Since Panasonic relaunched Technics as a luxury brand in 2014, its retro-modern turntables have been on the pricey side – sometimes ludicrously so. Now the hi-fi sub-brand has launched a budget vinyl spinner with Bluetooth baked in.
In the world of vinyl enthusiasts, Technics is probably best associated with the SL-1200 turntable that debuted way back in 1972 and quickly formed an essential part of many DJ rigs. And it's been updated versions of this design that the company has focused on producing ever since its relaunch at IFA 2014.
Though certainly iconic, I wouldn't want such a thing in my living room. I prefer something with a more contemporary look that doesn't leave me repaying loans for some time to come. The flexibility to cable up or stream albums to wireless ear candy would just be the cherry on top. It seems that Technics has been monitoring my gear dreams, and has responded with the catchily named SL-40CBT direct drive turntable.
"Technics set the pace for the turntable industry since its earliest development of the direct drive motor in 1970 which has become legendary in both Pro DJ and Audiophile circles for 55 years," said the company's Bill Voss. "These new models are our lowest priced to date since our resurgence in 2016 and bring a more conventional yet stylish aesthetic keeping Technics proven coreless direct drive motor technology at the heart of the drive system."
The stripped-back turntable is built around the brand's digitally controlled direct-drive coreless motor, which spins a die-cast aluminum platter and delivers "stable, accurate rotation" at 33 or 45 rpm. The signature S-shaped aluminum tonearm looks familiar but has been refined for improved tracking.
This model sports an Audio Technica AT-VM95C moving-magnet cartridge that's reported to bring "excellent detail retrieval" to the listening party. Technics has also cooked in a phono-MM equalizer to cater for cabling up to a hi-fi system without needing to plug into a dedicated phono input.
But if you're in a shared household and want to listen to your collection without disturbing others, the turntable comes with Bluetooth connectivity with aptX Adaptive decoding. This also means that users could opt to stream direct to wireless speakers, bypassing the conventional hi-fi amp altogether. Naturally the company recommends matching the turntable with its SC-CX700 Wireless Hi-Fi Speaker System, which can be had in similar finishes.
If top-notch sound is your priority, the SL-50C variant could fit the bill. This one ditches the wireless chops and gains a much-improved phono cartridge – a factory fitted Ortofon 2M Red, to be precise. You also get an extra spin speed to dust off your old 78s.
Whichever model floats your boat, the price tag is the same – US$899.99. The CBT model is overviewed in the video below.
