Brand New Technics SL-1210GAE Turntable (black)

Brand new, sealed box Technics SL-1210GAE (black) limited edition turntable.  Only 1000 units made globally.  Cartridge NOT included.  Made in Japan.

The SL-1210GAE's 10-mm-thick aluminum top panel sports a meticulously anodized black brushed hairline finish.  In addition, the operation buttons and tonearm also reply high-quality black finish that results in a. uniform, premium appearance.

It is wholly made in Japan by skilled artisans' hands, with significant level of hand-made processes to ensure the highest quality possible.  The top panel features a special badge, inscribed with the unique serial number to signify that it is the 55th anniversary model. Turning off the strobe light allows the listener to concentrate more effectively on the music, specially on a dimmed environment.

Conventional analogue turntables have problems with degradation in sound quality caused by factors such as minute speed vibration during rotation and rotation irregularity called "cogging".  In the SL-1210GAE, the use of a cordless direct-drive motor (with no iron ore) eliminates cogging.  Also, the twin-rotor construction reduces the bearing load whilst maintaining high torque, and also reduces minute vibration during rotation.  These factors enable reproduction of the warm, high-level detailed sound available from analogue vinyl records.

The application of motor technology developed for Blu-ray devices, and switching the drive mode depending on the operational status of the motor achieves a high starting torque and high speed stability for optimum playback. The turntable features a three-layered construction with a rigidly combined brass top-plate, and aluminum die cast core platter and a solid rubber coating covering the entire rear surface to eliminate unwanted resonance, thereby achieving overall superior rigidity and vibration damping.  This delivers Smoot rotational stability and high inertial mass surpassing the SP-10MK2 (the direct-drive turntable standard used by broadcast stations worldwide), as well as having more than twice the inertial mass of the SL-1200MK5.

When the weight distribution of the turntable is uneven, excess vibration or noise occurs during rotation, which causes degradation in should quality.  To counteract this, the balance of the turntable is adjusted at the factory by using specialized high-precision balance adjustment equipment for each and every item after the turntable is assembled.  Turntables that have undergone adjustment are labelled with a sticker reading "balanced" to indicate that individual adjustments have been done.

The tone arm employs lightweight magnesium which has a high damping effect, with cold drawing improving the characteristics of the material and achieving the high-precision required.  In addition, high initial-motion sensitivity is attained by employing the traditional Technics gimbal suspension construction with the horizontal rotation axis and the vertical rotation axis intersecting at a single central point, as well as a high-precision bearings using a cut-processed housing.

The use of brass-milled and gold-plated phono terminals and ground terminals prevents degradation in sound quality while enabling the easy attaching and detaching of cables.  Also the use of metal shielding construction inside the case reduces the effects of external noise. A airline-processed, 10-mm-thick black top panel of immaculate aluminum is added to a three-layered construction of aluminium die-cast, BMC (Bulk Moulding Compound), and a heavyweight-class rubber.  This four-layered construction combines high rigidity necessary for superb vibration damping with a superior solid build and a luxurious finish and feel.

The specially developed zinc insulator features aGEL, a soft gel-like material with excellent shock absorbing properties which is also used on the highly acclaimed, flagship SL-1000R reference turntable.  The high-density zinc die-cast housing offers superb vibration damping characteristics and excellent long-term reliability.  The new insulator effectively isolates the turntable from external vibrations, ensuring completely undisturbed music reproduction whilst preserving every fine nuance and detail within the music signal.

Specifications

• 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 black top plate
• Turntable speeds 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm
• Variable pitch +/- 8% +/- 16%
• Dimensions:  17 27/32" H x 6 1/16" W x 14 21/32" D
• Weight:  39.7 lbs.
• Terminal:  phono output and signal ground