New Technics SL-1500C Introduced!

[ODS123]

I
I think I would not want to be project or u-turn right about now.
Their end of the market is getting crowded and their products might be losing their shine.
This of course assumes the sl1500 is a hit.

A great time to be back into vinyl or audio in general.

I agree.. There are sooo many wood plinth with visible rubber belt designs. ..It's really hard to imagine that so long as the arms are reasonably free of play and friction that any one sounds or feels (operationally) all that different from the other

But the SL1500 is something different. I hope it is built exactly like my SL-1210GR - metal top-plate, heavy composite base, same excellent arm - just lacking the strobe dots, speed slider, etc.. That would give it a fit/ finish and feel that none of the projects, regas and thorens that I've seen could match. AND speed accuracy and stability rivaling a cd-player. Wow.

 

[wushuliu]

I already have struggled of late with the seeming stagnation of the U-Turn turntable lineup, as compared to (for example) Fluance, which just came out with upgraded turntables offering spectacular W&F and S/N numbers, acrylic platter, optically-controlled servo motor, etc., for $500. Options on the new market, under $1000, are taking off right now and it's a beautiful thing for all of us IMO. In this new market I see the Orbit as becoming less attractive ,excepting their incredible customer service.
.

When the Orbit was being developed there were barely any other serious competitors in that price range other than rega, project, Denon dp300f and AT LPwhatever. UTurn is too small to compete with new tables every couple of years. They have focused on upgrades instead. All these other competitors are much bigger, including Fluance. I remember when Fluance was selling crap quality speakers before anyone took them seriously, but they sold a lot of them and they seem to have far more capital than they did back in those days.

UTurn will lose a lot of sales, but then again I'm not sure they can get much bigger anyway without serious investment.

We owe them though cause all these competitors didn't appear until after the Orbit.

As for Pro-ject being worried. I think there's a reason the recent Planars got raves in the budget models. Rega was forced to step up and incorporate features from their pricey models and stop skimping on platter materials, motors, low cap. cables and bearings. All of which they could have implemented before if they wanted to. UTurn is five years old. Rega is 40. They got the money and resources. Nowthey'll have to step it up another notch.

 

[zaskarx]

I think the idea of a built-in phono stage as a negative is no longer the case, assuming they offer a direct out for those of us who prefer to use our current phono stages.
Technics would be limiting their prospective customers by not including a built-in phono stage.
I’m guessing many vinyl enthusiasts today would prefer to go direct to powered monitors and forgo the components.
At least that’s how I see it with the popularity that powered monitors have attained.

I think you have a point if the price ends up being on the lower side of the spectrum, but I don't know that the powered monitor/casual listener types are willing to splash out for an expensive turntable. If the table costs above $400 I suspect most will see an integrated phono stage as a negative, especially since very good stand-alone phono stages like the Schiit Mani can be had for so cheap. . Either way you are right, it is great to have lots of options.

 

[MCM_Fan]

If the table costs above $400 I suspect most will see an integrated phono stage as a negative..

If this table sells for $400 I don't think anything about it will be seen as a negative.

 

[ODS123]

If this table sells for $400 I don't think anything about it will be seen as a negative.

I agree... Or even $600. Take a look at what else is available at that price point: the ubiguitous manual wood plinth table with an exposed motor and exposed rubber belt wrapped around the platter. And they all seem to use common-source tone-arms and motors suggesting they probably all sound about the same when fitted with the same cartridge (a speculation, I admit).

When compared to these competitors, the SL-1500 is incredibly refreshing. It appears to be of mostly metal and heavy rubber construction which outweighs most of the other tables at the price point by 10lbs or more. And, more importantly, features a drive system with speed accuracy approaching a cd-player. For Technics, developing such a table is a cost-effective continuation of what they've done for years, but for most others it would be a very costly non-starter because it would be a ground-up, start-from-scratch proposition.

 

[Final_Baton]

For Technics, developing such a table is a cost-effective continuation of what they've done for years, but for most others it would be a very costly non-starter because it would be a ground-up, start-from-scratch proposition.

Very good point there. God I can't wait to see the price!

My guess is : if made in Japan = $799 USD MSRP with a cheap-ish, yet good performing cart (has the cart being unveiled yet? if it's a more upmarket cart then make it $899)
If MIC = $699

 

[Montycat]

I think you have a point if the price ends up being on the lower side of the spectrum, but I don't know that the powered monitor/casual listener types are willing to splash out for an expensive turntable. If the table costs above $400 I suspect most will see an integrated phono stage as a negative, especially since very good stand-alone phono stages like the Schiit Mani can be had for so cheap. . Either way you are right, it is great to have lots of options.

I think we sometimes underestimate what people might spend and overestimate what people will put up with in the current plug and play world. If you can't say "Alexa, play a record" it will be too complex for some. Having a built in phono stage is not necessarily a bad thing if it's decent and I expect it will be at least of reasonable quality. Since it has the option to bypass it we should be happy. Realistically having it built in likely impacts the price by ~10% and I wouldn't object to that even though I don't need it.

 

[MCM_Fan]

Very good point there. God I can't wait to see the price!

My guess is : if made in Japan = $799 USD MSRP with a cheap-ish, yet good performing cart (has the cart being unveiled yet? if it's a more upmarket cart then make it $899)
If MIC = $699

Ortofon 2M Red is the standard included cartridge.

 

[stonedeaf]

Unless things have changed a lot - no pitch control means no beat matching = no interest on the part of DJ's ? Not a big deal to me -I REALY like the auto-lift on end of play -this is the one feature I've never been able to add to either generation of SL-1200's. .

 

[lico]

So $800 for a shiny new SL-1500 or $100+ for shiny new after market dustcover for my old SL-1500?

 

[bimasta]

DD was taking over the TT market, and Technics was a leader, when CD came along and destroyed the TT market. It's ironic and fitting that the "vinyl renaissance" more than 30 years later also revives the best technology and finally gives it the chance, which it never had, to be perfected. (I know "best technology" may rouse some BD fans, so tighten your belts guys and have at it.)

It has built in preamp though cannot be any good

It could probably be made better by upgrading its component parts, if there's enough room for them. Isn't the basic circuit is pretty basic, and used in almost all phono stages, with only the implementation varying?

 

[mprince]

No further need to speculate on the price of the Technics SL-1200 MK7.

https://www.westenddj.co.uk/technics-sl-1210-mk7
Technics SL-1200 MK7 price in the UK is £899.00 - $1143.23 USD. - $1518.01 CDN .

Base on today's exchange rate.

As info, WhatHifi has published very similar numbers to the above.
https://www.whathifi.com/news/technics-relaunches-legendary-dj-turntable-with-sl-1200-mk7

 

[4-2-7]

"vinyl renaissance" more than 30 years later also revives the best technology and finally gives it the chance, which it never had, to be perfected. (I know "best technology" may rouse some BD fans, so tighten your belts guys and have at it.)

Because most people know there is no "Best"
Then the fact there has been many DD out for years anyway if people wanted one. You also don't see them in very high end systems even though they cost a lot.

Technics has a target audience.

 

[M Chavez]

What is the question to me,
When the sl1200 mk6 was discontinued in 2010 it cost 400 sterling pounds.
That is(was) $600USD.
Fast forward to 2019 and that $600 should now cost $700USD adjusted for inflation.

What is the rationale for the 70% price increase?
Is it a simple case of supply vs demand and the low point of demand coincided with 2010 and now the demand is that much greater?
Or are there variable costs related to manufacture and supply logistics that changed since 2010?

Pioneer sells the hanpin made pl 1000 for $700 USD with much cheaper labor than Japan.
Seems like something is lost in the translation regarding 2010 dollars and 2019 dollars.

Because there is more to the world of money, and the ultimate cost of things than those stupid conversion by year 'inflation' calculators
Lots and lots more - for starters things like essential commodities costs
A lot of days I wish those things didn't exist, especially when dealing with sellers : - )

 

[M Chavez]

DD was taking over the TT market, and Technics was a leader, when CD came along and destroyed the TT market. It's ironic and fitting that the "vinyl renaissance" more than 30 years later also revives the best technology and finally gives it the chance, which it never had, to be perfected. (I know "best technology" may rouse some BD fans, so tighten your belts guys and have at it.) It could probably be made better by upgrading its component parts, if there's enough room for them. Isn't the basic circuit is pretty basic, and used in almost all phono stages, with only the implementation varying?

Exactly, good post, good observation
Direct drive would have ended belt drive except for budget tables, eventually crushing companies like Linn the only serious contender back in the day
And no matter, as the Japanese by the mid to late 70s had all but wrapped up the lower end of the belt drive market as well
CD was the best thing ever for the companies and people who wanted to build and market 'high end' tables but didn't have the resources or the money to develop their own precision drive trains or had to rely on off the shelf motors

 

[Moby Dick]

Because there is more to the world of money, and the ultimate cost of things than those stupid conversion by year 'inflation' calculators
Lots and lots more - for starters things like essential commodities costs
A lot of days I wish those things didn't exist, especially when dealing with sellers : - )

I get there are multiple factors to what affects the cost of manufacturing and distribution.
It makes more sense now that I realize the price of the sl1200 is £900 and not £1200.

It was the thought of an msrp of £1200 that i was struggling to understand.
£900 makes more sense and might end up being discounted further depending on how the market goes.

 

[M Chavez]

I get there are multiple factors to what affects the cost of manufacturing and distribution.
It makes more sense now that I realize the price of the sl1200 is £900 and not £1200.

It was the thought of an msrp of £1200 that i was struggling to understand.
£900 makes more sense and might end up being discounted further depending on how the market goes.

Why does one make more sense than the other? I mean like based on what, historical references and what other companies do?
I really don't get these hyper micro conversations about what MSRPs are? Not just here in this thread but all over. I mean things cost what they cost?
Whatever

 

[majick47]

Boils down to you get what you pay for. Made in Japan buys quality mfg from an experienced company like Panasonic that has a reputation to protect and not a fly by night outfit that couldn't give a poop.

 

[DavidTT]

The 1200 and 1500 are manufactured in Malaysia, not Japan.

 

[DavidTT]

See more info from WhatHiFi, with hands-on info:

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/technics-sl-1200sl-1210-mk7