For more than two decades the Technics 1200 series (Tech Twelves) has been the industry standard turntable for professionals and touring DJs. Every unit here features an S-shaped tone arm, and direct drive motor magnet or motor gear platter. The Technics has long been known as the only turntable for dj's and pros. The solid construction of the Technics is undisputable. The main competition has always been Vestax. The Vestax we look at here takes Technics head on with new long overdue features, more solid construction and a thinner platter. Vestax may have missed the key point for DJs which is the consistency of adjusting the platter speed, or being able to keep a tempo locked. Technics uses a motor magnet system with a quartz timing lock. The Vestax turntable uses a 32-bit processor to control the motor making high-speed full reverses possible as well as extraordinary pitch changes up to 60-percent. Such great changes are usually difficult to control but unlike most other tables that perform similar actions, Vestax was smart enough to add a second pitch slider for fine adjustment. The Vestax also features an adjustable arm base, which it needed since it's platters were so thick it boosted the record's playing height. Vestax issues a long overdue redesign that brings it closer to the Technics title.

Numark and Stanton also have entries. Numark offers a total package for nearly everything they create, bundling mixers, turntables and headphones in a variety of packages. Numark shows us the understated TTX with more than twice the torque of the Technics, this solidly built unit will jump under the record and give you quick starts. The Stanton st-150 has the highest torque at 3-times that of the Technics making instant starts and stops a true reality. The problem with high torque speeds is that over time the turntable's brake system can be affected causing either a slurred stop or a stop so hard that the platter actually slams to a stop and drifts backward. The functionality of the Numark TTX is straightforward. This machine is a solid performer with not a lot of bells and whistles or technological gadgets. The Stanton ST-150 Digital Turntable however is a surprise, and feature packed little monster. Stanton used every trick in the book and a few of their own to be regarded as a serious contender. The turntable will allow connection as line-level unit or phono unit, eliminating the need for a preamp, and it has S/PDIF (Sony/Phillips Digital Interface) for connection to digital mixers and computers. The Stanton also has a surprising good build quality. The final blow here to the other turntables we compare is the price. For less than the Vestax and the same as the Technics you'll get more features, slipmats, cables, a needle and a head shell. In considering your choice the basic factors are reliability and function. Technics tables are workhorses with designs that have been improved over decades. The pricing of Technics turntables have come down in response to changes in the market. Stanton's entry offers a bit of future thinking if you plan to archive or transfer your records the digital output is perfect and sonically accurate for capturing the nuances of your analog records without the cold coloring of digital processors. The clean usable design of the Stanton also make it more of a contender.