Roksan Xerxes vs Technics SL-1200MK2

Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Roksan Xerxes · Technics SL-1200MK2.

Practical differences

Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.

There's a real gap here: £100 separates them, with the Roksan Xerxes the pricier of the two.

The Roksan Xerxes spins its platter via belt drive; the Technics SL-1200MK2 uses direct drive instead. Neither is objectively better — a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi versus instant start-up, rock-steady speed under load, and enough torque to nudge or backspin the record — the reason DJs and scratch decks are built this way.

Bottom line: the Technics SL-1200MK2 has the lower reference price; the table shows which documented features change with the £100 gap.

Compare two different decks →