Start/brake speed controls– You can alter the speed at which the turntable gets up to speed and stops on pressing start/stop with these two adjusters While your typical digital controller DJ certainly doesn’t DJ on turntables daily, consider these scenarios: They are part of the Stanton Group, and as of now, are owned by Gibson guitars, although why we don’t know. Nevertheless, despite Gibson’s involvement, Stanton continues to produce quality equipment. Some of these designs are for professional DJs, and turntables are one of their product lines. At the purest level, because they are part of what DJing means. New innovations don’t destroy the old, they add to it, and meanwhile the purpose of the old changes. The telephone didn’t stop letters, TV didn’t stop radio, the internet didn’t kill newspapers, Kindle won’t stop books being sold, and digital DJing won’t stop people using turntables.

The tone arm is solid with no play at all and has all the usual suspects, height adjust, a tone arm lift lever and anti skate. If you go with the Str8 150’s you need not worry about the anti skate as it is useless with a straight arm It is very well-made, as is obvious from the first impression you get. It has a weighted feel that encourages confidence in its performance. So it should, it has an excellent build quality. As most things are these days, though, this turntable is made in China. The Design The speed buttons have been rationalised down to one, reverse is now a secondary function on the start/stop button. It also looks like the start speed control has gone, and the remaining brake control has moved to the rear panel. No great loss there. Most interesting for me is the revised layout, where the plethora of controls have been moved, rationalised, or done away with completely. One start/stop button has gone, and in its place is a 45 adaptor. As a right-handed scratcher, I will miss the power button under my thumb, but for Dicer owners, this is a great move. The connectivity options on both the ST-150 MK1 and MK2 turntables remain largely similar. They feature a standard RCA output, allowing easy integration into any DJ setup or audio system. Additionally, both models offer a line output with a built-in phono preamp, enabling direct connection to speakers or amplifiers.

Stanton ST.150 MK2 Direct Drive Turntable - Nearly New Overview

The Stanton ST.150 M2 and STR8.150 M2 (pictured above) come in a completely reworked design inside and out. They are now lighter and more ergonomic. Regarding your quest for a phono preamp. Have you tried out the Stanton's built-in preamp? I have no experience with this turntable, and wouldn't be surprised to hear that its phono preamp is not up to scratch, but for the time being it can't hurt to try it and see. Pretty much all phono preamps will have approximately correct EQ and moderately lowish distortion (which, given how inaccurate vinyl records are, is good enough). The only thing that really sets them apart is their noise levels. Note that ALL phono preamps will have a little bit of hiss - it's the nature of the beast.

Deliveries will be made subject to the terms and conditions of the courier company. djkit.com will not be held responsible for late deliveries.If you just want a turntable for ripping vinyl with, spending this kind of money makes no sense – get a decent belt-drive (Stanton do a couple of good ones themselves). But if you want to add analogue to your set-up for actual DJing, you need a proper direct-drive turntable. For the digital DJ, who may only be adding one turntable to a home studio set-up for sampling or mixing the odd piece of vinyl rather than full vinyl DJ sets, you’re getting the best of both worlds here. One change is with pitch range. The old models had ranges of 8, 16, and 50%. But this has been changed to 8, 25, and 50%. A small change for some, but possibly a deal breaker for others. When it comes to performance, ST.150 is not the usual turntable. It raises the performance bar high. It has a direct drive motor that boosts the performance to three times, compared to the previous model. Being the most muscular torque motor so far and with excellent electric brake, controlling the device becomes easy. Can’t argue with that – although I’d add, every “audiophile” turntable I’ve ever owned has had a straight tonearm, so the sound quality differences must be pretty academic.

Still, on the turntable construction, you need to know that it is a heavyweight with durable and quality components. It weighs 40 plus pounds, making it a super reliable device of choice. The turntable consists of steel and rubber, and you can never go wrong with such a caliber device. While this ensures that the device achieves maximum support and compatibility, the rubber used will help in reducing the damping effects. It will be hard to hear vibrations when on use. In conclusion, both the Stanton ST-150 MK1 and MK2 turntables are exceptional choices for DJs and vinyl enthusiasts. The MK2 model builds upon the solid foundation of the MK1 version, introducing significant improvements in motor performance, build quality, and overall audio fidelity. While the MK2 model comes at a higher price point, its enhanced features and refinements make it a worthwhile investment for those who prioritize top-tier performance and durability. Ultimately, the choice between the two models depends on your specific requirements, preferences, and budget.It’s interesting that they decided to remove the second start/stop button. I’m a right handed scratcher too, but I’ve never used it… hit it by mistake a few times though! I guess muscle memory from tables without it means most naturally go for the start/stop button in the standard position.