Technics SL-1200/SL-1210 MK7 in Long-Term Review

After a long and seemingly endless period where there was no way to buy a new Technics DJ turntable (as the Grand Class models are more oriented towards Hi-Fi users), finally in 2019, the Technics SL-1210 MK7 was released, and two years later, in 2021, the silver version, the SL-1200 MK7, was released with exactly the same components.

As we've already discussed in one of our previous guides about the main differences between the MK7 and the previous models, there are many discussions online about whether the MK7 is a good choice or if it's better to opt for a used Technics of old school. We want to share our thoughts on this topic with you, as we've been using the MK7 for a long time and have received a lot of feedback from our customers.

"Just buy a used MK2, it'll probably last decades..." - the phrase that appears in one form or another in most forums and Facebook groups. Maybe we're overlooking something, but we think such a statement is wrong in many ways and raises more questions than it answers.

Where and under what conditions can a Technics last for decades?

• In a living room where the dust cover is in use for 363 out of 365 days?
• Or in a club where sweat, water, and of course sugary and alcoholic drinks could be regularly spilled on it?
• Does it last for decades without any maintenance, or does it last for decades with regular maintenance?
• In what condition can you get a second-hand MK2 and what can you know about its history?
• How can you verify if it was actually used in the infamous "non-smoking studio, maybe only a couple of times a year," or if it even has the original Technics front panel?
• How do you know, if you buy an MK2 on Ebay, that all the internal parts are original and are in perfect condition, without contact problems that may arise over time with the RCA cables and sometimes with the arm wiring?

Don't get us wrong, we appreciate the old-school MK2 and the Technics generations after the MK7, and we've been playing with them for decades, and yes, they are VERY reliable. But if we were faced with the decision to buy a pair of turntables for DJing, and the MK7 was on the market, we'd probably think twice before diving into a used device.

Even if you can buy a virtually new or practically new Technics, there's a good chance that, as reliable as it may be, eventually the device will require at least some maintenance, such as calibrating the Pitch-Fader or some contact problems that usually occur with RCA cables and sometimes with arm wiring. 

Not only are qualified technicians lacking to address the problems, but even if someone has been found, you usually don't get a real warranty on the repair.

In many cases, you'll need to embark on the quest for spare parts yourself, and in some cases, you may have to wait for months to receive them from another part of the world. So, if you decide to buy an old-school Technics, make sure there's a reliable service nearby, and ask if they have access to spare parts. 

If you're buying an MK2 or MK3 and plan to use it for playing, it's not a bad idea to first take it for service to remove the annoying click at 0%, as this hampers the DJ function and it's very frustrating to play around the 0% pitch area since it tends to keep your tempo constant at 0%, and when you release it, it usually jumps to about +/- 0.5%, instead of smoothly moving towards 0.1%, which can lead to inaccurate beatmatching.

And what about the MK7? Is it the better deal?

There were some complaints about the MK7 right after its release, and yes, many of these claims, such as lower build quality, other internal components, and reduced feedback resistance, are true. 

However, one should consider if these features are actually needed. How often does one take their turntable to a large event with a professional sound system capable of feeding back the turntable.

If the device is primarily used for home use, why even bother about the extreme robustness of the MK2? In a quiet environment like the home studio, the extremely robust housing brings no real benefits.

Aside from the technical specs, the real advantage in buying an MK7 lies in the fact that it is a new turntable, covered by warranty, and that spare parts are available from local customer service. Have we received some faulty models? Certainly, and they were repaired in less than a couple of weeks, for free, as long as it was a warranty issue.

We've been using a pair of MK7s for almost three years now, and we can honestly say that mixing and beatmatching with these devices is a joy. Often, we don't even need to make minor adjustments or pitch-bending since the two tracks stay synchronized for more than a minute! Even after two years, the pitch fader and rotation stability are still flawless.

We could go on discussing the technical details, but for us, the purpose of DJing with vinyl is to keep two tracks together for as long as possible, and for that purpose, the MK7 is the best turntable we've ever used. 

Is the digital pitch fader more annoying?

Not necessarily. We usually get our beatmatch done in no time, compared to the MK2, even in significantly shorter time. Pitch faders are something you can get used to, regardless of the technology behind them. You'll quickly learn their behavior and adapt automatically.

If the device is taken to a club where loud noises and feedback might be a problem, it's a good idea to put an isolation underneath the device, such as the Luke ASB-1 Isolation Feet.

Are the mechanical parts looser and is the overall build quality worse?

The buttons were criticized after the MK7 release, and they certainly don't feel as high quality, as well as the target light, which doesn't light up as smoothly as in the MK2, but after two years, they show no signs of wear - because most vinyl DJs will likely use them normally.

They're not like the CUE and PLAY buttons on CDJs, which get pressed more than 10 times on average before a track is played. Most people leave the target light on after their session, the RPM buttons are touched only occasionally, and the start/stop button gets pressed only a few times during a session.

The tonearm works flawlessly, we've had almost no skipping issues, and if so, it's always been due to a dirty record, so it's a good idea to keep the records clean as with any other turntable.

Since we're constantly moving in our studio due to new devices coming in and out, our pair of MK7s had to give way once. It's advantageous that they've designed all removable cables. This way, it's much easier to stow the devices, especially when transported in flightcases, and we don't have to worry about potentially damaging the cables.

Our Conclusion

Since Technics has always produced top-notch turntables and high-quality hi-fi equipment, the expectations for Technics devices are undoubtedly high. The MK7 is somewhat the black sheep in the SL1200/1210 family, due to isolation and overall build quality. To be realistic, it's highly unlikely that we'll see similar devices in this price range. However, from a pragmatic standpoint, we believe that the time spent complaining about build quality would be better spent on DJing.

Yes, the MK7 has some minor flaws, but are they really a reason not to buy the turntable?

Perhaps if one expects them to be subjected to heavy use, such as club owners, festival organizers, or DJ equipment renters, and the turntables are being transported a lot and used in very loud environments. But even in this case, you're earning by DJing, so investing in a pair of SL1200/SL1210 GR is worthwhile (just remember to swap the feet for a set of non-wobbly turntable feet, more information here).

However, as long as you're DJing at home and occasionally taking the turntable to events with no more than a few hundred people, we believe there's no particular reason not to buy the MK7.

It's a premium turntable with a super precise pitch fader and very stable rotation of the platter (the most important features a DJ needs for DJing), and after using them for some time, we believe they outperform old-school Technics in terms of precision. We're absolutely thrilled with how seamless the transitions are when mixing two tracks. The motor with a bit more torque is also perfect for scratching.

Considering that and the fact that there's a warranty of up to 5 years, we believe choosing the MK7 over a used MK2-MK6 today is a much wiser decision. No matter how good the old models are, they're not getting any younger, and it will become increasingly difficult to repair them if issues arise. We can confidently say that, even if it won't satisfy everyone, we enjoy DJing on the MK7s, and it's a turntable that meets the needs of most DJs today, and our customers can confirm this.