It’s no secret, the new-old Technics turntables are hot-hot-hot. In fact, they’re so hot that the SL-1200GAE version (limited run, with all the special metals and whatnots) is now sold out — which means that the mass-market version (same price, sadly — still $4k) will now begin to hit the market … soon. As in, this quarter. Or soon. Well, we’ll see — but the plan is supposedly ASAP.
We’ve covered this gear before (and we reviewed quite a bit of it here), but I’d never seen the turntable pulled apart before. Bill Voss, our Technics tour guide, lifted off the platter to let me feel the heft (robust), but more interestingly, to show me the brake. This demo, in the video below, shows the balance of the platter on the spindle, but more interestingly, what the electronic braking mechanism does and how well it works. Useful to you? Dunno — but the control is superb. And yes, that brass weight he slaps down is 3lbs. Very impressive.
I’m hoping to get an SL1200G in for testing/review at some point — stay tuned.
Oh — and yes — this gear does sound like a treat. Panasonic is killing this segment, and their house sound — full, rich, warm and forgiving — plays very well. The prosumer/DJ turned audiophile could (and probably will) do a lot worse. Loving what they’re doing — and seeing them at these shows is a real treat. Candy for the eyes and ears, a venerable brand shows it’s still got moves. Nice work.
