Technics

After teasing it last week, Technics has unveiled a new direct drive turntable: the SL-1200MK7. It is the company’s first DJ turntable in about nine years.

According to the company’s press release, the new model “inherits the traditional design of the same series and maintains the same operating ease, reliability, and durability …”

The SL-1200MK7 also adds new DJ features, such as reverse playback, +-8%/+-16% pitch control, and replaceable phono and power cables for improved maintenance.

According to What Hi-Fi?, the SL-1200MK7 will cost $1,200 in the US and £899 and €1,000 in the UK and EU, respectively (where it’s called the SL-1210MK7).

The announcement was made at the CES event in Las Vegas, where DJs such as Skratch Bastid have taken the turntables for a test drive.

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A post shared by 🎼Skratch Bastid🎶 (@skratchbastid) on Jan 7, 2019 at 11:38am PST

Additional details can be found on Technics’ website.

Updated on Jan. 9, 2018

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In March, Technics assembled an orchestra of 30 DJs to perform a routine in celebration of Japan’s LP Record Day. The historic ensemble included world-class turntablists like DJ QBert, D-Styles, DJ Kentaro, Mr. Switch, and DJ Swamp.

After watching the video, fans asked DJcityTV host Mister Remix about the equipment that was used in the performance. All of the DJs were equipped with Technics SL-1200 turntables, but their mixers were less recognizable. One of them was the Technics SH-EX1200, a two-channel mixer that was popular in the battle scene from the ’80s to mid-’90s.

Watch Mister Remix examine the SH-EX1200 on this episode of Classic DJ Gear.

Related: Classic DJ Gear: Vestax PMC-06 Pro

DJ QBert

Technics assembled an orchestra of DJs to perform a historic routine in celebration of Japan’s LP Record Day on Monday. The Philharmonic Turntable Orchestra, which was made up of 30 DJs, is the first to perform using only turntables, mixers, and original vinyl.

The ensemble included world-class turntablists like DJ QBert, DJ Swamp, DJ Kentaro, Mr. Switch, DJ IZOH, and 13-year-old DJ RENA. All of the 30 DJs were equipped with a Technics SL-1200 and mixer.

The Philharmonic Turntable Orchestra reworked the first 12-inch LP ever issued: 1948’s Mendelssohn: Concerto in E Minor.

Watch the performance below along with a behind-the-scenes video.

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Back in January, Technics unveiled a new model in their famed SL-1200 turntable series, the SL-1200GR. The device is a more affordable version of the SL-1200G, which was assumed to be aimed at audiophiles instead of DJs. (Technics didn’t mention DJs in any of their product and marketing material for the G.)

However, the company clarified their commitment to DJs when they announced the GR.

“The SL-1200GR and SL-1210GR combine the best of both worlds,” Michiko Ogawa, director of Technics at Panasonic, said in a press release. “Our goal was to extend our top range for audio enthusiasts as well as professional DJs.”

Technics’ statement was reassuring, but does the GR pass the test? Mojaxx finds out on this week’s Tips and Tricks.

Special thanks to Westend DJ.

Related: Rare Technics Turntable Surfaces Online

On this week’s episode of Tips and Tricks, Mojaxx reviews the MK Stands isolation boots for the Technics 1200 and 1210 turntables. The products are designed to make your decks more stable and diminish vibration from bass and other sources. They’re also available for the Pioneer DJ PLX-1000 turntable.

Related: Rare Technics Turntable Surfaces Online

A rare Technics turntable has hit the market, and it can be yours for only $38,895. The Sp10MK3 NGS surfaced online last week at the high-end audio marketplace, Audiogon.

The turntable, which sports a “Ferrari Corsa red” suede finish, was developed by Technics in the early ‘80s and later handcrafted by Artisan Fidelity.

According to Artisan Fidelity’s website, their design team was “able to further cultivate and subsequently engineer a state of the art turntable model using this legendary and highly sought after direct drive motor system solely as a blueprint.”

The turntable is available to buy now from a private seller for $38,895, but interested parties can make an offer up until April 2. Worldwide shipping costs $695.

Check out the listing on Audiogon for additional details.

Related: Technics Clarifies Commitment to DJ Community

Technics Grand Class SL-1210G turntable. (source: Panasonic)

Technics clarified its commitment to the DJ community over the weekend in a press release for its new SL-1210GR turntable.

“The SL-1200GR and SL-1210GR combine the best of both worlds,” Michiko Ogawa, director of Technics at Panasonic, said in the statement. “Our goal was to extend our top range for audio enthusiasts as well as professional DJs.”

Ogawa’s comments follow a New York Times article from January about how the company has shifted its focus from DJs to audiophiles. In the piece, Technics Creative Director Hiro Morishita said that marketing to DJs was “problematic” and that Panasonic doesn’t “want to sell the 1200 as the best tool for DJing.”

The statement led many to believe that the company had turned its back on DJs and that the SL-1200G and SL-1200GR models were not suitable for DJing.

The SL-1210GR is a black version of the SL-1200GR, which was announced in January.

The press release said that both models will be available in April. According to the DJ TechTools, the price will be roughly $1,600 in the US.

Related: Technics Unveils Grand Class SL-1200GR Turntable

Technics introduced a new direct-drive turntable, the Grand Class SL-1200GR, at the annual CES conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Like the SL-1200G, the SL-1200GR is aimed at audio enthusiasts rather than DJs. It inherits technology from the SL-1200G, which was released in 2016.

The company’s press release states:

“Parts from the SL-1200G were newly developed to create the SL-1200GR, such as the coreless direct-drive motor and precise motor control technology, high-rigidity platter and high-sensitivity tonearm. This ensures audio enthusiasts using the SL-1200GR can enjoy music with the rich, robust sound of analogue records.”

The press release doesn’t say anything about the price and release date, but DJ TechTools reports that it will cost $2,000 (the SL-1200G retails for $4,000).

DJ TechTools also points out that the SL-1200GR has a slightly lower starting torque and a slightly lighter aluminum die-cast platter (the SL-1200G has an aluminum and brass platter).

A full list of features and specifications can be found on Technics’ website.

Related: Technics SL-1200G Now on Sale in the US

After announcing in January that it was remaking the iconic Technics SL-1200 series of turntables, Panasonic has made the new SL-1200G available in the US.

The model has been redesigned from scratch, according to Technics CTO Tetsuya Itani. It features a triple-layer platter, an iron-free direct drive motor that reduces rotation irregularities, and a sensitive lightweight magnesium tonearm.

The 1200G is the first SL model since the MK6 in 2008. As a result, demand is high and retailers have begun to sell out.

The suggested retail price for the 1200G is $4,000 USD per unit.

Visit Technics’ website for a full list of retailers.

This article was written by Hugo Pacheco.

Related: Customizing and Upgrading Technics SL-1200 Turntables

Technics has shared a video that shows the manufacturing process for the new SL-1200G and limited edition SL-1200GAE turntables. The models, which the company announced in January, were a huge surprise to the DJ community.

The three-minute piece, which is set to classical music, shows workers assembling and testing the turntables at a high-tech factory. It concludes with shots of a finished product being placed into a shipping box.

The limited edition version has already sold out, but the SL-1200G will reportedly be available in September.

Watch the video below.

Related: Panasonic Announces New Technics 1200 Turntable