Earlier today, Technics—the longstanding hi-fi division of Panasonic—unveiled a hotly anticipated new standalone DJ turntable, the SL-1200MK7 Direct Drive. This is the first standalone DJ turntable that Technics has released in nine years and joins a series that kicked off 1972 with Technics' best-selling SL-1200.
The SL-1200 series of direct drive turntables use a slow-rotating motor to drive the platter, and while they promise powerful torque and rotation accuracy over a long period of time, some users have occasionally complained about a rotation irregularity called "cogging." To address that issue, the motor in the SL-1200MK7 employs a coreless stator (removing the iron core, which caused the cogging) and upgrades and improves the rotor magnets.
The SL-1200MK7 also features a static balance universal S-shape tonearm made of lightweight, high-rigidity aluminum and features a high-precision bearing for consistent tracking performance, with minimal risk of stylus jumping—even when scratching. The rigid, double-layer platter construction helps eliminate unwanted resonances and vibrations.
Also helping to curb unwanted noise is the SL-1200MK7's aluminum die-cast chassis, which is integrated with a special high-rigidity material, and features an insulator made of rubber and a spring for protecting against external vibrations. The sleek chassis features Technics' new all-black design, with matching black buttons, a black stylus, and an LED that can be set to red or blue.
The SL-1200MK7's rotation speed can be set to 33, 45, or 78 rpm, with a pitch control function that allows users to adjust the rotation speed within 8 to 16 percent for stable pitch control. It also features a reverse direction function, which rotates the platter in the opposite direction when the speed selector and Start/Stop buttons are pressed simultaneously.
An exciting new standalone DJ offering from a trusted industry titan, the Technics SL-1200MK7 doesn't yet have a release date or price attached to it, but we can expect to hear more in the coming weeks.