Technics Reveals The SL-1210GAE Turntable And SU-R1000 Integrated
Technics celebrates its 55th anniversary this year, so in order to ring in the celebration properly they have put together a special edition turntable based around the success of the popularity of their SL-1200 line of DJ-oriented vinyl spinners. The Technics SL-1210GAE turntable will be a limited run in an all-black color scheme, specifically numbered and badged.
The full production will number only 1000 units worldwide, with a bulk of the inventory landing outside the US. Feature set for the anniversary edition touts the previously mentioned special top-panel badge inscribed with the unique serial number, a zinc insulator which appears on the flagship SL-1000R, core-less direct drive motor and a three-layered platter. Full feature set rundown at the end of this post.
Pictures of the new integrated were scarce in the press release, but the initial chatter for the new reference series Integrated SU-R1000 expects a launch by the end of the year. From the presser:
The new integrated amplifier not only features Technics’ established digital amp technologies, such as LAPC and the JENO-Engine, but – significantly – also incorporates the newly developed ADCT (Active Distortion Cancelling Technology) to eliminate distortion in the power stage caused by speaker counter electromotive power and power supply voltage drops. Furthermore, the newly developed high-speed, low-noise switching power supply (Advanced Speed Silent Power Supply) contributes to higher sound quality by drastically enhancing the load stability of this amplifier. The power devices employ high-speed, low-resistant GaN (gallium nitride) which – due to their ultra-short switching rates – contribute to a highly dynamic sound image with ultimate time correctness.
May 28, 2020 Technics Press Release
For phono input, the new amp employs digital technology to achieve an accurate EQ curve, the precision of which is defining new standards. An included Calibration Record allows for the measurement and compensation of the cartridge’s crosstalk and frequency response using “Crosstalk Canceller” and “Response Optimiser” (both are world firsts*) for ultimate vinyl record performance.
Technic’s put together a video for the turntable launch event you can find via this link. The new SL-1210GAE 55th anniversary model will go on sale June 2020 for $3,999.99.
More info: Technics SL1210GAE
Special and exclusive specifications of the SL-1210GAE 55th anniversary model:
All-black colour scheme
May 28, 2020 Press Release
The SL-1210GAE’s 10-mm-thick aluminium top panel sports a meticulously 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.
Special badge inscribed with a serial number
The SL-1210GAE is wholly made in Japan by skilled artisans’ hands, with a significant level of hand-made processes to ensure the highest quality possible. The top panel features a special badge, inscribed with the unique serial number to signify that it is a 55th anniversary model.
Insulator
The specially developed zinc insulator features αGEL™, a soft gel-like material with excellent shock absorbing properties which is also used on the highly acclaimed, ‘flagship’ SL-1000R reference turntable. The high-density zinc die-cast housing offers superb vibration damping characteristics and excellent 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.
Strobe light ON-OFF switch
Turning off the strobe light allows the listener to concentrate more effectively on the music, especially in dimmed environment.
Product features of the SL-1210GAE
Coreless Direct Drive Motor
Conventional analogue turntables 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. These factors enable reproduction of the warm, high-level detailed sound available from analogue vinyl records.
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 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 superior 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 employs 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 superb vibration damping with a superior solid build and a luxurious finish and feel..