Hi-Fi World – September 2019

where I said “In its rest, the arm

slants alarmingly downward toward

the plinth surface. Its rest is too low.

With arm on LP it still tilted down.

Looking closely, part of this is genuine

down-tilt of the arm tube, and part

visual effect from a downward tilting

upper face on the head shell. This

needs sorting so the arm tube and

head shell are truly parallel to the

surface of the LP”.

Not only does the SL-1500C

have the same problem – it has the

same headshell! Made in Malaysia,

it says on the rear, it is likely built

to Technic’s specs by an OEM. The

motor, plinth and phono stage all

appear unique to Technics, but the

arm is unfortunately similar to

Lenco’s L-3808 in head shell and

its appearance of droop, due to

headshell design and low arm rest

which is not adjustable. Both arm

rest and headshell need improvement.

Because the SL-1500C has a solid

plinth with no bouncy suspension

system, and it weighs a hefty 9.9kgs,

it holds steady when cueing. The

four feet are solid – no internal

suspension system – but adjust

for height so the unit can be set

level. A small spirit level is best

used for this.

Dimensions are 453mm

(18in) wide, 169mm (7in) high

and 372mm (15in) deep so like all

turntables, if you shelf mount it the

shelf must be deep. All connections

sit within a recess so cables, including

the iEC mains connector, don’t

protrude at rear – a nice touch.

Dedicated wall shelves are available

for suspension-less turntables and

a good way to keep the arm in

the groove if you have suspended

wooden floors that bounce.

Technics provide a hinged dust

cover that lifts to 41cms high, so

clearance between shelves in a shelf

system with shelf above should be

42cms or so.

Set up was absolutely standard.

The arm is balanced by a calibrated

counterweight, accepting cartridges

of 5.6–12gms – sufficient to cover

all modern cartridges. An auxiliary

weight provided increases this to

16.4gms with the 7gm headshell, or

25gms total – but Ortofon’s SPU

weighs 30gms so not enough for this

classic one-piece. There is a bias force

dial and the damped cue platform is

adjustable in height.

At the rear lie direct phono

socket outputs and Line out, a switch

selecting the latter. The internal

phono stage feeding Line out is MM

only.

Power is from a direct mains

connection via a standard IEC

connector, feeding an internal

universal (110-240V 50/60Hz) switch-

mode power supply, consuming 8

Watts when on and 0.5W when off.

Technics fit an Ortofon 2M

Red budget moving magnet (MM)

cartridge, although at £95 when

bought individually it is a few steps

above Audio Technica’s AT-3500

common in this role. It also has

a brighter sound and lacks vinyl

warmth. The stylus is elliptical and

tracking force 1.8gms recommended,

2gms maximum.

Build quality and finish were

good, arm apart. The platter starts

and stops quickly, even though it now

has a heavy platter.

VINYL SECTION

86 HI-FI WORLD SEPTEMBER 2019 http://www.hi-fiworld.co.uk

Technics Direct Drive motor with its speed sensing servo-feed-

back system and pancake drive coils sits on a circuit board

beneath the platter. The platter (rotor) carries magnets driven by

the pancake (stator) motor coils, served by modern BLDC chips.

A big start/stop button in trad.

Technics style. At right are illu-

minated speed select buttons

• 33, 45 and 78rpm.

The arm has gimbal bearings and a

calibrated counterweight. Its height

lock lever sits just behind the circular

black side-force dial.

"The SL-1500C looks good,

feels good and has an air of

quality about it"