Forever turntable under $2000

I'm looking for something that is *technically* competent, something where I know the engineering is extremely solid and "timeless," and provides a good analog platform to swap carts with. My budget for this is $1600 with cart (but up to $2000 if there's a good case for it).

Definitely Direct Drive, and for this budget definitely new Technics SL1200GR (available in black or silver) for under $2000 with warranty, or slightly lower price on used market. This turntable will serve you for 30 years easily. 

For $2000 you can look for vintage japanese Direct Drive too. 

@sleepwalker69

Now looking at audiophile interests, the SL-1200mk2 units available on the used market are almost always severely abused and heavily damaged from rap”DJ” use. This is much the same as why you would not want to buy a car that had been used as a taxi. On the other hand, the rap”DJ” market doesn’t like spring-suspended turntables for record scratching, so used spring suspended units will seldom be found in thrashed and trashed condition, making them better candidates for restoration for HiFi applications.

Again, you have no idea what you’re talking about with your abusive statement about DJing in every post. Turntable just rotate the record, that’s it, nothing else. If someone scratching on Technics Direct Drive TT all they can damage is their own record and cartridge, but not a turntable at all ! The motor constantly rotate forward under slipmat even when someone moving record back and forth. There is a felt mat (slipmat) designed for it. There are special needles designed for scratch like Shure m44-7 and i will repead it again that turntable or tonearm can not be damaged from scratching, only stylus and record can be damaged. If you see a damaged Technics this happened not because of the scratch DJs. Also i think it’s only you living in the world of scratch DJs, normal people rarely see them in the clubs or in the bars, normally DJs playin music to make people dance (all king of music) and playin the music they can’t damage Technics turntable.

And an old Technics is not a subject of this post, since we’re recommending NEW Technics for the budget up to $2k while the old technics available for $350-500 used.

If anyone would like to replace stock feet to suspended feet then Isonoe footers available for old or for new Technics. So this is not a problem at all.

Nobody interested in your old semi-automatic Technics 1600 or 1700.

Also your opinion about Technics is irrelevant and you have proved it in many posts staring with some bad words and hate for the DJs.

If you don’t know Technics always support the art of DJing in any form!

Pay a little respect to Technics and to the DJs after all.

Without Club DJs Technics would never sell 3 000 000 units of SL1200mk2 series.

As for the audiiphiles there are always an SP-10mkII available since the 70’s. I’ve been using SP-10mkII , also a pair of upgraded SL1200mk2.

When it comes to a used High-End Technics DD i would recommend SP-10mkII, but definitely not an SL1600 or SL1700.

Now looking at audiophile interests, the SL-1200mk2 units available on the used market are almost always severely abused and heavily damaged from rap”DJ” use. This is much the same as why you would not want to buy a car that had been used as a taxi. On the other hand, the rap”DJ” market doesn’t like spring-suspended turntables for record scratching, so used spring suspended units will seldom be found in thrashed and trashed condition, making them better candidates for restoration for HiFi applications.

I will repead again for this ....... person @sleepwalker65 (who always complain to moderator asking for post removal).

He always abuse DJs on this forum in every post related to Technics turntables, i’m sick about it.

I want to remind him:
Technics support the Art of DJing in any form and whithout DJs they could NOT sell 3 000 000 copies of their turntables to make the price so cheap for Made in Japan DD.

I will also repead again that he has no idea what the DJs are doing on the turntables, because it’s impossible to damage turntable using it for scratching or whatever dj’s tricks. Those people can only damage their own cartridges and records, but they can’t damage Technics turntable. The platter constantly rotate forward under the slipmat (felt mat) even when a DJ spinning record back and forth, look here. It’s also impossible to damage a tonearm or anything else. If they could damage turntable, those SL1200mk2 and SL1210mkII could not be used for such a long time as the industry standard woldwide for professionals.

The story that DJs damaging turntable during the dj-set is a myth!

We have fixed many Technics turntables for bars and clubs and normally there is nothing serious to worry about, except for the wires, rca connectors, pitch control fader, or maybe armtube if it was damaged by someone else during transportation of the turntables. All these parts available from Technics and cheap as chips. There is nothing to damage, the main problem is liquid dropped on pitch control, then pitch control must be completely removed to a new one (available for $40-60 max). The pitch control suffer from liquid, if anyone near the dj booth dropped a glass of alcochol to the pitch control then it will cause speed instability, after pitch control fader swapped to a new one then everythin is fine.

I’ve been using SP-10mkII for High-End application, but my pair of SL1210mk2 served me more than 20 years almost everyday use until i have upgraded them with new internal and external wires, feet etc.

However, old Technics is not a subject of this post since we’re recommending NEW Technics GR with the OP’s budget up to $2k (while the old SL1200mkII is $350-500 used)

If the question is about OLD Technics then definitely SP-10mkII (i paid $1200 for a MINT condition, without arm and plinth).

Only sleepwalker talking about his old semi-automatic 1600 or 1700 models for some reason. New Technics GR or old SP-10mkII killing it !

Anyone who prefer suspended footers can buy Isonoe for any old or new Technics. I’m using them on my SL1200mkII.

The new Technics SL-1500C looks very good. Better looking than the 1200 in my opinion.

@rwwear 
I think so. But I found this model is not "Made in Japan" like higher graded Technics such as SL1200GR

My personal "forever" turntable is superheavy Luxman PD-444 Direct Drive for two tonearms. I think the designer is genuous. Here is the manual . I've sold Technics SP-10 mkII because of my two Luxman machines and i don't regret about it.  

What the hell is all this love in for Technics 1200sg all of a sudden? Can anyone prove that its audiophile musical quality?

@vinny55 Do you need a proof for the brands like Technics ?

Look for SP-10 mkII and MK III, comparing those ultimate turntables to some belt drives is a joke. You may never tried a proper japanese Direct Drive if you asking such questions. The accuracy of new Coreless Direct drive from Technics is second to none, this is probably the best NEW DD motor in existence. However, an old Direct Drive tables are great too (Victor TT-101, Denon DP-80, Luxman PD-444 ... and many more).

Comparing Belt Drive to Coreless Direct Drive is like comparing apples to oranges.

Personally i would never ever buy any belt drive turntable for whatever price, even for free.