So You Want to Play 78's/wish you owned a Technics 1200/be a dj
Posted by: Markus on 30 September 2003
Just wanted to tip you all that the Numark TT1000 turntable has been discontinued and is, therefore, being heavily discounted in the retailers. AFAIK this was Numark's first attempt to compete against the Technics 1200 industry standard. AFAIK it never did as well as was hoped and has now been replaced with a more technically advanced machine.
Here is what you might want to know about this turntable:
1. Heavy plinth, like the 1200
2. direct drive, like the 1200
3. speed control slider, like the 1200 except more radical in that it has two settings, +/- 10% or +/- 20% (this second capability is dope since you can really slow down vocals to get a deep, funky, consistent sound for sampling). For the beat experimenter, a worthwhile technical capability
4. Tonearm, nothing special. Perhaps not as good as the 1200. I need to take some time to look closely at mine to see if there is anything I can tighten up. In the context of dj turntables I think this one is fairly par for the course.
5. PLAYS BACKWARDS! The 1200 doesn't do this! And the speed controls apply equally in the opposite direction. Do I need to explain the implications of this feature?
6. PLAYS 78'S!!!!! I've been gratified at the artistic and sonic results of using this machine with my vintage blues and jazz 78's. For beat-diggers heading out onto the frontier, this capability obviously opens up an enormous territory of unheard possibilities.
7. The price???? $80!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least, that is what I paid for mine at the local Guitar Center. Mine was a floor model. That is, no box, no dust cover, obviously no cartridge or headshell. But never played, just sitting there visually. I'd expect, and be willing, to pay somewhat more for one that was still in the box, though you might get lucky.
If you want to play 78's, if you need a decent dj turntable, if you need a tool for experimental sampling and production a la John Oswald (do you need to ask who he is? You could look it up...) Then don't sleep on this. Obviously, when the supply pipeline dries up for these 'tables, you'll still be able to pick them up various places but the possibility of buying a new turntable with these features at this price is pretty freaking cool, IMHO.
Markus
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Here is what you might want to know about this turntable:
1. Heavy plinth, like the 1200
2. direct drive, like the 1200
3. speed control slider, like the 1200 except more radical in that it has two settings, +/- 10% or +/- 20% (this second capability is dope since you can really slow down vocals to get a deep, funky, consistent sound for sampling). For the beat experimenter, a worthwhile technical capability
4. Tonearm, nothing special. Perhaps not as good as the 1200. I need to take some time to look closely at mine to see if there is anything I can tighten up. In the context of dj turntables I think this one is fairly par for the course.
5. PLAYS BACKWARDS! The 1200 doesn't do this! And the speed controls apply equally in the opposite direction. Do I need to explain the implications of this feature?
6. PLAYS 78'S!!!!! I've been gratified at the artistic and sonic results of using this machine with my vintage blues and jazz 78's. For beat-diggers heading out onto the frontier, this capability obviously opens up an enormous territory of unheard possibilities.
7. The price???? $80!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At least, that is what I paid for mine at the local Guitar Center. Mine was a floor model. That is, no box, no dust cover, obviously no cartridge or headshell. But never played, just sitting there visually. I'd expect, and be willing, to pay somewhat more for one that was still in the box, though you might get lucky.
If you want to play 78's, if you need a decent dj turntable, if you need a tool for experimental sampling and production a la John Oswald (do you need to ask who he is? You could look it up...) Then don't sleep on this. Obviously, when the supply pipeline dries up for these 'tables, you'll still be able to pick them up various places but the possibility of buying a new turntable with these features at this price is pretty freaking cool, IMHO.
Markus
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