Technics has announced the launch of the Reference Class SP-10R, its most premium analogue, direct drive turntable to date, which is anticipated to hit the market in early summer 2018. The news comes as Technics unveils a prototype of the new, cutting-edge turntable with, they claim, the world’s top-level* S/N (signal-to-noise) ratio and rotational stability, for the first time at this year’s IFA Berlin.

Following the launch of the SL-1200GAE/G in 2016 and the SL-1200GR earlier this year, Technics set about creating its most premium turntable ever – the SP-10R. The new turntable combines Technics’ most advanced digital and analogue technologies, boasting the best Sound to Noise (S/N)* ratio, rotational stability and flutter, and wow ratio of any of its turntables.

SP-10R prototype features a new coreless direct drive motor and 7kg heavy platter. The coreless direct drive motor which, in addition to the two-sided rotor drive system that was used in the SL-1200G, boasts stator coils on both sides of the rotor. The heavy platter features a three-layer structure consisting of brass, aluminium die-cast and deadening rubber, just like the platter of the SL-1200G. By optimising the natural frequency of each layer, external vibrations are suppressed. The SP-10R also features a new ultra-low-noise switching power supply which is separate from the main turntable, preventing unwelcome noise from being transmitted to the turntable unit.

Technics is working diligently towards an anticipated early summer launch for the SP-10R, and the new turntable will be interchangeable with systems using the SP10MK2 (released in 1975) and the SP-10MK3 (1981) Technics also plans to market a complete turntable system based on SP-10R with a tonearm and other components.