On November 1, 2010, Panasonic shook up the (admittedly small) world of DJs and vinyl lovers when it announced that it would no longer produce Technics turntables. The Technics SL-1200 series had been manufactured since 1972, and because of its durability and sonic quality, it was the go-to turntable for nightclubs, parties and radio stations. It’s no surprise, then, that Technics didn’t stay dead for long.
The new SL-1200G and its limited-edition brother, the GAE, are what you get if you throw cost concerns out the window and build the best 1200 series turntable possible. There are worthy attempts to justify the increased cost; it has as much inertial mass as the old SL-1200, a redesigned “coreless” motor and die-cast details. Still, know this: it’s much more an audiophile’s dream than a DJ’s beater. But in whoever’s hands, the SL-1200G will be the ultimate expression of one of the music industry’s most iconic tools.
Turntable: direct-drive manual
Speeds: 33 1/3, 45, 78 RPM
Power: AC120 V, 60Hz
Tonearm: aluminum