Tag Archives: turntable

Technics SL-1200 Final Edition: Only 2,410 Gold Units Worldwide

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Some legends never really die. They just get better with age, more refined, and sometimes, a little bit of gold. That’s exactly what Technics is doing with their latest drop: the SL-1200GME Master Edition, a turntable that’s equal parts tribute and technological tour de force. If you’ve ever spent time in a recording studio, DJ booth, or just scrolling through vinyl Instagram, you know the SL-1200 isn’t just a turntable. It’s an icon. And now, Technics is giving it one last proper send-off before closing the chapter on the G series.

Let’s talk about what makes this Master Edition worth all the attention. At its heart is Technics’ ΔΣ-Drive motor control system, a tech upgrade pulled straight from their pricier models like the SL-1200GR2 and SL-1300G. This isn’t just marketing speak. The Delta Sigma Drive actively works to reduce motor vibrations and improve rotational accuracy, which is basically turntable language for “your records will sound cleaner, smoother, and more precise than ever.” When you’re dealing with vinyl, even the tiniest wobble or inconsistency can throw off the entire listening experience. This system keeps things dead steady.

Designer: Technics

Then there’s the power supply situation. Technics equipped these Master Editions with a Multi-Stage Silent power supply, the same one used in their reference-grade SL-1000R turntable that costs a cool $27,000. It combines low-noise switching with active noise canceling to keep electrical interference from creeping into your audio. For audiophiles who can hear the difference between a good power cable and a great one, this is the kind of detail that matters.

The build quality is exactly what you’d expect from a brand that’s been perfecting this design for decades. We’re talking about a four-layer chassis construction featuring aluminum die-cast, BMC (Bulk Moulding Compound), heavyweight rubber, and a 10mm brushed aluminum top plate. That platter? Three layers of aluminum die-cast, vibration-dampening rubber, and a 2mm brass top plate. The whole thing weighs nearly 8 pounds with the rubber mat included, and each platter is individually balanced on dedicated machines to eliminate any unevenness. This is the kind of engineering that separates a good turntable from one that’ll last you a lifetime.

Visually, the Master Edition stands out in all the right ways. Technics added gold-painted accents throughout the design: the tonearm, headshell logo, top panel logo, a numbered badge that proudly states “Master Edition,” and even the dust cover logo sheet. It’s subtle enough to feel classy but distinct enough that anyone who knows turntables will immediately recognize this isn’t your standard model. The SL-1200GME comes in silver, staying true to the original SL-1200 aesthetic, while the SL-1210GME offers a black finish for those who prefer something sleeker.

Here’s the catch: these aren’t going to be around forever. Technics is limiting production to just 2,410 units worldwide. That breaks down to 1,200 units of the silver SL-1200GME and 1,210 of the black SL-1210GME. Each one comes with a numbered badge, so you’ll know exactly which piece of history you’re getting. The price tag reflects the exclusivity too. UK pricing is set at £5,000 (around $6,638), with North American pricing to be announced closer to the launch. These will start shipping in January 2026 in Europe and February 2026 in North America through authorized Technics retailers.

For anyone who’s been following vinyl’s resurgence over the past decade, this feels like a full-circle moment. The SL-1200 helped define DJ culture, shaped the sound of hip-hop, and became a staple in homes where music wasn’t just background noise but a way of life. Now, Technics is closing out the G series with a version that honors that legacy while pushing the technical limits of what a direct-drive turntable can do. Whether you’re a collector, a serious listener, or someone who just appreciates beautifully designed tech, the Master Edition is the kind of piece that reminds you why analog still matters in a digital world.

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Colorful retro turntables bring back the free-spirited 50s to the present

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The predominant minimalism design trend has created hundreds of products with trivial, often singular color schemes with muted hues. Although there’s no rule that it has to be such, this has become the standard practice for those adhering to this aesthetic. This has caused some to label such designs as boring and lifeless, though many will undoubtedly beg to differ.

The retro fever gripping many fields, however, is throwing a splash of color and whimsy on products, whether they’re actually vintage designs or even modern-day objects. Taking inspiration from mankind’s equally colorful history, retro designs like these turntables capture the charm of the past and blend it with the comforts of the present to create an experience that is more memorable and more satisfying than simply listening to music off Bluetooth speakers.

Designer: Gadhouse

Although the television might have only shown black and white, the 50s was characterized by an overabundance of bright, saturated colors, sometimes to a disconcerting degree. The decade also saw the rise of the “Long Play” record format, popularizing the record players and turntables that are being revived today. It seems only fitting that a true-blooded vintage record player pays homage to its roots, at least on the surface.

The Brad Retro Mk II definitely looks the part with its boxy designs, analog controls, and, more importantly, its colorful personality. With a belt-driven mechanism, three-speed play, and support for 7-12″ vinyl, this retro-style record player brings out the analog goodness of the medium, letting you hear it just the way the music was supposed to be heard. Built-in 10W speakers even recreate that experience of not having to plug in speakers just to listen to music.

Of course, the Brad Retro Mk II is also a child of modern technology, and it doesn’t disappoint either. If you do want to play your music louder, you can stream to a nearby Bluetooth speaker or go old-school with a 3.5mm jack. What’s new in this second-gen model is a USB-C port of power, allowing you to play anywhere you want.

The Brad Retro Mk II comes in five color combinations to appeal to as many tastes as possible. The turntables exude a playful charm typical of that period, while still meeting the needs of discerning audiophiles. With vibrant hues, tactile controls, a unique tonality, and modern connectivity, this record player isn’t just a blast from the past but is also a product of humanity’s cumulative history.

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Turntable-inspired graphics card concept adds a retro-futuristic flavor to desktops

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In the not-so-distant past, desktop computers were almost literal black boxes, closed and obscured from view. Although they’re still enclosed today to block the easy entry of dust and harmful particles, many desktop towers have adopted transparent designs that show everything inside.

This aesthetic is mostly to appeal to gamers who dress up their rigs with RGB lights and fancy-looking cooling systems, but the majority of the hardware you can see inside is hardly aesthetic (unless you go for that look). Graphics cards are slowly getting a facelift, but they still have a more technical and geeky look. This concept tries to challenge that status quo with a GPU design that could interest even non-gaming computer users.

Designer: Seunghun Lee

Of all the components inside a desktop computer, at least the ones built for gaming or heavy-duty creative work, the graphics card is the bulkiest, boxiest, and most visible one. Of course, that design is intentional because of the electronics it has to pack inside as well as the large fans that keep things from overheating. Such graphics cards today come with some RGB lighting or accents to make them look a little livelier, but the overall aesthetic remains the same.

G-Turn360 is a concept design that tries to add some visual appeal by taking inspiration from a completely different product. It chose the turntable, now a staple of the retro movement, as the foundation of the GPU redesign, combining mechanical elements into a more pleasing composition using basic geometric shapes. The cooling fan, after all, is already a large circle, so why not use that form to represent a record player on a box?

The concept also goes beyond that simple association with the record player. It completely throws out the conventional LED lighting which, in addition to being over the top, also prevents visual consistency. In fact, the G-Turn360 embraces a lighter color scheme, which better fits desktop designs that are moving away from dark and black boxes commonly associated with gaming gear.

The result is a graphics card design that somehow looks both retro and futuristic at the same time, adopting a clean aesthetic that can appeal to a more diverse audience. That said, the G-Turn360 concept could be sacrificing performance and safety with its unconventional design, so it’s definitely not something that can simply be used without some modification and careful engineering.

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A turntable for picky audiophiles who crave high-end vinyl playback experience

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Pro-Ject is the first name that pops up when we speak of high-quality turntables. The Austria-based company launched the entry-level T1 EVO range for audiophiles on a budget last month. Now they’ve revealed the flagship Signature 12.2 turntable for music lovers who want the ultimate sonic experience from their favorite vinyl.

This turntable represents the highest-level technology at the most accessible price, even though $15,000 is way beyond any normal audiophile’s budget. The audio accessory is a successor to the acclaimed Signature 12 turntable that made it to the top rankings of the most reliable audio equipment reviewers.

Designer: Pro-Ject

Known for their tenacity to bring high-quality record players to the audiophiles who can spend an exorbitant amount to follow their hobby, Pro-Ject has gone all out on this one. The turntable weighs around 80lb with the high-mass record platter weighing more than 25 lb and anti-resonant MDF made from stainless steel weighting 50 pounds. The platter is dampened underneath, spinning on an inverted ceramic ball bearing having a magnetic support. The use of more than 100 precision CNC-machined components provides stability and dampens any external interferences resulting in sonic sound reproduction that’s very close to how the artist intended.

According to Pro-Ject, listeners are in for a treat as the Signature 12.2 delivers “a deep, full and immersive sound quality that’ll deliver new sonic experiences — even from songs users have heard a thousand times.” The flywheel belt-drive turntable is loaded with a 12-inch S-shaped aluminum tonearm having a 3-point pivot bearing and a removable headshell for easy swapping of phono cartridges. If you are into choosing your preferred cartridge, the Signature 12.2 doesn’t come with one of its own. That said, the player is compatible with 33⅓rpm and 45rpm playback speeds. If you want to be precise between this range, there’s the electronic speed change option too.

The records are hooked onto the platter with a Signature Record Puk that comes included in the package. To enhance the premium appeal sturdiness of the unit, Pro-Ject hand-painted the record player’s MDF plinth in 10 coats, and it’s loaded with steel pellets to further reduce vibrations. With all the advanced tech fitted inside this beautiful vinyl player, you would expect it to do complete justice to your collection of records.

Rather than having a display for all the controls, Pro-Ject has opted to go with a hand-polished aluminum panel to avoid any unwanted electromagnetic radiation. The elegant analog look complements the whole look and feel. The high-end playback record player in piano-black finish will begin shipping in November 2024 for a retail price tag of $14,999.

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Vinyl player concept shows off transparent design

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You would think that in this age when we mostly listen to music through streaming services, old school ways of listening to music would be all but extinct. While we probably won’t see cassette tapes make a comeback soon, we still see CDs and vinyls have a pretty niche but passionate market. So we’re seeing several music players that are able to still play these “relics”, mostly for the vinyls (sadly, I have yet to see excellently designed CD players with great sound quality).

Designer: Vadzim Sadouski

There is no lack of great-looking and great-sounding turntables out there if you’re in the market for one. And there is also no dearth of interesting concepts for vinyl players, ranging from retro to cutesy to premium to sci-fi/out there levels. This concept for a “record player transparent design” is one of those that catches the eye and would be interesting to see as an actual vinyl player (and hopefully it gets a specific name too). From the moniker itself, you probably have an idea of what it would look like even if you don’t see the renders.

There’s a certain fascination with transparent things now and seeing how the inside looks like as it does its thing. This one is inspired by the play of light inside ribbed glass as the light refracts and plays around. The designer says the starting point for the design are things like glass, lighthouse lenses, tableware, and even lamps. What you get is a vinyl player with its base showing off the light inside from the glass grills.

Now as to how the vinyl records would sound like from having a transparent design like this is a problem for another day. But the concept itself seems pretty interesting and is definitely eye-catching. But real music lovers would tell you that no matter how well designed something is, the important thing is the sound quality of course.

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Vinyl player has built-in speaker and high-fidelity belt drive

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In this age of digital music, you still see some true-blue music lovers that collect vinyl records. To be able to fully appreciate the quality of this high-fidelity kind of music though, you also need to have a pretty good vinyl player. The quality though of what’s available in the market can be hit or miss, especially for those that have limited budget. So when we see something that’s relatively affordable but you know can bring you great music, we can’t wait to add to cart.

Designer: 1 By One

1 By One is one such brand that can give you quality vinyl players while not killing your wallet. Their High Fidelity Belt Drive Turntable has a lot of features that will make music lovers pretty happy. This includes built-in speakers so you don’t need to spend for external speakers if you don’t have them already. But it can also be connected to your system if you prefer something more powerful than what is already included in this turntable package. It is also a vibration-damping belt-drive turntable system so you’ll get stable sound.

It can spin both 33 and 45 RPM speeds and has magnet-type cartridge and adjustable counterweight which are necessary to give you “rich and warm audio” and also balances each channel. The Audio-Technica stylus cartridge included here is diamond-tipped and is able to track the vinyl record’s grooves so you get high-definition audio. The turntable uses wood and metal materials while the transparent cover gives it a more aesthetic look.

If you also want to play music from other sources rather than a vinyl record, you can do Bluetooth streaming from your phone, tablet, computer, or any mp3 player. There’s also an Aux-in port so you can connect music sources and other speakers manually. As I am on the lookout for a vinyl player I can afford, this can be an option (well, if it’s available where I live, that is).

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Vinyl turntable concept uses industrial materials and design

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As much as I love my music streaming services, I’m also a fan of playing analog music. Well, at least in theory. I have several CDs at home already but I don’t have a CD player (still researching about what’s the best one that my wallet can afford). I also want to have a vinyl player soon although that will take more of an investment both for the player itself and the vinyls I’ll buy afterwards. So I am always interested when I see concepts or designs for turntables as it can be references for what I’ll buy in the (hopefully) near future.

Designer: Antoine Brieux / NAK Studio

This concept for a high end industrial design linear vinyl turntable will probably not fit into my budget if it ever gets made but it’s still pretty interesting to look at. It will be made up of full machined aluminum and magnesium parts but also uses glass and recycled Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) so you get an industrial but minimalist look. The platter assembly has conical bearings shaft and actually looks like those old 35mm film projectors but placed horizontally.

In keeping with its industrial theme, you get an industrial drive belt driving system but with an air cushion linear arm to make it more interesting. The tonearm is Bluetooth embedded so you can connect it to Bluetooth speakers directly but you can also use the regular plug system if you prefer that. It also has a brushless motor and constant drive controller while it uses capacitive sensors to manage the start and end position of the arms which can use either an automatic or manual lift system.

The product render, including a video sample of what it might look like, makes it really look like a high end kind of vinyl player. But it also looks a bit heavy based on the materials that will be used so if you’re looking for something that can be portable or at least easy to move within your space, this might not be it. As for the quality when you actually play your vinyls on it, that remains to be seen.

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nubia Music phone has two headphone jacks and a large speaker on its back

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Once upon a time, music was played to be enjoyed by an audience. While that still happens today, most of the time we have become enclosed in our own little audio bubble thanks to smartphones. Earphones and earbuds keep the music to our ears, and smartphone speakers can’t get too loud without losing the music’s quality and clarity. Even worse, the venerable headphone jack that audiophiles use and love has been banished from mobile devices. In an effort to bring back that social listening experience, nubia is launching what could be its most distinctive smartphone yet, one that is a clear ode to a golden age of music that brings together features and design elements that will let you share your favorite tunes with ease.

Designer: Nubia

There may be no room for a thick 3.5mm port inside extremely thin phones, but what if thinness was never a problem in the first place? Aiming for a different priority, the nubia Music doesn’t just bring back the headphone jack but actually adds an extra one. Yes, there are two headphone jacks on this phone, and it’s a clear indication that this device is meant for listening to music. In fact, it’s designed to let you share that music with another person, a friend or a partner perhaps, provided they also have wired earphones.

There might be times you’ll want or even need to play music that everyone can hear. That’s where the nubia Music’s ultra-loud speaker comes in, promising 600% more volume without the distortion. That’s already a huge improvement over your typical smartphone loudspeaker, but what’s even more interesting about it is the way it’s added to the phone’s design.

As if dual headphone jacks weren’t odd enough, the nubia Music even has that ultra-loud speaker on its back. But rather than just simply slapping it on like what some other rugged phone manufacturer did, nubia opted to add a charming design to this unusual feature. The circular speaker and the two cameras are set opposite each other on a raised rectangle, recreating the appearance of a turntable that music lovers will be able to immediately identify. It’s a very nice touch that should tickle the hearts of audiophiles of all ages.

The entire phone is designed with that vibrant, lively, and youthful character, presenting a device that loves to party as much as you do. With mid-range specs and a price tag that starts at only $149, it is clearly targeting a younger crowd, though any music lover will surely find the nubia Music something worth looking at and, of course, listening to.

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Korg pays tribute to classic vinyl turntable with Handytraxx Play

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I’ve never DJ-ed in my life, although I’ve touched a turntable or two in passing. But even though I don’t listen to much of their music, I’ve always found those who use that “instrument” to be fascinating since I have no idea how it really works. One of the more popular tools for DJs who wanted to be portable was the Vestax Handy Trax. Now a brand that has been producing gear for the modern DJ is paying tribute to that particular vinyl player.

Designer: Korg

Korg worked with the former president of Vestax, Toshide Nakama (who passed away before completion of the project) to come up with the Handrytraxx Play, a tribute to the original Vesta Handy Trax. It is able to bring what made the original a favorite among DJs together with Korg’s more modern features in a lightweight product that the musician can easily bring along wherever they need it.

Original Vestax Handytrax

The turntable comes with built-in 3-W speakers and you can choose to spin at either 33.3, 45, or 78 rpm. It is powered by AAA-sized batteries or if you can connect to an outlet, a USB-C cord. It also has a built-in looper that has variable playback speed, a crossfader with reverse mode, delay and scratch effects and several “unique and creative filters”. You can of course monitor playback through headphones and it also has a detachable control panel.

It looks like pretty much a normal vinyl turntable except that it is pretty portable and lightweight. A non-playable prototype of this gadget is expected to make an appearance at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show where Korg will be unveiling several other products.

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