If there is one piece of gear that can be attributed to the historic rise of DJing, it’s the Technics 1200. More than 30 years since its inception, the classic SL-1200MK2 model is still one of the most revered turntables around.

While Panasonic ceased manufacturing the turntable in 2010, the Japanese electronics company announced in late 2014 that they would be officially relaunching the Technics brand.

At this year’s edition of CES, Panasonic finally showcased the brand new Grand Class Technics SL-1200G and limited edition Grand Class SL-1200GAE.

While the build remains similar, with its sturdy aluminum plate, the main improvements have been made internally. The most notable upgrade is the core-less direct drive motor, which promises less speed fluctuations. The turntable will have three speeds, 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm, and a variable pitch range of ±8% and ±16%.

The 50th anniversary limited edition Grand Class SL-1200GAE will ship this summer, with a limited run of just 1200 units. As Gizmodo points out, the main advantages include “a serial number plate on the base, a magnesium, not aluminum, housing, and early availability.” The regular Grand Class Technics SL-1200G is expected to ship several months later in late 2016 at a reduced price.

Read the full list of specifications here:

All New Design for Redefining the Direct Drive Turntable:
Twin-Rotor Surface-Facing Direct Drive Motor
Direct Drive Motor Controller
High Sensitive Tonearm
Brass-Top Turntable Platter
Insulator

Technics Definitive Design:
Inherited SL-1200 Series
Heavy Aluminium Top Plate

Turntable Speeds:
33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm

Variable Range Pitch:
±8%, ±16%

Dimensions & Weight:
W: 453 mm (17-27/32 inch) H: 170 mm (6-11/16 inch) D: 372 mm (14-21/32 inch)
Approx. 18 kg (39.7 lbs ) *Tentative *Height including dust cover

Terminal:
Phono Output x 1 / SIGNAL GND x 1

Via: Gizmodo

Tags: DJ, tech, technics, turntable

Categories: Music