Sheet 05 · Head to head
MK1 vs M7L
8 of the 8 figures in the comparison table differ. The MK1 is from the classic line (1972 to 2010), the M7L from the revival (2016 on).
MK1
The original, sold as a hi-fi deck. Disco and radio DJs picked it up anyway.
1972–78
M7L
50 years of the 1200: 12,000 units, seven colors, gold tonearms.
2022
05.1Where they differ
- Years
- 1972–78
- 2022
- Motor
- FG-servo direct drive
- Coreless direct drive
- Starting torque
- –
- 1.8 kg·cm
- Wow & flutter
- –
- 0.025% WRMS
- Pitch
- ±5% rotary (33/45 separate)
- Digital ±8% / ±16%
- Speeds
- 33⅓ / 45
- 33⅓ / 45 / 78
- Weight
- –
- 9.6 kg
- At launch
- ~$350
- $1,099.99
05.3What each one changed
MK1
First of the line. Direct-drive motor derived from the SL-1100, integrated S-shaped tonearm, die-cast aluminum cabinet.
Used market: US askings ~$600–850 in Good condition (Aug 2026); clean collector examples go higher
Full model sheet →M7L
vs MK7: colorways, gold tonearm, serial badge, slipmat.
Used market: Well above launch (Aug 2026): $2,500+ single asks in LA, ~$4,500 for a pair, ~$3,000 ask for a white one on Reverb
Full model sheet →Figures from the same sources as each model sheet. A dash means the figure is not published in our sources; we do not invent specs.[1] Wikipedia[2] Vinyl Engine[3] Technics Heritage[4] Panasonic press release