Legendary turntable brand Technics will be offering two new direct-drive turntables to its catalog from June. The line-up includes the Technics SL-1200 MK7 turntable, heir to the brand’s legendary model, whose story we mentioned in our article about the Technics SL-1200. This turntable has become an instrument in its own right and an essential part of the development of the hip-hop movement and turntablism. The Technics SL-1200 MK7 is a grey version of the SL-1210 MK7, so it has the same design and the same price of €990.
Composed of a rigid anti-vibration chassis mounted on isolating feet, a rubber-coated cast aluminum platter, a dual-rotor motor and an aluminum S-shaped arm, the Technics SL-1200 MK7 turntable is at the crossroads of the hi-fi and DJing worlds. It can therefore be added to an audiophile system or used in a club, in particular thanks to its strobe speed control system, its pitch adjustment and its reverse playback function.
The second turntable that enriches the brand’s catalog is the Technics SL-100C, a lighter version of the SL-1500C. Marketed at €890, the Technics SL-100C inherits the design elements that made its predecessor successful, with the exception of its integrated phono pre-amp and headphone output. In addition, the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge pre-mounted on the arm of the Technics SL-1500C turntable is replaced by an Audio Technica AT-VM95C moving magnet cartridge. The Technics SL-100C turntable is a home version of the SL-1200 series turntables and therefore does away with the DJ elements.
The Technics SL-100C turntable features a coreless, single-rotor direct-drive motor inherited from the SL-1200GR in order to offer a perfectly regular rotation and high precision playback of record signals. The motor optimally controls the inertial mass of the double-layered platter that accommodates the vinyl record thanks to the sound-absorbing rubber coating applied over the entire surface, which eliminates unwanted resonances. The die-cast aluminum frame eliminates any rotational irregularities.
Another feature carried over from the Technics SL-1500C is the automatic arm lift system. Once the latter reaches the end of the record, it rises automatically without you needing to intervene. This function prevents unnecessary wear and tear on your vinyl records or the stylus. This simple design allows it to operate without using motor power and prevents electrical or vibration interference without restricting the movement of the tonearm.
