http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk SEPTEMBER 201 9 HI-FI WORLD 85
VINYL SECTION
Quite a lot has changed in this
model. The original SL-1200 and its
modern replacements, the SL-1200G
and SL-1200GR are manual; the new
SL-1500C has automatic arm lift
at the end of a record to prevent
the irritating click-click-click of arm
in run-out groove that will drive
you mad if you don’t do something,
meaning jump over the room and
carefully push the cue lever – an
exertion too far for iPhone users! In
a nod to modern convenience and
because rivals such as Lenco and
Dual are now going auto with budget
Direct Drives from China, Technics
have brought this convenience to the
SL-1500C. There’s a small Off switch
at rear in case some records trigger
it early – unlikely.
Gone are the lights and glitz
- no stroboscope or cue light as
carried by the SL-1200G for example.
Instead you get a plug-and-play
package that will interface with
any amplifier through its Line input
because a phono stage is included, as
is an Ortofon 2M Red budget moving
magnet (MM) cartridge. There are
still three speeds, 33, 45 and 78rpm;
they are not adjustable as on the
other models but were accurately
set, measurement showed.
Technics have paid some
attention to the arm: it is now aimed
at audiophiles rather than the DJ
market. Surprising is the addition of
arm height adjustment
(6mm), complete with
height scale and lock on
the pillar. The usual
procedure is to set
the arm horizontal
and leave it, but some
audiophiles like to adjust
height to change vertical
tracking angle / stylus
rake angle, to fine tune a
cartridge. With a standard
230mm (9in) long aluminium arm- as this one is – 6mm of height
adjustment results of a small 1.5
degree total angle change (+/-0.75
degrees), where 5 degrees or so are
needed to really change things, so
more cosmetic than practical I feel - but that’s always the case with
arm height adjustment. Pushing the
small lever to Unlock, the arm must
be pulled directly up or down; the
knurled ring does not turn a screw
thread to do this.
Technics headshell has a
conventional bayonet fitting and
is removable; no end of tweaky
replacement shells are available. The
headshell (7gm) supplied is rigid
and with the usual tracking angle
adjustment slots, plus in-built finger
lift for all those who are steady
enough to manually cue down, or
use the damped lift/lower platform
with its little lever. But a combination
of downward tilting top face and
low arm rest give an unfortunate
appearance of droop when in its
rest, the stylus almost contacting
the plinth with arm set at its lowest
position (as delivered to us).
I recalled seeing this peculiar
problem on the Lenco L-3808,
reviewed in our June 2017 issue,A complex and rigid base plate supports Technics Direct Drive motor. At
left is a universal switch-mode power supply and at top right the motor
control board. Below sits a screened phono stage board.Ortofon's budget 2M Red
moving magnet (MM) cartridge
comes as part of the package.
Note the downward tilt of the
headshell top face.
All connections sit within a recess, to lessen rear space needed. There is a Direct output (no phono
stage) and Line output (phono stage), switch selectable. Mains power enters direct through an IEC
mains connector (no external power supply).