gonna seem unpopular for suggesting this...

but...

with your level of skill/experience/knowledge - you'll get a better answer if you actually go to a DJ shop and try them out :).. Is that possible for you?

If i was dropping as much money on a pair of techs (or any piece of equipment as you are about too... id take anything i heard on the internet with a pinch of salt.. Including my own opinions and comments. Combine it with what you know and your own 'real life' research.

There is good information on this forum - and also a lot of mis-information..

Go carefully and wisely....

Which ever ones you buy - you know you're gonna like them ;)
 
True that, Sammy. True that.
Here in Oslo, there are a huge hole in dj-equipment shops. Though they may have the MK2, their probably not going to put a mk5g out for testing. All technical DJ equipment is in fact overprized to the point of insanity, (aprox MK5G=750£ - MK5=700£ - MK2=500£) and i dont feel like funding those greedy bastards so im going to have to take a weekend abroad and buy them there. Problem is, that wont leave me with too much time on testing them, hence why im trying to get a review-sort-of-idea on the digi-pitchcontroll.
(Truth is that i dont trust the digi-pitch too much.)


-Redbow
 
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Redbow said:
True that, Sammy. True that.
Here in Oslo, there are a huge hole in dj-equipment shops. Though they may have the MK2, their probably not going to put a mk5g out for testing. All technical DJ equipment is in fact overprized to the point of insanity, (aprox MK5G=750£ - MK5=700£ - MK2=500£) and i dont feel like funding those greedy bastards so im going to have to take a weekend abroad and buy them there. Problem is, that wont leave me with too much time on testing them, hence why im trying to get a review-sort-of-idea on the digi-pitchcontroll.
(Truth is that i dont trust the digi-pitch too much.)


-Redbow
Click to expand...

Wow, thats expensive. I think things are a little cheaper here... but with the way things are right now... I'd be heading across the pond for any big purchases to the good ole US of A...

I just love the $2=£1 situation were in right now...
 
I just bought a pair of used Techs SL 1200 Mk2 and i felt great . Both of it its aound 8 years old maybe but it still sound greats for me. As far as i concern Techs 1200 edition is still the best compare to others . It stores the most basic function yet the durability is amazing ! Before this i've been using Pioneer CDJ 1000 Mk3. To compare between digital machine and analouge i'll still prefer turntables. Mixing wise cdj is far easier because of the pitch control which are smooth and last long not to forget the jog dial is smooth too but the disadvantage is Djs nowadays has get to used to it till when they tried mixing with turntables they got very rough just like me. Scratching wise , the advantage is it won't skip and it have hot cue to record the scratch sample. As i said earlier i prefer turntable for the feel is better and there's several technique which can only be execute on vinyls. Sound quality is needless to say as vinyl still delivers the best sound quality compare to cds. If i were you i'll get a new pair of techs and a good battle mixer such like Rane Ttm 56 sl.
 
Reeve, what you mean is that i should skip buying the 1210 mk5/mk5g and go for two 1210 mk2's instead... Or what are you saying? Have you tested the mk5/mk5g's? Im confused.

Edit: I see what you mean now, but i think you misunderstood. My question is solely about Technics turntables. Im not planning on buying CDTables

(MK5G has a digital pitch, while the MK2 is analog. Im not sure about the MK5.)
 
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