Analog Gear News

is it available without the cartridge? I wouldn't want to pay for the AT-VM95C and then immediately throw it in a drawer in favor of a better one.

I haven't met too many newbies looking at $1k turntables, but maybe I move in the wrong circles. That said, "Get a cosmetically deficient 1200mk2, a tune up, a 2m Blue and be set for life" is a recommendation I've given quite a few times.

And *THAT* said, people keep raving about these coreless/cogless motors and here's a Plain Jane version in a $1k package and I'd... kinda like to hear it.

Pretty sure what's in my profile photo will blow its doors off, but I've been "audiophiling" pretty hard about direct drive recently. Imagine if Technics did a poor-man's SP10 in this price range. BYO plinth/arm/cart.

It won't happen but it's damn fun to think about.

I don't disagree with anything you wrote, but I should point out that Panasonics's cost on that A-T cart is probably less than the price of a Big Mac in Tokyo, so its effect on the retail price of the schallplattenspieler should be minimal. The thing to do, then, is to keep the stylus guard in place, unscrew the headshell and store the whole business on a high shelf. Take your new turntable to Ye Olde Cartridge Vendor and have something better installed along with a new headshell. Enjoy this until your drunk friend Gary tweaks the stylus whilst scratching your mint Factory 12" of Blue Monday. Pull out the A-T, screw it back in (remembering to adjust downforce) and party on.

And get a new friend, obviously. Gary's an idiot.

that you chose to name my clumsy, drunk friend "Gary". My actual friend Gary is a top-rank audiophile, far beyond my class, who would never do such a thing. If it did happen, I would put my old Stanton 681EEE in to party on.
BTW, a Big Mac costs about $5.74 in Tokyo, so the cart is probably a bit more expensive to A-T.

I'm sure you're right and if you know the price of a burger in Tokyo you're probably aware of the Big Mac index employed by The Economist to judge the relative cost of living and effects of inflation in various countries. It's a helpful and interesting tool. I, on the other hand, have never been accused of being helpful or interesting, though the word 'tool' has come up once or twice.

Re: the actual subject of this article, a grand looks pretty reasonable to me compared to some of the cosmetically lovely but technically (sorry) deficient products out there.

And I'd be grateful if you'd have Gary read my post and report back on his comments. I still have some reservations about that dude.

I really don't like Kansas. Not even the state.

Would I recommend? Depends...
Take what I say with a grain of salt, because I grew up lusting after 70s/80s Technics gear that my Dad had, or which I saw in catalogs. Around 1990 they seem to have lost their mojo and "gone Hollywood" (aka concentrating on home theater). By the end, the company was a joke -- save for the 1200 and pianos.
Anyhow, the recent iterations of the SP-10 and SL-1200 are wonderful to my ears/eyes because I have always secretly loved direct drive, even when Corey Greenburg and John Atkinson were preaching PRaT and Linns and Regas in the vinyl dark ages of the 90s.
Pricewise, this new 'table sits between my standard recommendations (for new), the Rega 2 and 3. The 100C is more than double what a tricked-out U-Turn would be. The SL-100C's cart may be its soft point, but I see it as the equivalent of the 1960s' come on, "buy a turntable and we'll throw in a GE Variable Reluctance pickup for ONE PENNY!" Still, the A-T is decent but unspectacular; I use one on an older Technics DD as a backup table. If you're paying $1000 for a turntable, you're likely going to upgrade later or already have a war chest of carts to choose from. So who is this aimed at? I'm thinking people who have a 70s/80s Pioneer or Dual or something (SO SICK of seeing those on FB marketplace) and want to upgrade as they get serious and grow their collections. This is NOT the next step up for Crosley owners, for sure. I don't even think Technics would aim for that lower-middle market segment... those buyers should graduate to a U-Turn (hopefully).
Comparing this and the other NEW Technics 'tables to their vintage equivalents, the big difference is the brushless motor, right? Is it worth the money? At this price point, I say 'yes.' For $18k (as in the modern SL-1000)? I'm not sure. Vintage SP-10mkII units with all the trimmings go for $2-4k. And then you have a big financial cushion for recapping, etc., before hitting $18k.
On this SL-100C, I do miss the variable speed control of the 1200 (which this is visually based on). I also notice it's the same price as the 1200mk7, which comes without a cart and has other differences -- though you still get that brushless motor!
So, would I recommend? For some. There's a LOT of contenders between a Crosley and a Rega 3... AT's own turntables, the new Pioneer "DJ" units, U-Turn, the Rega 2, Music Hall, the 1200mk7, etc. as well as used turntables. But the SL-100C's brushless motor is so alluring, I think I could recommend this for people who are willing and able to upgrade the cart, and don't care about the functionality of the 1200mk7. BTW if this came in silver, that would be the icing on the cake!

A lot of records reviews (thanks) and a couple of turntables news and manufacturers info. No equipment reviews, no accesories reviews (none of the turntables and the DS Audio 001 were reviews) after 2 full months of Fremer departure. What are you doing, boys? Tell us if you are not going to continue very very soon with what is the essence of this website.

There are now two Technics turntables for $999, the SL-100C and the SL-1200Mk7. The new SL-100C has a simpler look and, yes, a throw-away cartridge. It also has auto-lift. I have the SL-1200Mk7, and I really like it. Unlike the SL-100C, it has a dial for setting VTA (SRA), which helped me a lot in fine-tuning my cartridge set-up.

I think the SL-100C obsoletes the SL-1500C, since that model has both a throw-away cartridge and a throw-away phono preamp.

Frankly, the choice between the SL-100C and the SL-1200Mk7 becomes a matter of taste (appearance) and features (auto-lift vs. easier VTA adjustment). Both are great turntables for $999.

Aside: I use a Jelco HS-25 headshell and a Herbie's Way Excellent II platter mat on my SL-1200Mk7. The cartridge is a Nagaoka MP-200.

Living in the NYC area you can get a used Sl-1200 from 100 to 700 depending on the shape it is in.
You can drop it off at Dj Fix and for few buck have it refurbished and it will play on for ever if taken care of. So why drop over a grand. A lot of the new collectors buy used gear
The DJ set prefers the older models also ez to repair parts are every where. DJ Henry or KAB has parts big time
Fremer use to poke fun at the Technics guys. He also knew they held speed well also and lasted.
I have an old Sl 1200 M3D , which has out lasted a Rega and has seen less service issues than my friends VPI DD turntable which he paid a premium for .
A few tweaks with a Technics and they can sound really good . Not as good as VPI direct drive or G/GR/ GAE SL-1200 .

Who can say no to the “burgeoning sibling of its vaunted class brethren” ?

In fact, who can say anything at all to that?

I have my doubts that this will turn out to be anything better than the similar and much less expensive upper Audio Technica models, with a price premium to capitalize on the Technics turntable mystique.

The promo copy on Amazon, which probably comes from the distributor, reads in places like lots of other cheap-o record player marketed to the less informed. They even call it a "vinyl player."

Would have considered this but I don't want to own anymore black turntables. They attract dust and fingerprints way too much. They 1500c doesn't make sense for me since I wouldn't need the internal pre or 2M Red. The 1200mk7 in silver may be the way I go.