If you’re after a more analog way of living, it’s hard to get closer than a turntable and a stack of vinyl. A thousand digital tracks can’t quite replicate the sound of a needle settling onto a record.
Coming of age as a Gen Xer in San Francisco, we had Wicked Sound and DJs whose live mixes were second to none. It was around the time of the Second Summer of Love in Manchester UK, and across the globe, a whole generation seemed to lock into house music, warehouse parties, and communal dance floors. When a track caught fire, it traveled—city to city, club to club—shrinking the world long before the internet had a chance.
It was a cultural shift that was indicative of a turntable revival, bringing people together to appreciate music in its purest form, and there was a kind of optimism in it. A shared belief that music, movement, and a bit of collective goodwill might actually shift something. Whether or not that proved true, the feeling stuck. It’s been a reliable place to return to.
Back then, I could walk a few blocks from my studio apartment—with just enough of a view of the Transamerica building to feel official—to Zebra Records on Lower Haight. The best music was coming out of the UK, and the ritual was simple: listen to a few snippets in the shop, take a chance on something new, and bring it home to see what you’d found.
My prized possessions were two Technics 1200s and a Gemini Scratch Master.
Mixing vinyl is its own kind of discipline. Done well, it turns two tracks into something entirely new. Stretch that over a few hours, with a proper build and release, and you’ve got something close to a live composition. I’m still working on that part, but you’ll find a few links below to some of my favorites.
The original setup eventually found its way to a former flatmate, but two birthdays ago, Moe surprised me with a Technics 1200 of my own. By then, we’d accumulated a healthy stack of records from family—everything from classical to jazz to mid-century pop—and it felt like time to put them back into rotation.
The Technics 1200 has long held its place as a gold standard. The sound is clean, consistent, and forgiving in all the right ways—even if your technique isn’t perfect.
Naturally, the setup expanded. We added a Pioneer DJ two-channel mixer and controller, which struck a nice balance between casual listening and the occasional urge to mix. These days, the blend is part vinyl, part digital—pulled from a much larger library via platforms like Serato or TIDAL. It’s a different environment, but still a satisfying one. Beat-matching is a little more forgiving now, too, if you want it to be.
And if your vinyl collection is light, that’s easily solved. I picked up a crate of ’90s dance records on eBay for about $90, shipping included. Not every track is a keeper, but that’s part of the appeal. Spend an afternoon sorting through it, and you’re bound to find a few that stick.
At minimum, they all have a beat. And you can dance to it.
Shop the Setup
For those curious about the current rotation, here’s what we’re working with these days. Nothing overly precious—just a setup that gets used often and sounds the way it should.
Turntable
Technics SL-1200 Series
The gold standard for a reason. Reliable, precise, and forgiving when your timing isn’t. Built to last, and still the benchmark for both listening and mixing.
👉 Shop via:
- Sweetwater
- eBay
Mixer & Controller
Pioneer DJ 2-Channel Mixer / Controller
A practical bridge between analog and digital. Handles vinyl on one side and a full digital library on the other without much fuss. Ideal for casual mixing or longer sessions.
👉 Shop via:
- Amazon
- Sweetwater
- Guitar Center
Digital Library
Serato / TIDAL
If your vinyl doesn’t cover everything, this fills the gaps. A deep catalog without needing to track down every record.
👉 Explore:
(We use our pre-existing Apple Music library, integrated with Rekordbox’s DJ software)
Last but not least, here are a couple of Jo’s fave mixes:
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