Technics SL-1200GR Turntable
Last year's SL-1200G lauded the return of the heralded Technics turntable, albeit at a seriously high price. The Technics Grand Class SL-1200GR Turntable expands the lineup with a model that packs a lot of the same tech for less cash. It borrows heavily from its predecessor, using a coreless direct-drive motor with rotor magnets placed on both sides to eliminate rotation irregularities. The platter is a two-layer affair, with die-cast aluminum upgraded with deadening rubber on its entire rear surface, and the aluminum tonearm is manually assembled and adjusted by Japanese artisans. In other words, it's every bit as worthy of the SL-1200 moniker.
