To celebrate their 55^th anniversary, Technics is releasing the SL-1210GAE DD turntable which is wholly made in Japan.

The top panel features a special badge, inscribed with the unique serial number to signify that it is one of only 1000 to be made of the 55th-anniversary model, 700 of which will be available in the UK and Europe.

All-Black Colour Scheme

The SL-1210GAE’s 10-mm-thick aluminium top panel sports an anodized black brushed hairline finish. In addition, the operation buttons and tonearm also employ a high quality black finish that results in a uniform, premium appearance.

Coreless Direct Drive Motor

Conventional analogue turntables can have problems with degradation in sound quality caused by factors such as minute speed vibration during rotation and rotation irregularity called “cogging.” In the SL-1210GAE, the use of a coreless direct-drive motor (with no iron core) eliminates cogging. Also, the twin-rotor construction reduces the bearing load whilst maintaining high torque, and also reduces minute vibration during rotation.

High-Precision Motor Control Technology

The application of motor control technology developed for Blu-ray devices, and switching the drive mode depending on the operational status of the motor achieves a high starting torque and high speed stability for optimum playback.

Three-layered Turntable Platter

The Technics SL-1210GAE turntable features a three-layered construction with a rigidly combined brass top-plate, an aluminium die cast core platter and a solid rubber coating covering its entire rear surface to eliminate unwanted resonance, thereby achieving overall rigidity and vibration damping. This delivers smooth rotational stability and high inertial mass surpassing the SP-10MK2 (the direct-drive turntable standard used by broadcast stations worldwide), as well as having more than twice the inertial mass of the SL-1200MK5.

High-level Balance Adjustment

When the weight distribution of the turntable is uneven, excess vibration or noise occurs during rotation, which causes degradation in sound quality. To counteract this, the balance of the turntable is adjusted at the factory by using specialised high-precision balance adjustment equipment for each and every item after the turntable is assembled. Turntables that have undergone adjustment are labelled with a sticker reading “BALANCED” to indicate that individual adjustment has been done.

High-Sensitivity Tonearm

The tonearm uses lightweight magnesium which has a high damping effect, with cold drawing improving the characteristics of the material and achieving the high-precision required. In addition, high initial-motion sensitivity is attained by employing the traditional Technics gimbal suspension construction with the horizontal rotation axis and the vertical rotation axis intersecting at a single central point, as well as high-precision bearings using a cut-processed housing.

High-Quality Terminals

The use of brass-milled and gold-plated phono terminals and ground terminals prevents degradation in sound quality while enabling the easy attaching and detaching of cables. Also the use of metal shielding construction inside the case reduces the effects of external noise.

Four-layered Cabinet Construction

A hairline-processed, 10-mm-thick black top panel of immaculate aluminium is added to a three-layered construction of aluminium die-cast, BMC(Bulk Moulding Compound), and heavyweight-class rubber. This four-layered construction combines high rigidity necessary for vibration damping with a solid build and a luxurious finish and feel..

Insulator

The specially developed zinc insulator features αGEL™, a soft gel-like material with excellent shock absorbing properties which is also used on the Technics ‘flagship’ SL-1000R reference turntable. The high-density zinc die-cast housing offers vibration damping characteristics and long-term reliability. The new insulator effectively isolates the turntable from external vibrations, ensuring completely undisturbed music reproduction whilst preserving every fine nuance and detail within the musical signal.

(αGEL™ is a trademark of Taica Corporation registered in Japan and/or other countries).

Specification

All New Design

Twin-Rotor Surface-Facing Direct Drive Motor

Direct Drive Motor Controller

High Sensitive Tonearm

Brass-Top Turntable Platter

Insulator

Heavy Aluminium Black Top Plate

Turntable Speeds 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm

Variable Range Pitch ±8%, ±16%

Dimensions & Weight W: 453 mm (17-27/32 inch) H: 170 mm (6-1/16 inch) D: 72 mm (14-21/32 inch)

Approx. 18 kg (39.7 lbs )

Terminal

Phono Output x 1 / SIGNAL GND x 1

Price & Availability

From June, expected retail price is £3,999

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