One of my great pleasures in this hobby, at least over the last few years, is totally eating crow over my old comments about Technics and direct-drive turntables. Yes, I’ve come around to loving Technics turntables. And while there was a time when I wouldn’t get excited about visiting the big Technics room at High End 2022 in Munich, I made a bee-line straight for Panasonic at the show.
One of the biggest reasons to visit the big Technics room was to catch a glimpse of my secret crush, the $19,000 Technics SL-1000R turntable, the crown jewel of Panasonic. This time, the SL-1000R featured an option for a second arm–this time a big SME. The SR-1000 fronted the premiere Technics system including the SU-R1000 integrated amplifier ($9,500) and the SB-G90 loudspeakers ($3,750 pr USD).
This was every bit a high-end audio system, offering a superb balance and plenty of detail and a supremely confident and composed presence in the groove. Sensational.
The biggest turntable news for Technics was the introduction of the SL-1200MK7 line of turntables ($1,099 and up). The new 1200 celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first SL-1200, and it more closely resembled that iconic DJ ‘table than the SL-1500C I’m currently reviewing, which is more of an audiophile ‘table. The big Technics room was full of the new SL-1200MK7, in all colors.
I’m currently reviewing the Technics SB-C600 monitors ($995/pair) and the SA-C600 network CD receiver ($995), so it was nice to see this combo drawing a crowd in the big Technics room. I’m convinced that this is the best way for a budding audiophile, or one with a budget, to spend two grand on a complete system.
The new Technics gear, if you don’t know, is something quite special. I’ll be beating that dead horse over the next few months with plenty of reviews!
If you would like to hear even more coverage from HIGH END 2022, check out our recap report and highlights from our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
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