Sheet 05 · Head to head
MK1 vs M5G
Different machines that share a silhouette. 7 of 8 published figures differ. Both are classic-line decks, so the shared figures below are shared mechanicals rather than coincidence.
MK1
The original. A hi-fi deck that disco and radio DJs hijacked, the accident that started everything.
1972–78
M5G
The 30th-anniversary hot rod: first digital pitch, ±16% range, blue LEDs. The turntablist favorite.
2002–10
05.1Where they differ
- Years
- 1972–78
- 2002–10
- Motor
- FG-servo direct drive
- Quartz-locked DC direct drive
- Starting torque
- ,
- 1.5 kg·cm
- Wow & flutter
- ,
- 0.025% WRMS
- Pitch
- ±5% rotary (33/45 separate)
- Digital ±8% / ±16%
- Weight
- ,
- 12.5 kg
- At launch
- ~$350
- MK5 + premium
05.2Identical on both
- Speeds
- 33⅓ / 45
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 →M5G
vs MK5: digital pitch control (±8/±16 switchable), blue LEDs, upgraded tonearm wiring, brake knob.
Used market: Scarce on the US market (Aug 2026): historically $800–1,200+ per deck, and current listings are so thin that a lone 1210M5G ask sits at $4,000
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] Turntable Lab