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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Serious audiophiles used turntables as their primary music source back in the mists of time, when hi-fi was as widespread as mobile phones are now. Upgraders should buy the greatest possible design available, which generally meant a single speed Scottish deck, according to the publications of the day. This necessitated the development of good but
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It’s interesting how some iconic goods have vanished into the mists of time, completely forgotten, while others are still talked about decades later. The 104 tuner from Meridian is an example of the former, but it also deserves to be the latter! It has Allen Boothroyd to credit for its wonderful packaging and ergonomics, and
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The Planar 3 was a progression of Rega Research’s initial vinyl incursion, the Planet, and was released in 1978. This was a bizarre-looking design with three massive cast aluminium alloy spokes to support the record. Because this didn’t work out so well, a common mod was to place a glass mat on top of the
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The world of loudspeakers in the 1980s was strange, but rarely great. With its clangy, first-generation metal dome tweeter, Celestion’s SL6 was considered cutting-edge. Linn’s bizarre Isobarik, with its slew of forward-facing and upward-firing motors, was cited as a model. Many people dismissed Quad’s ESL-63 electrostatic, which had been twenty years in the making. What
Passive preamps have one advantage: Their short signal lines and lack of circuit complexity result in a clear, detailed sound. They aren’t, however, a cure-all for the problem of controlling your source. They have traditionally depended on resistive networks selected via a switch or rotary variable resistors, which can result in significant impedance mismatches at
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