$500 budget

[kefrank]

Originally Posted by Drew664

I realize that Rich, but to me that is a beautiful looking piece of equipment. Is the performance of that turn table really that bad?

The performance of the Technics isn't bad at all. I think it's a misnomer to refer to it as "DJ grade." The 1200MKII was originally designed as an audiophile table, but certain aspects of it, particularly it's heft and durability, have made it a favorite of DJs for 20+ years. Modern belt-drive turntables from quality companies do exceed the 1200MKII in audio quality, but it's not a massive difference at the same price point. This is an age-old debate, however. There are some who swear by the Technics, particularly with certain modifications, and there are many, many others who dismiss it in favor of the simple, elegant belt-drive models from the usual suspects (Rega, Pro-ject, Music Hall, etc).

In a perfect world, I'd have an automatic version of the TECHNICS SL-1200MK2 that doesn't sacrifice sound quality for DJ grade reliability. Is there a turn table out there that fits this description?

In short, no. Definitely not at your price point. I don't want to totally impose my views, but I really think you should consider scratching "automatic" off of your list of features. Not only will you be taking a noticeable hit in sound quality, but personally, I think automatic setups are in opposition to the "active" listening that makes vinyl so appealing. In my opinion, vinyl isn't meant to just be played in the background, which is really the only reason I can see to have an automatic setup. That kind of "set-it-and-forget-it" convenience is what CDs are for. Vinyl is for sitting down and really taking in the music. When you're doing that, actively dropping the needle to start and raising it at the end of a side is part of the whole vinyl experience, at least for me. Ok, I'm doing waxing philosophical now.