Technics SL-1200GR2 puts a new spin on an iconic turntable

The original, generation-defining SL-1200 might’ve been designed for the DJ booth, but its latest iteration is aimed squarely at home Hi-Fi setups. The Technics SL-1200GR2 and 12010GR2 take the direct drive turntable concept and ups playback precision to new heights, courtesy of a new motor and power supply.

Now in its fourth generation, the present-day SL-1200 uses the same iron-coreless direct drive motor as the outgoing model, in order to cut out cogging – where uneven rotational movement impacts sound quality. Only now that motor is controlled using delta-sigma modulation, which further strips out unwanted vibrations and dramatically boosts the accuracy of the platter rotation.

The other big upgrade is to the power supply, which gets a silent, multi-stage PSU with the same noise-cancelling circuit found in the firm’s $18,000/£19,000 SL-1000R reference-grade turntable. A lower noise floor should mean superior sound, if you have a sensitive enough Hi-Fi setup to plumb it through.

As with previous versions, there’s a choice of two colours: the silver SL-1200GR2, and black 1210GR2. Both retain plenty of design elements from the iconic original model, including the speed indicating stroboscope light, ±8% and ±16% pitch adjustment, 33-1/3, 45 and 78rpm speed selectors, and chunky start/stop button. Only now everything is perfectly colour-matched to the die-cast aluminium chassis. The platter is also a two-layer aluminium slab, which is dampened with thick rubber.

The S-shaped tonearm also makes a reappearance. The setup is sure to give 90s and 2000s bedroom DJs nostalgia flashbacks. This isn’t a tool for turntablism, though: each one will set you back $2200/£1800.

They’ll be hitting the UK first from October onwards, with the US set to follow in December. You’ll be able to order through all the usual high-end Hi-Fi retailers, and directly through the Technics website.

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Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

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A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

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