The Technics SL-1200 Lives!

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Technics has announced a brand new 1200 series turntable.

The new turntable will come in two flavors: the Grand Class SL-1200GAE which is a limited edition version and the Grand Class SL-1200G which won't be limited. The two versions are meant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original, though I'm not sure how 2016 is the 50th anniversary of a turntable first released in 1972. I guess the 50th anniversary of Technics in general?

Unlike the original, these new versions have a microprocessor that purports to minimize any unwanted motor vibrations using "high-precision rotary positioning sensors". Much of the design follows that of the 1200 series in general. The two versions are the same except that the tone arm on the GAE is made of magnesium while the non-limited G is made from alumnimum. The 1200GAE is limited to 1,200 units and will be available in the summer. The 1200G will be available in late 2016. No pricing information yet, but Wired is saying the limited edition will cost "several thousand pounds".

Technics Grand Class SL-1200GAE Glamour Shot

Of particular importance to vinyl lovers is who is doing the manufacturing? Is it truly a high-end product or is it just another OEM product to be copied and cranked out?

For more information on the new table, check out the new Technics website. Also, Gizmodo is at CES and has a bunch of photos of the new turntable from the show. Panasonic (the company behind Technics now) teased us a bit back in September 2015 with a preview of the new turntable. Thankfully, the finished product looks a lot better.

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