Panasonic Technics SLBD20D Semi Automatic Turntable

I have owned this turntable for several years now.You cannot compare this to the DJ famous standard 1200MK or M3D or even the newer high end models from Technics;They are worlds apart in every way and basically opposite each other on the spectrum for performance and durability ! Plain and simple...It is a no frills, easy- to- operate -for- home- use- only turntable. Do not expect this to be able to perform DJ scratching functions.It's belt driven. To replace the belt when it wears down you may have to search online for a company or hi-fi parts/turntable distributor direct (it's always wise to purchase more than one at a time like the cartridges/stylus).

Now, the positives. It's a sweet and smooth semi-automatic which means you put the needle down and it will lift the tonearm,return it to it's resting position and the whole unit shuts itself off (awesome for couch potatos and to avoid ruining your needle)at record's end. It uses a P-mount cartridge which is nice and easy to replace and use.You literally plug in a new cartridge and use only one screw to secure the cartridge to the headshell and tonearm.There is no gauging or measuring or guessing the stylus pressure and anti-skating settings for the unit;all are prefactory set. No fuss.No muss.The profile and aesthetics of the 'table look slim and sharp as a stereo/audio component addition to what you may already own.It's a contemporary styling and the charcoal or dark brown bronze color looks cool.Overall, the slim profiling and size of the unit will not take up too much space or look like an outdated record player of the 70's. The other plus is that the RCA jacks (left and right output plugs) are detachable along with the ground wire which is nice if you ever have to repair or replace them.

How does it sound? Mechanically, it is a very ultra-smooth dc servo motor that keeps the platter rotation speed in sync for accuracy.Many audiophile purists claim that belt operation is much preferred over direct drive due to unwanted motor noise and rumble transmitted to platter and out your speakers...Unless, you are going to really be fussy and only play classical music or music with a lot of quiet passages will you be able to tell the difference if a belt-drive is preferred over direct drive...I've owned both belt and dd motor tables and have yet to be able to sonically tell the difference over the other and which is sonically better.It goes along with other turntable debates such as straight arm versus s-shaped arm, linear versus radial playback, manual versus automatic, etc. etc....You get the picutre. It all comes down to personal preference and experience with turntables. Ultimately, whether you choose to go with this belt-driven reliable deck or their higher end direct drive you may never be able to tell the sonic difference in performance. Technics builds only highly reliable and above average to near excellent quality sounding turntables in both the mechanical workings and electronics to almost near perfect audiophile sound quality or musical output! In fact,if you choose one of their direct drives over this belt driven model, Technics' direct drive motor engineering and quality are superb for quiet performance over lesser known name brands. The only drawback is that all 1200 series models are manual (have been for about almost 30 years now)...Hey, in this day and age when most people claim that vinyl is dead, one listen on a Technics turntable and they'll regret tossing out some of their album collections (particularly since some records will never be releassed on the cd format---plus, you can now burn records onto a cd recorder/cd-r system) !!!The Technics SL BD20D is a remarkable and wonderful simple semi-automatic and reliable unit to own if you are not an audiophile vinyl purist looking for the perfect analog playback system! This deck will do the trick in just playing your records with a great sound quality...

I have a nearly identical turntable. Yes the sound is great, yes this is a good price on the surface, but after several years of use the belt broke that drives the platter. I can't find a replacement anywhere! So, cough up the extra dough and buy a direct drive. With fewer parts to break and more support from the DJ community the direct drive is the way to go.

This and its pitch controllable sibling BD22 are the very last semi listenable semi automatic entry level turntables below 300 dollars on the market. If you are looking for a machine that will lift the arm at the end of the record, this is pretty much the only one left that will do it and not sound like a plastic cup string telephone. Not the worst I've heard, but PLEASE don't pay attention to die-hard "Technics is the best" fans. Most of them only read manufacturer's hype sheets and have never tried a Thorens, Dual, Music Hall, Project, etc, not even mentioning a real high end machine!
If you are on a strict budget, then for sure this is the best choice under 200 dollars, but don't expect exceptional sound. A good homebaked player to revive your vinyl collection, and take it as such.
If can you get yourself to get out of the chair at the end of the record to list the arm and return it, then look for a HiFi dealer that carries the contemporary audiophile turntables made by Music Hall or Project. You will have to spring around 300 dollars for their lowest offerings, but you get a real turntable - one that can accept standard 1/2 inch mount cartridges.
Even the factory cartridges on the Music Hall MMF 2.1 and the Project 1.2 (both use Goldring cartridges) will sound much better than the T4P style cartridge on the Technics BD20 (there is NO good T4P cartridge on the market) and if you need a new needle or want to upgrade to a better one, your selection will be much bigger down the line.

Almost forgot - Gemini, GLI-Pro, and Stanton have completely manual "DJ" tables for around 120 to 180 dollars on the ,arket, that are much sturdier, heavier, with a better platter and base, and thwey take 1/2 inch mount cartridges as well and allow full adjustment and balancing of the tone arm - for good listening DO NOT get the "straight" DJ tone arms though, you'll ruin your records! Get either the S shaped arms, or make sure the head is angled in.

Keep in mind that a stylus (the "needle") should be checked at least every 300 hours, and is likely due for replacement after 1000 hours, earlier if your records are worn and scratchy.
If you cannot tell the difference between a cheap portable Walmart pocket CD player plugged into your stereo and a good full sized CD player, then the Technics BD20 may be for you, but if you can tell any difference at all, then do yourself a favor: Save the 120 bucks for a better turntable - you won't end up throwing it to Goodwill like so many have done (i've been through a lot of turntables - it's a hobby, and I keep peeking around what's out there)
The problem with the new cheap machines is that they are too light. Flimsy platters, and light flexible bases mean a plasticky sound.
If you can't afford a new 300 dollar machine you are much better of buying an old used table. SOME of tyhe Technics player were good, the later and current 1200 series is overrated and over priced. Technics models 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, 1700, 1301 are suitable hifi players, never mind the DJ machines. Old Pioneer, Dual, Sansui, etc are all potentially good choices.

The bargain hunter's real secret for a cheap frills table are the OLD Sanyo, Hitachi, Pioneer, and a Dual semi auto model 510 is tue audiophile grade and can be on ebay for as little as 25 bucks and will not have the problems of the more complex full auto models!

Beware fully automatic stacking tables in any case. I love them and have a Dual belt drive collection, but they may take a lot of tinkering to get them to work right!
Look for a solid belt or direct drive machine with a platter weighing at least 2 pounds, preferrably with a floating chassis (the platter and arm are spring suspended). You can find them for under 50 dollars. Add a new cartridge (Audio Technica AT110, AT70, AT440, Shure M91, M97, or a Stanton - Ortofon is rated high, but always sounds dull to me) for around 50 to 100 dollars, and you have a much better setup. If that's too much see below for the Grado.
I have an Audio Technica OC-9 moving coil cartridge (expensive), but that is strictly used for burning CD copies. For daily listening the Audio Technica AT440 is hands down one of the best values, along with the Shure M97.
Grado has ONE offering worth the money, the "Grado Black", which retails for around 35 dollars - sensitive for feedback, but except for a slightly soft (but pleasant) base reproduction you can just about the grass grow with it! I say ONE offering, because the higher priced models are the same thing in a different wrapper. Wanna talk marketing???
Also keep in mind that you need a "phono" input on your stereo. If you have a modern stereo amp or receiver, chances are you don't have one. A so called phono-preamp will boost the player's signal for use in the "aux" input of your receiver. A good phono preamp is around 50 dollars.
So never mind the comments about built in phono preamps, the players that have them are mostly shoddy sounding.
Summary: the Technics BD20 is ok if you're on a budget, but you can do better with a little snooping and effort.

Technics is one of the highest quality turntable companies out there, this is a steal $70 for this. That should be illegal it's so great!

Attempting to transcribe some rare soundtrack albums unavailable on CD, I discovered to my dismay that my venerable Dual automatic turntable - buried for more than ten years under several stacks of CDs - had given up the ghost.
No strobe light. No motion. No nothing. Dead.
I saw the Technics SL-BD20D at a refurbished sale recently and decided to take a chance. I'm very glad I did; this is a solid no-frills turntable that does all the basics right and will satisfy the needs of all but the most demanding audiophiles.
I did replace the cartridge that came with the machine. Surface noise seemed excessive and the sound seemed a little distant or hollow; in fairness, there was other evidence that the refurbishers might not have done their job properly, and perhaps I bought a unit with a worn needle.
At any rate, equipped with a Shure MP94E P-Mount Cartridge, the SL-BD20D sounds great. As I say, it handles basics superbly. This is a serious turntable that will treat your vinyl with respect, not one of those retro novelty machines you see advertised.
The SL-BD20D has a straight low-mass tone arm, and the playing geometry is correct. I don't hear the sibilance at the end of record sides that I have heard when a cartridge is improperly aligned or a tone arm improperly mounted. Surface noise is surprisingly low. The servo motor and belt drive provide good steady speed, with no audible hum, wow, or flutter.
I read a user griping that you can't set the tracking force or anti-skating on this machine. The whole idea of the P-Mount design is you don't need to; P-Mount cartridges are designed to track properly at this machine's pre-set 1.25 gram force. After several hours of playing records, the SL-BD20D with the Shure cartridge has tracked perfectly, never skipping once in either direction.
With the low-mass tone arm and anti-resonant base, bass is full but well damped. I am listening to Fleetwood Mac doing Rhiannon now, and it sounds as good as I remember ever hearing it - even with my beloved old Shure V-15 Type IV.
The SL-BD20D is a semi-automatic design; you lower the stylus onto the record with the well-damped cueing mechanism, and the machine returns the tone arm to rest and shuts off automatically at the end of the side.
As someone who grew up with generations of what we used to call record players, from Webcors to Garrards to Miracords to Duals, I have seen my share of eccentric and unreliable mechanisms. I am happy to report that the mechanism on the SL-BD20D works very quietly, with smooth and precise movements. Traditional Japanese attention to detail.
Otherwise, the SL-BD20D is handsome and comes with a hinged smoked dust cover, 45 adapter, and full-sized turntable to support your vinyl properly. It should be noted, however, that the unit does not include a preamp.
You can spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on an audiophile turntable. But if you simply want first-class sound with a minimum of fuss and bother, you can have the SL-BD20D with a good cartridge that's a snap to install for well under $200. That's impressive indeed.