When Technics debuted the SL-10, the company’s first parallel tracker, in 1979, it didn’t have an easy time in the UK. Japanese items, particularly decks with integrated weapons and cartridges, had little or no appeal in the British high end sector. Forget about completely automated turntables that were created with convenience and ease of use […]
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In 1997, Technics released the SL-1200LTD, a thousand pounds worth of piano black lacquer and 24-carat gold plating fastened to possibly the most popular and longest-lasting turntable in history. As if that wasn’t enough, Technics threw in a pair of DJ headphones, a numbered brass plaque on the plinth, and a gold Technics logo on
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The Mark 2 version of the SL-150, released in 1977, added quartz-locked servo control to the original’s excellent direct drive motor, introduced a redesigned and quieter plinth, and incorporated wood into the equation; the armboard and lower section now received this as both a cosmetic touch and a sonic improvement. It was a worthwhile redesign
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The SL-P1200 was a (at the time) outmoded top-loading CD spinner with pitch control and a jog wheel for fine and accurate cueing control. The 1200, like the turntable with which it shared a model number (and indeed feet! ), was a ‘pro’ design meant for nightclub use, and it was quite firmly manufactured –
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There aren’t many dedicated audiophiles who haven’t possessed a Thorens TD 160 at some point in their lives — usually on their way up to a Linn LP12. It was a turntable that was firmly rooted in the middle class. It was built to do a job well, and it delivered a measured performance that
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Why can’t man develop an accurate loudspeaker if he can put cars on Mars and perfect open heart surgery? Modern speakers are severely hampered even under the best of circumstances, and the chance of getting one to perform correctly from 20Hz to 20kHz is still a long way off. Given that moving coil drivers are
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The Rega R200 was the best cheap tonearm in the world until August 1983. It was an S-shaped, Japanese-sourced variation of the mid-range Lustre GST-1 that delivered good results for the £46 price tag. But then along came an arm with such an incredible price/performance ratio that the poor S-shaped Rega was forgotten about. The
Although no cassette deck has ever been compared to an oil painting, early specimens of the genre were particularly unappealing. Top-loaders from the 1970s were fiddly and unwieldy to operate, with controls strewn about indiscriminately, whilst front-loaders appeared bold and threatening. Forget about the physics of the machines. They were crude and clumsy, confirming cassette’s
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Pioneer’s legendary PL-12D is often regarded as the best cheap belt drive ever produced, and for my money, it’s not far off. However, as with so many items, something else comes along a few years later that is superior in many aspects but doesn’t completely outclass it. The SR-222/II from Sansui is one such deck.
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Sennheiser spent millions of Euros researching and creating the new HD650 in 2003, using technology created for its £1,000 MKH40 broadcast microphone to eliminate distortion and enhance clarity, while the sound balance was reported to be based on the Sennheiser Orpheus, which costs £10,000. It all added up to one of the company’s most popular
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