The Technics SL-1200 was a mainstay of the DJ scene, with the turntable rated for its performance, quality and reliability. Today, there’s a brand new model on the block, the Technics SL-1200MK7 (SL-1210MK7 in Europe).
Related: CES 2019 live
There’s no mistaking the traditional Technics look in the product, but underneath there’s some smart new technology. First, there’s a new coreless direct drive motor.
Previous direct drive models would sometimes introduce a rotation irregularity known as cogging. Removing the iron core from the stator eliminated the root cause of cogging, which should see the SL-1200MK7 be even more reliable than its predecessors.
Both the starting torque and brake speed can be adjusted on this new model, letting the DJ tune the turntable to the music they’re playing.
The motor now supports a reverse play function, activated by pressing the speed selector button and the Start/Stop button at the same time. Again, this new feature is designed to give DJs more control and options over the music they play.
There’s a stylus illuminator powered by a long-life LED, designed to make the stylus tip easier to see even in dark environments.
There are the standard 33/45/78rpm speed selectors with a pitch control that allows for +/- 8/16% control. The traditional S-shaped tone arm is back, fashioned from high-rigidity aluminium.
The SL-1200 was launched back in 1972 and sold over 3,500,000 units for the series, which was discontinued in 2010 with the MK6. When Technics was resurrected in 2016, the company brought out the SL-1200G followed in 2017 by the cheaper SL-1200GR and SL-1210GR.
We don’t have pricing for the new model or a confirmed release date.