Sheet 05 · Head to head
MK2 vs MK3
2 of the 8 figures in the comparison table differ. Both are from the classic line (1972 to 2010).
MK2
Quartz lock and the pitch slider, then 31 years with barely a change. The one hip-hop and house were built on.
1979–2010
MK3
Japan-only refinement: the first official all-black 1200, damped with Technics' non-resonance compound.
1989
05.1Where they differ
- Years
- 1979–2010
- 1989
- At launch
- $299 (1979)
- Japan only
05.2Identical on both
- Motor
- Quartz-locked DC direct drive
- Starting torque
- 1.5 kg·cm
- Wow & flutter
- 0.025% WRMS
- Pitch
- ±8% slider
- Speeds
- 33⅓ / 45
- Weight
- 12.5 kg
05.3What each one changed
MK2
vs MK1: quartz lock, rotary pitch → ±8% slider, electronic braking with symmetric response, better isolation.
Used market: US askings (Aug 2026): singles $700–1,200 in Good, $900–1,650 in Excellent; LA local listings cluster $800–850; working pairs $1,200–1,600
Full model sheet →MK3
vs MK2: all-black finish, gold RCAs, T.N.R.C.-damped cabinet. Same mechanicals.
Used market: US askings ~$620 in Good (Aug 2026); typically Japan imports
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] Technics operating instructions[2] Wikipedia[3] Stereophile[4] audio-database