CES 2018

Incredible time to be an audiophile. These will probably be the best turntables in the world at any price.

More details and a review.
This looks really interesting.
I was looking before at a VPI direct drive. This may be an alternative.

A $10,000 and $20,000 Technics turntable. In 2018.
Who would have thought?

I guess I'll keep playing the lottery.

Having worked in studios and radio stations in my youth I was always around SP10mk2s and finally acquiring one 6 years ago I can tell you that the performance (with matching EPA100 arm or SME) is as good as master tape and reliable as anything man made and mechanical.

This new version looks like it will be absolutely state of the art and capable of playing music to an astonishingly accurate level.

As I can not afford the new model it seems that drooling and being happy with my SP10mk2 are going to have to keep me happy :)

... an SME 20/12. Which to choose?

You said it three times, you must have been really impressed!

I guess Michael's Grammarly plugin failed him in Vegas. :D

Nice to observe Technics installed Ortofon SPU's in the Tonearms.

SL-1200G with Ortofon 2M Black. Probably the closest anything has ever gotten to the master tape sound.

Hi Michael, can you share any info you might have on the arm? A lot of people getting in a funk about it just being the same as the one on the SL-1200GAE but that seems unlikely to me - surely must be a serious upgrade on that arm? (even if it does look the same). Also, do you know if it will come with plinth only? (i.e. a package without the arm) so that you can fit an SME for example? Thanks.

The arm board cannot be removed with the arm on the 1000R table, they do not supply an arm board so you can remove the arm on the table this means you have to live with the arm on the table in the prime location and relocate the arm you want to use on the back or left side of the table. This is a deal breaker for me and all the people I have talked to. I got this info from someone at the show.

Can't wait to hear this one. I'm betting they'll bring this to AXPONA in April. Any indication if it will play 78 RPM? A multi-arm table is perfect for that.

Ortofan I agree with you, we will never see a KUZMA, SME, HELIX, TECH DAS or any other high end table with a Technics arm on it. Everyone I have talked to that has seen this arm on a $20000 table is laughing.

In the photos I have seen without a record, they show a bare metal platter that doesn’t seem to have a central depression for the record label. If this is true, is there a mat Technics supplies that has this provision?

nagysaudio Toyota has billions of dollars and so called great engineers and people died from sticking accelerators. Just because you have a lot of money does not guarantee a great product. Robert E. Green who is highly respected said in the 1200G review in the Absolute Sound the arm on the 1200G was not up to the standard set by the rest of the table. I know of no one or have read of anyone wanting to put a Technics arm on any table. Lets just see how many SP-10R tables they sell compared to 1000R tables they sell if they do not sell a blank arm board for the 1000R in it's prime arm location

Does anyone know about the arm pods for the extra 2 tonearms on the 1000r? Are they somehow attached to the plinth or do they stand alone? I also see in the Technics brochure that they refer to using either and Ortofon or SME tonearm on theses pods. Are your choices limited to those brands for the extra tonearms the 1000R can accomodate? Just wondering.

The video interview conducted by Mikey seems to indicate that you can place any arm/armboard you like in the conventional position on the 1000R. The main armboard is shown removed in the video. However, you probably have to buy the Technics arm as part of the package.

Thank you Mikey...I am sure these 10K/20K turntables will reproduce all of the poor quality sound found on some of the vinyl pressings from the 1960's & 1970's.

I'm the original owner of an SP10 MKII with the original wood/rubber/obsidian plinth. I've never listened to an SP10 MKII on another plinth but I've read some harsh remarks about the original. I always found the sound just fine but with nothing to compare to. Thoughts?

BTW, the tonearm I mounted on it (and still have) is the original Infinity Black Widow.

I remember (back in 1996) buying my SL-1200MkII turntable at Brandsmart on the Palmetto in Miami for $500 new back the box after motor on my Systemdek died. It's still going strong. The first thing I did to it was remove the 1200's tonearm and install the Systemdek's Jelco arm along with a armboard. Who would want a Technic's stock tonearm? That arm sounded terrible though the Krell system at Audio Encounters who did the work, flat & congested fits the sound of the original arm. I'm ready to remove the Jelco and install a Rega. I can't understand why Technics is charging $10,000-20,000 for tables that were originally for pro use, and $3,000 for a DJ table. I know Technics improved the arm and motor... but four gees? Meanwhile every consumer turntable company has a 1200 clone for sale, some sell for around $250. For the price that Technics is charging for a SP-10, I could buy a VPI Scout, Ortofon Red, and give Acoustic Sounds the order of a lifetime. I wonder when Technics decides to reissue the plastic base p-mount monstrosities of the 80's and 90's, how much are they going to charge for them.

kramkajs, Honestly do yourself a tremendous favor and ditch the Obsidian plinth, its detrimental to the sound of the Technics direct drives, both Mk2 and Mk3. Used to own one many years ago with a Technics Sp10Mk3, then moved into a Artisan Fidelity Panzerholz plinth, no comparison. Did not realize how sterile the Obsidian was until this point. From there moved up the ladder again with the NGS incarnation. Another level entirely, and I run 15ips tape as well as some serious digital for comparison. Will try the Technics Sp10r next.