Sheet 05 · Head to head
MK4 vs M5G
Same platform, real differences. 5 of 8 published figures differ. Both are classic-line decks, so the shared figures below are shared mechanicals rather than coincidence.
MK4
The audiophile detour: 78 rpm, detachable cables, upgraded tonearm; and almost never seen outside Japan.
1996–97
M5G
The 30th-anniversary hot rod: first digital pitch, ±16% range, blue LEDs. The turntablist favorite.
2002–10
05.1Where they differ
- Years
- 1996–97
- 2002–10
- Pitch
- ±8% (detented)
- Digital ±8% / ±16%
- Speeds
- 33⅓ / 45 / 78
- 33⅓ / 45
- Weight
- ,
- 12.5 kg
- At launch
- ~$650
- MK5 + premium
05.2Identical on both
- Motor
- Quartz-locked DC direct drive
- Starting torque
- 1.5 kg·cm
- Wow & flutter
- 0.025% WRMS
05.3What each one changed
MK4
vs MK3: +78 rpm, detachable cables, upgraded tonearm and wiring; aimed at listeners, not DJs.
Used market: Import-only rarity; prized by collectors who play 78s
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] Crossfader[3] Turntable Lab