Technics SL BD20D Semi Automatic Turntable TurnTables

Technics SL BD20D Semi Automatic Turntable TurnTables 

DESCRIPTION

- Belt Drive.
- FG Servo motor for accurate platter rotation.
- Double gimbal pivot straight line tone arm.
- Anti-resonant cabinet.
- Includes P-Mount cartridge.

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 12  
[Mar 15, 2024]
Kyzer1816


Strength:

We do have like this before and I must say, very durable. Fence company

Weakness:

None so far.

OVERALL
RATING
5
[Nov 01, 2023]
davidson02


Strength:

When it works, it performs really well for a relatively cheap turntable. The top concrete company in baltimore had a great experience using this item.

Weakness:

Nothing so far.

Purchased:
Used  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Aug 14, 2023]
chaples19


Strength:

For a reasonably inexpensive turntable, it performs really well when it's working.

Purchased:
New  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Nov 30, 2021]
Jelai Ande


Strength:

Very convenient to use. I love it. drywall contractor

Weakness:

none so far.

Purchased:
New  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[May 05, 2021]
rosendamanns


Strength:

It's an easy cartridge replacement. Pretty good playback speed accuracy. Clean and sleek look. | Concrete Contractor Cypress

Weakness:

No tracking force,

Purchased:
New  
OVERALL
RATING
4
[Mar 29, 2007]
D. Paul Navigator

Strength:

Cost
Quality
Specs (oh yeah)

Weakness:

The cartridge that came in it is like putting cheap radials on a Porsche.

SLBD20D is truly a gem ready to polished. The wow and fuller and signal to noise radio is truly among audiophile quality. The arm is light and tracks well. But, you need to change throw away cartridge to a high quality audio technica or shure brand. Once you do that, you're where many a high turntable wishes you weren't (in there territory). In the present state, you just don't get what this table can do. Buy one and make the upgrade that most can afford to do. I used the Audio Technica AT311ED, and further upgraded the stylus to the shibata diamond. People, you can't even imagine how good my LP's sound.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Mar 29, 2007]
D. Paul Navigator
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

The design delivers no noise, and little error in speed. These specs sometimes are not equaled by $350-400 audiophile models.
The return to arm after lp plays, great when you can't sit by the turntable every second.
Cost, Cost, Cost
Easily upgradeable to give a real competition to high end turntable makers.
Appeal to critical listeners.
Not a DJ model.
Cueing on the tone arm, which some high end turntables don't have.
Being designed to used as a manual turntable, it works well to transcribe lp to cd.

Weakness:

Feet that don't adjust, forcing you to shim the legs for level play.
A mediocre cartridge to keep the base price low.
Probably not made by Technics, as they don't even have records on this turntable.

You must look at the Technics SLBD20D as a piece of art. You can assume is 80 hours of someone's work, or underneath 60 years of emotion. On the surface, the turntable is inexpensive, and sounds mediocre, but underneath there's a lot more. Lurking in the design is a sound deading non-metalic base, and a very light tone arm. The P-mount design is based on standards for all of p-mount cartridge makers. The weight and poisition is designed into both the turntable and the cartridge. Counterweight and anti-skate are preset, and was the last hurrah of the phono age to make standards for cartridge and table designers. The wow and flutter is .045%, and the S/N -68 DB when the table is properly grounded. The platter is run by a servo controller on the motor, which keeps the speed accurate, even if the belt wears. You can't make changes to the table set, and in this case that's good. If you spend some on a new cartridge Audio Technica AT311EP, you've got a special turntable. If you add a shibata stylus, $50 at LPGear to the AT311EP, you've got a near audiophile quality turntable. The point of the review is that this turntable is both an inexpensive starter turntable, or a high quality lifetime instrument of audio satisfaction.

Customer Service

As I said in the weaknesses, there's a high probability that Technics did not make this turntable. It's not available in their model list, and theirs no manuals available online.

Similar Products Used:

Denon DP300F, upgraded by LPgear with exceptional stylus, plus their belt.

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 17, 2002]
Armando
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

-Sturdy to almost near solid build -Easy frontal controls -Easy cartridge replacement -Pretty good playback speed accuracy -Clean and sleek look

Weakness:

-No tracking force, anti-skating adjustment controls -Will skip on older or minimally warped records -I would not use this to archive valuable lps to digital format -Prone to vibrations (if placed somewhat close to loud speakers or any floor movement)

It is what it is. That said, do not expect this 'table to perform like the legendary Technics mk1200 (a.k.a wheel of steel) or the M3D. This platter is for casual listening, not for dj professional use or archiving ancient and worn out vinyl to a digital recorder. I personally use the SLBD20D as a second turntable in another room for my own private listening. Speed accuracy and wow and flutter are up to par with more pricier esoteric belt-driven brands. The nice features and characteristics include front controls, semi-auto return, and an above average weighty feel to it (it still is prone to strong vibrations). Also, there are no antiskating or stylus weight controls which means, yes , this the tonearm will skip with slightly warped albums. It also looks sleek and contemporary without looking cheap or garish like other companies who replace quality with afterthought due to low demand for vinyl these days !

Similar Products Used:

SLBD22 (while this is the upgrade version of the SLB20D with a pitch control and strobe, it's basically the same exact table). However, the SLBD22, no matter how well grounded I could always still hea

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
[Jul 12, 2002]
Shawn
Casual Listener

Strength:

Sound quality

Weakness:

No preamp

I was looking for a decent, inexpensive turntable with a preamp to connect to a PC sound card to digitize LPs. After buying and returning THREE different Sony LX250H units for various reasons(what a total piece of junk), I dropped another $60 for the Technics and a separate preamp. Should have done this from the start - the Technics was superior in every way. Worked perfectly for intended use.

Similar Products Used:

Sony LX250H (JUNK!)

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
3
[Jan 01, 2002]
Mike Dedman
Audio Enthusiast

Strength:

Easy to set up and use, nearly foolproof

Weakness:

Not fully automatic

I owned this turntable for nearly 4 years before selling it to a friend earlier this year. Never had any problems with
it, sounded great with the Audio Technica AT331LP cartridge
(also purchased from J & R Music World). The cartridge was
a bit difficult to install, however. This turntable now has
a cartridge included, not sure of the quality of this cartridge. Sold it because I wanted a fully automatic unit.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
4
Showing 1-10 of 12  

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