Never say never.
OK—I pretty much shy away from reviewing all things analog for one main reason and that reason being so’s I can just enjoy listening to records. But…
Here I sit with a Techncis SL-1500CS finished in an attractive (to me) metallic gray, an all-in-one record player that comes with a high-sensitivity 9″ aluminum tonearm for “elevated rotational accuracy” as well as a built-in MM Phono EQ with a first-stage circuit that uses the same low-noise FET found in the SU-R1000. The SL-1500CS houses some additional trickle down tech, namely the ΔΣ-Drive originally developed for Technics’ Grand Class ‘tables as well as a coreless direct drive motor.
The SL-1500CS ships with an Ortofon 2M Red MM cartridge already sitting in its head shell for what is essentially plug-n-play setup.
I don’t have to tell you that Technics has been at this turntable game since the 1970s and I am the proud owner and user of 70’s era Technics SP-15. One of the things that attracts me to Technics ‘tables, including this $1800 SL-1500CS, is their ability to spin at 78 RPM in addition to 33 and 45. The SL-1500CS ships with an auxillary weight that should let me mount my Ortofon SPU Mono CG 65 Di MkII for some shellac time.
Stay tuned!
Technics SL-1500CS Direct Drive Turntable
Price: $1799.99
Company Website: Technics
Specifications
Power Supply: AC 120V, 60 Hz
Power Consumption: 8.0 W (Power ON), Approx. 0.2 W (Power OFF)
Dimensions (W x H x D): 453 x 169 x 372 mm 17-27/32″ × 6-21/32″ × 14-21/32″
Weight: Approx. 9.9kg (21.9 lbs)
Accessories: Turntable, Turntable sheet, Dust cover, EP record adaptor, Balance weight, Auxiliary weight, Head shell with cartridge, PHONO cable, PHONO earth lead, AC power supply cordx1, Owner’s Manual
Terminals: Audio Output: PHONO (Pin Jack) x 1 EARTH TERMINAL x 1 LINE (Pin Jack) x1
Tonearm Type: Static Balance
Tonearm Effective Length: 230mm (9-1/16″)