Technics SL-1500C Semi-automatic direct-drive turntable

A new turntable with an excellent pedigree

Technics introduced the first direct-drive turntable to the market in 1970, and though they took a break for a while, they've returned with an excellent lineup. The SL-1500C is an audiophile-quality turntable that comes in at a very reasonable price, and doesn't skimp on technological goodies for the serious vinyl lover. At the heart of this turntable is Technics' signature coreless direct-drive motor. It delivers high torque and rotational stability, and eliminates an audible effect called "cogging" that lesser motors may exhibit.

Flexible connections

The SL-1500C has a built-in phono preamp, so you can hook up to a receiver or pair of powered speakers without going through an outboard preamp first. There's a dedicated RCA stereo line output for the preamp, which can be switched off when not in use to eliminate a potential source of performance-robbing noise.

An adaptable tonearm

When I was a kid, I had a cheap turntable, and one of my favorite records was slightly warped. Someone told me to put a penny on top of the cartridge, so the extra weight would keep the needle from skipping out of the hilly groove. Imagine my amazement when a Technics trainer intentionally played us a record with a very visible warped section. The turntable's static-balanced tonearm played the record perfectly, moving easily with the flaw in the vinyl — no loose change required.

A high-quality Ortofon 2M Red cartridge is pre-installed on a removable headshell, so you can easily upgrade or swap to a custom needle at any time. To help save unwanted wear and tear on the stylus, the SL-1500C is equipped with a defeatable auto-lift mechanism that will raise the needle when it reaches the lead-out groove at the end of a record side.

Rugged build quality

The SL-1500C's two-layer, die-cast aluminum chassis is integrated with a mixture of ABS and glass fiber to resist external vibrations. The dense platter — also made of die-cast aluminum — is backed by a sound-damping layer of rubber that helps ensure you hear nothing but the music contained on your records.