Technics SL-1500C

The SL-1500C is a turntable from the Technics brand, fitted with a coreless direct-drive motor and supplied with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge already mounted. It also incorporates a switchable phono preamplifier, allowing it to be connected directly to an amplifier without a dedicated phono input, with no additional accessory required.

The direct-drive motor, combined with high-precision control, delivers a starting torque of 1.8 kg/cm and rapid speed build-up: 0.7 seconds is enough to reach 33 rpm from a complete stop. Wow and flutter is rated at 0.025 Wrms and the signal-to-noise ratio at 78 dB, two figures that reflect stable rotation and well-controlled background noise. The platter, made of double-layer aluminium weighing 2 kg with a diameter of 332 mm, helps dampen vibrations, as do the isolating feet with absorbent silicone bodies.

The electrical design separates the power supply for the PHONO output from that of the LINE output, with shortened phono signal wiring and isolated terminals to limit connection errors. A switch allows the LINE output to be disabled when not in use. The connectors are gold-plated and the turntable features an automatic tonearm lift system.

This model is aimed at a vinyl enthusiast who wants a ready-to-use turntable, without having to choose or fit a cartridge separately, and who wants to be able to connect it either to an amplifier with a phono input or to a system without one.