Customer Ratings & Reviews

When it was time to upgrade from my U-Turn Orbit turntable, I looked at a lot of brands and products. IN the end, I opted to go with the updated Technics SL-1500C record player in a sophisticated matte white finish that effortlessly harmonizes with diverse décor styles, transforming any space into a haven of rich, authentic vinyl sound. This iteration, the SL-1500C-W, represents the brand's dedication to innovation while preserving the legacy of its groundbreaking direct-drive turntable introduced over fifty years ago. Drawing inspiration from feedback of vinyl enthusiasts seeking a design-centric, contemporary aesthetic, the SL-1500C-W reinvigorates this timeless hi-fi icon. Adhering to Technics' tradition of sleek and stylish designs, the turntable seamlessly blends premium materials, meticulous construction, and masterful craftsmanship, standing as a visually striking centerpiece for the discerning modern music lover's ideal listening environment. Despite its minimalist design, the SL-1500C continues to impress with unparalleled functionality, user-friendliness, and an array of features tailored for vinyl aficionados. Boasting a pre-mounted cartridge and integrated phono EQ, the setup process is remarkably straightforward, while the automatic tonearm lift ensures the preservation of precious LPs in impeccable condition. Renowned among both seasoned turntable enthusiasts and newcomers to the world of vinyl, the SL-15000C-W mirrors Technics' unwavering commitment to audio excellence. Its sophisticated direct drive motor and motor control guarantee a classically smooth vinyl sound that resonates with the brand's legacy. Among the notable features, the included Ortofon Red cartridge delivers impressive performance straight out of the box, complementing the built-in phono preamplifier. However, some users have expressed plans to upgrade both components in the near future, a testament to the turntable's versatility and the enthusiast's pursuit of audio perfection.

Perfect speed being direct drive and the sound is fantastic. Great isolation and reliability. Cartridge isn’t fantastic but it sounds good with the built in phono. Upgraded the cartridge and it’s perfect. The auto lift at the end is a fantastic option.

Ordered online when I saw that it was on sale. This is a great sounding turntable and a HUGE upgrade from my previous unit. Built like a tank and I'm pretty sure this will run forever! Also love the auto lift when the record is done playing, in case I get distracted. Picture is the new unit next to my ATlp60.

The Technics SL 1500C is a very attractive high end turntable that is built like a tank. I was surprised by how heavy it was compared to my old turntable. The weight of the unit adds to the impression that this turntable is very solidly built and engineered. The package came with the turntable itself along with a turntable mat, a dust cover, an EP record adapter, a balance weight, an auxiliary weight, a headshell with cartridge (Ortofon 2M Red), phono cables, a phono earth lead, and an AC power cord. I was a little intimidated by the instructions for setting up the turntable, especially the warning about preventing dust or iron powder from adhering to the magnetic backside of the turntable. I was hoping the turntable would be just plug and play. Instead you have to carefully read the manual to properly set up the turntable. I thought the instructions were a little confusing with regards to adjusting the balance weight and the use of the auxiliary weight to balance the tonearm. After balancing the tonearm, you set the anti-skid dial to the weight of the cartridge (1.8). I didn’t make any adjustments to the tonearm height. I think that’s only needed if you use a different cartridge. In the end, I think I managed to figure things out and it wasn’t that hard. One thing to note is that with the included cartridge, you do not need to use the auxiliary weight. In fact, you can’t balance the tonearm with the auxiliary weight and the included cartridge. The auxiliary weight is only needed if you use a different cartridge that is heavier. I did have one scary moment when I took off the stylus cover and accidentally removed the stylus from the cartridge itself. I thought I had broken the cartridge but it turns out cartridges are designed to have replaceable stylus. It’s been awhile since I played around with a turntable. I used the Technics SL 1500C with my Sonos Amp and JBL 2600 bookshelf speakers. I really appreciated the ability to switch between using the included phono preamp (line out) or the phono out. With the Sonos Amp, I had to use the line out connection. I have spent the past few days listening to my old vinyl collection (Marshall Crenshaw, Squeeze, 4 out of 5 Doctors, Go-Gos, etc.) from my college days and it brought back a lot of memories. I thought the sound was crisp, clean, smooth, and very pleasing. This turntable is extremely well built, very quiet, and very stable and I liked how the tonearm would automatically lift up at the end of the record. You can disable this feature if the tonearm lifts prematurely but for all the records that I played, it worked perfectly. I liked the simplicity of operating the turntable and it seemed to track and play back my record collection very well. The Technics SL-1500C is extremely well built, very attractive, has a great and simple operating interface and convenient features and is designed to easily grow with your needs. Overall, I really like this turntable. If you are an enthusiast vinyl collector, I can easily recommend this turntable.

This is my third contemporary Hi-Fi record player in as many years, but my first experience with a Technics turntable, as well as with a coreless direct drive motor, as my other two units are belt driven. The look of the SL-1500C is sleek and modern with a glossy white on black plinth, S-shaped tonearm, crystal clear dust cover, and clean minimalist aesthetic. There are just four buttons in the front left corner: power, start/stop, and speed selections 33 or 45 RPM. It comes with a rubber mat, machined aluminum 45 adapter, and Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge. The unit requires a little assembly out of the box which consists of installing the headshell/cartridge, counterweight, and turntable. Then you’ll have to balance the tonearm, set the tracking force and anti-skate values, and adjust the tonearm height, all of which are explained clearly in the manual for easy assembly. I found that I didn’t need to add the additional weight for proper counterweight balance. All four feet on the unit are adjustable for leveling the turntable, but a bubble level is not included. At the back of the machine are the I/O and since there is a built-in preamp you can select either phono (no preamp) or line output depending on your setup. Since my audio receiver doesn’t have amplification, I’m using the line output, which works great with my Hi-Fi bookshelf speakers and sub. The SL-1500C is semi-automatic, so there is no auto-return of the stylus and the motor will not stop on its own when the record is finished playing. Instead, you must manually move the stylus over the record and drop it down with the tonearm lifter. When the needle approaches the middle of the record, it will spring back up automatically, but the motor doesn’t stop even if the tonearm is automatically lifted, and you’ll need to press the stop button manually. I do like how quickly the platter stops spinning once you press the Stop button. Note that sometimes, the lead out groove doesn’t trigger this behavior, and the record simply continues to spin. I found that some records with a long playtime may cause the tonearm to pop up before the final track is finished playing, so if you have this problem, you can disable “Auto-lift up” via a switch at the back. Overall, the sound produced from this unit is clean, crisp, and there was little noticeable wow and flutter. I had no issues with speed consistency either with 33-⅓ or 45s and, in general, the listening experience with this record player has been great. I like that the included cartridge can easily be changed, as I have an Ortofon 2M Blue on another unit that I was able to swap in; the Blue cartridge produced a slight but noticeable improvement in sound detail resulting in a richer auditory experience, especially on classical and orchestral presses. That said, the bundled Red cartridge is perfectly suitable for easy listening across genres like rock, pop, and jazz. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the warmth and depth of the sound of the included cart.

When receiving the Technics - SL-1500C, the first thing I noticed was the weight of the box itself. Unboxing revealed the player which the aluminum main body looks slick! Assembling the player itself was fairly straight forward, there isn't too many pieces that are separate. The player itself is much more of an upgrade compared to my previous player which was not a direct drive system. I feel in terms of record players I am still fairly new, this is the second player I have had to set up, so setting up the tone arm took a little play to get it just right. Once set up I have been enjoying listening to music on the player. I have the line out going to my receiver and out to my Klipsch speakers, which paired with this player sounds amazing! I may need to play with it some more, but I was working to reorganize and wanted to get set up so I can throw on some music while I got stuff done.. This is the first Technics product I have got and I feel I am set for some time, the turntable works amazingly with the direct drive system and now my thought is to looks at other ways to improve my experience. The included Ortofon 2M Cartridge works, but I would be curious to swap with another needle down the line to hear the difference. Plus seeing the accessories other have make me curious to look at other things I can buy to elevate my record playback experience. The most i've gotten was a few slipmats at this point. Overall I am happy with the 1500C, I have spent a lot of my focus on building up a collection, now it's time to focus on the player. Which will enable me to listen to my records to their fullest!

I consider myself an audiophile and have been utilizing quality stereo equipment for many years. Enter the Technics - SL-1500C Semi-automatic direct direct drive turntable with built-in phono preamp. This turntable replaces my personal turntable which back in the day was state of the art and costly. This product has a superior build and is weighty (in a good way). My testing indicated that this turntable is super steady and quite well insulated against all sorts of vibrations. You can tap on the lid and not hear feedback as to hinder the output. The supplied cartridge and stylus in my opinion is just ok, but nothing out of the ordinary. In the future I plan to upgrade this component. I have used in the past an extremely high end cartridge and stylus making me preferential to superior components. Don’t get me wrong, as the quality of the supplied cartridge and stylus is fine and there is nothing wrong with it. The feature that I love is the auto-stop. After your records ends, the turntable can be set to automatically raise the tone arm. Be reminded that the product is not fully automatic therefore the arm doesn’t move to the cradle. This arm raising occurs after about one minute after the last song is played. I really like this feature as I am not always available to get to my turntable and manually raise the arm. I did not utilize the preamp of this product as I have an amplifier which supply’s the power to my speakers. One note on setting the pressure of the tone arm. At first I utilized extra counter-weight but I found that it wasn’t needed. I also found that screwing in the extra weight was a bit of a chore as it didn’t seem to want to thread properly. Having a turntable with direct drive is the only way to go. Record rotation is accurate and smooth and your “vinyl” is always played at the proper speed. I’m really liking this product and if you are in the market of upgrading your turntable look no further. This product is definitely a winner. Highly recommended!!

My first impression of the Technics SL-1500C Semi-Automatic Direct Drive Turntable was when I first reached down to lift the delivery box from my deck, heavy. At the moment not aware it was the SL-1500C turntable, but it had weight. To be more specific 21.9 pounds of turntable. That may not seem to be a big selling point, but for me it is exactly that, a very good number when it comes to Leading Edge turntables. Which is exactly what the Technics SL-1500C is, a top of class and in many ways a game changer. Why a game changer? That is simple, it a tremendous value for the money. Have been an Audiophile for long time and have enjoyed the opportunity to listen to a wide variety of great music on exceptionally nice equipment. One of my greatest joys is to sit back, close my eyes and experience the band playing the stage in front of me. I know the feel from concerts by Genesis and The Moody Blues when sitting mere feet from the bands in small venues. To have this experience in your living room is unique, which is what the Technics Sl-1500C delivers. Setup, well it’s easy and intuitive to use. It does require time with the manual to fine tune the system. Technics have long been well known in the world of turntable enthusiast, at the forefront of design, reproduction excellence and system engineering. Their precision in technology continues brilliantly in the introduction of the SL-1500C. The SL-1500C makes use of technology from Technics top of the line SL-1000R, which is extraordinary to have the tech of a $33,000 turntable available at an excellent price point. Likes: - Platter Aluminum Diecast with anti-resonance rubber backing - State of the Art design with quality parts - sans flashy gimmicks - Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge - Well proven high-quality cartridge - Semi-automatic - Built-in Phono Pre-amp - Remarkably good - Offers range of system flexibility - Direct Drive – Platter spins up immediately - Coreless Direct Drive Motor enables High-precision Stable Rotation - Simply Beautiful System When playing some of my favorite tunes bass and highs were spot on, stunning sound. It hits all the right notes joyfully. Have been a fan of advanced turntables back to the seventies with my first German Dual turntable, the new Technics Sl-1500C is the finest Turntable that I have added to my audio system. It truly is an impressive vinyl spinner.

This is a very heavy turntable, I needed help getting it out of the box. It’s solid & well made. I felt like I haven’t heard much from Panasonic/Technics lately & glad to see they’re making more products again. I got this to plug into my 1992 Technics receiver & my 1992 Bose speakers. You must have a receiver with phono input. It was easy to set up & easy to understand, push button start stop & push button 33 & 45 records, also plays 78rpm but I don’t have any of those. Included is a rubber turntable mat & 45 adapter, weights , dust cover & cables. I like the direct drive because there are no belts, parts or maintenance required. I also like the auto lift up at the end of a record. I wish I could find a stereo like my old one though which stacked 45’s & automatically dropped them & went to the next. This sounds great but I thought it would sound amazing considering the high price. Maybe with a better cartridge it’ll sound better. We also had to take the auxiliary weight off the arm because the records were skipping, even stepping on the floor made it skip. After it was removed it was fine. There is a phone preamp but honestly I haven’t figured out what it does. Overall it is a really nice turntable & I would recommend it.

I thought I had said goodbye to vinyl with the advent of the CD, but goodbyes are hard indeed. I have a rather large LP collection accumulated over decades and needed a way to play them. I have a Bluetooth turntable, but it is not really designed for cartridge replacement, and I wanted to get better fidelity for my beloved records. This white Technics turntable is a visual stunner and, it comes with the well-reviewed Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. The classic S-shaped tonearm exudes quality, and I was able to unbox the turntable, lock on the supplied shell with the cartridge already mounted and balance the tonearm within minutes. If I ever need to upgrade the cartridge, the change can be simply accomplished. This is an old-school manual turntable. The only automatic function is that the arm will lift up at the end of the record. Up and down movement of the ‘arm to the record is precise and well-damped. I was alarmed when I first powered the ‘table on. Even at low volume, low-level noise was being detected through the speakers without the turntable being operated. I changed the RCA connecting cables. Still there. I started turning devices on and off in the listening room to try and isolate the source. The first suspected culprit was my monitor. Nope. The source turned out to be a small NUC computer next to my receiver. It had a noisy fan, and undoubtedly the fan was generating electronic noise as well. For the time being, the NUC will simply have to be turned off when I listen to LPs. It’s been off for several days now! Admittedly, I have not listened to low-level sources requiring a pre-amp for some time. I was surprised to see that this Technics has its own pre-amp. The supplied Ortofon is a moving magnet cartridge, so I was able to feed my Sony receiver directly with its output, even though the Sony has no phono input and no phono pre-amp. This combination sounded fine but did not produce the volume that I expected. I added the NAD PP-2 phono pre-amp between the turntable and the Sony, and the results were splendid. I listened to rock, jazz and classical. I even found a couple of my classic Sheffield Lab direct to disc recordings. I have never heard better recordings- analog or digital. One thing that struck me is that while the surface noise and pops were there, they were not nearly as noticeable as I thought they would be. And yes, there is something about analog LP’s, especially well-recorded ones, that goes beyond my emotions being tickled by nostalgia. Using well designed and engineered equipment, LPs sound magnificent. Better than CD? Others can argue about that. A well-recorded and mixed CD certainly sounds better than an average LP to my ears. A state-of-the-art vinyl pressing, on the other hand, can beat the pants off some CDs. Suffice it to say, I have been able to enjoy my LPs for the past several days in pure bliss. This sturdy, direct drive turntable will give me years of vinyl enjoyment. I am smiling at the sight of this beautiful ‘table and its magnificent sound. I am in an analog world for the time being and its quite nice.

This is a phenomenal turntable especially as it compares against my initial forays into the world of vinyl. If you're used to a simple "take it out of the box and it's ready to go" system, this will be a very different setup for you. It comes well packaged and intuitively placed so that you can build the equipment fairly well. The included instructions are absolutely necessary as you'll have to attach the cartridge, the back weight for the tone arm, the platter, and the rubber matting. Initial impressions are this thing is gorgeous. There's a perfectly clear cover that has good hinge strength so it doesn't snap closed aka you can set it at any angle when open. The one casual miss I'd mention is that you definitely need a set of gloves when you're unpacking these. Due to the absolute crystal clear cover, you're going to put fingerprints all over it really quickly getting it attached and setup. Luckily I had a secondary pair of white cloth gloves that really helped keep this pristine and I'd suggest grabbing a pair of even some plastic gloves when you're getting this put together. This leads to the second more notable concern which is that crystal clear cover is very prone to scratches. It's absolutely beautiful but if you're setting anything on top such as the covers to vinyl and such, the movement of the cardboard containers will potentially create minute drag marks on the cover. Considering the budgetary standing of this player, you'll probably be super careful with it but thought it was fair to point out. Now on the to the meat of the show. The player sounds incredible. It was a pretty night and day difference compared to the more standard entry-level turntables. In cases where I'd listened to existing records, there was a definite difference in nuances that were audible with the Technics. The separation of individual instruments in some classical vinyl became much more apparent and the overall listening experience was that much elevated. The built in phono (please make sure you plug your audio cables into the right section on the back of the turntable depending on your receiver) was up to the task and while I can imagine some audiophile friends wanting to upgrade the cartridge/phono stage, I felt like this fit my needs perfectly. Overall just a lovely piece of equipment and I really like the white base as it pops in the room.

I had an opportunity to get this turntable for my house. My main recordplayer has been an audio technica semi automatic player I bought 20 years ago hooked into my 5.1 jvc surround system that is of a similar age. My primary music format is compact disc with cassette as a close second. Records are not a huge place in my collection, but with the evolution of record store day and the vinyl revival, more exclusive releases have been coming on that format, so I have been using my turntable more. I got this to see if paying more for a turn table gets you more. Actual build wise, this is a very solid machine like years of old, much metal and direct drive means no belts to wear and stretch (though none of my other players have had issues, I guess it could be) the footprint is much bigger than my old player by almost an inch each direction. I had to move my portable minidisc to a lower shelf because it used to sit next to my old player. Setup was a bit of an experience for me. I'm fair with electronics, average, but the needle and weights all came unassembled. I read the instructions several times and had an idea of what to do, but the photos just didn't lend themselves to how i think well and so a little help from videos on the internet and I got the arm balanced and the anti-skating set acceptably. The part thay took me the longest was getting figured out what output to use (amp or no amp). Old players have one out, this has 2 and I still don't really understand why they have that. This also has a ground or "earth" wire…ok, i get what it's for, but never had one on any of my players before, had to look that up to see if there was something special to do with it. The answer is no, just put it to ground (like metal amp case). I guess my other units may do this internally or something I'm not aware of. Also having the connections and power burrowed under the back as well as the switches, not handy. I have to basically pick the machine up to get my unknimble fingers to get the cords and switches set right. Now, sound wise, once I figured out how to get the arms set up, I used 2 very familiar albums to me (helmet meantime and failure fantastic planet) to make sure the sound was what it is supposed to be. I love these records, and they sounded good, (especially the failure) but I couldn't really tell any major difference between my old player and the new player. I have these on cd, cassette, vinyl, and digital formats, I know how they all sound and from many machines. That being said, I used the corresponding cd's as a comparison to know if i have the plrecod player set up decently. The cd' sound crisp as I expected, the stereo modulation I'm most familair with in that format, so I and used that to make sure the stereo sound of the record was accurate and such. Certain songs bounce back and forth from left to right side especially on helmet) and the record player did well. The vocals and instraments all sounded correct, and no tinny or muffling sounds noted. Just nit different from my old player. I want to believe they hype that vinyl sounds warmer and the range is better ect…and all that, but it's like me and whiskeys. I just know what the good stuff is to me and what isn't, but to break down the detectable tastes, not so much. I know the difference of warn down records like watered down whiskeys, and these vinyls all sounded good on both record players to me. No hissing, no pop's, no cracks. I know you pay a lot for this unit, but for me to sonically I couldn't tell any difference. I'm sure I will get flack for not having it hooked to a better system like my onkyo 7.1 surround from about 2010 with my bowers & wilkins speakers (2021 build) where some will say I could have noticed a difference, but I don't think so. I can't tell the added value that comes with the cost ofthis machine. If there is that big of advantage, it should come through any system, and I don't see it. I still prefer my cd format version of it (takes up less room just a little cleaner mix, can play in my car) This also is not semi-automatic like my old system. I push a button it moves the needle over and on, at the end if finishes and runs to the middle and stops. This does have autolift when it hits the end of a side though, that is good. Also my dad had old systems you could set up 3 to 4 vinyls at once (record changer) I'm surprised this doesn't do that for this price point. So in summary, it's a good turn table, solid build, plays vinyl, sound wise I can't score it that differently than my 20 year old player that cost way less. Setup, a pain for little/no gain. And cord and rear switch placement not optimal. A big drawback is cost. I'm going to knock ½ star off for setup and design, ½ for not having something like a record changer feature at this price. Full star for the cost/lack of value. I like techniques, you know you are getting a good product. I can reccomend this to friends, they will get a solid record player, but only I'd they can part with the cost. I think you can get the same sound and less hassel for less. I'm not going to blow smoke and hype about this because it is a premium name with a premium price. It is what it is.

If you’re a burgeoning audiophile and you’re looking for your first step into the world of higher end record players with an easy setup that’s a ready to go out of the box experience, you’re going to want to take a look at the Technics SL-1500C. I was a bit skeptical of jumping into a higher price point of turntables. In my mind, there’s a few different levels of turntables. You’ve got your basic, cheap record players. The ones that maybe have built in speakers, a pretty low price point, the ones you may find at nearly any big box store. If you’re already reading this, you know that’s not the right record player for anyone – cheap plasticky parts and a muffled sound barely worthy of those dollar bin vinyl finds. Then you’ve got your next tier from there. You’re spending a couple of hundred and you’re getting a real fine machine. There’s thought, craftsmanship, and something that you know will be worthy of placing your records on. Right around here is where I’d put nice vintage players – where I came from. Then you have the upper range. Where the term audiophile really starts getting thrown about. This is practically a whole new world of options – and where the price point reaches upwards towards infinity and customization reigns king. I consider the Technics SL-1500C to be in that upper range. Where the SL-1500C sits in that theoretical upper range of everything is likely highly dependent on who you talk to. I’ve certainly seen mention that this is an entry level machine, but it’s clearly a giant cut above anything I’d ever called entry level before. I’m no audio professional, but I’m versed in vinyl, amassing a collection of both new and vintage records in all manner of condition over the years. I’ve a collection, but I’m not a collector. I find stuff I want to listen to and then do. Sometimes I have records that are massively scratched and that’s okay. Sometimes they’re pristine. The point is that I love listening to records, but I don’t know enough to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination. However, I do know what sounds great and the second I put a song on – Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – I was floored. Astounded. Bewildered. Entranced. I yelled for my wife to come out and listen while I ran to my office to grab a dozen records that I knew inside and out. Well, that I thought I knew how they sounded. I’ve never had any complaints about my vintage Denon automatic turntable and assumed it sounded great. That is, until I hooked up the Technics SL-1500C. There was a depth, clarity, a sort of cleanness to everything that was absent previously and was distinctly noticeable by all members of my household. Together we ran a gambit of new and old records: rock, pop, jazz, hip-hop, electronic. All of them felt like we were being let into a world of sound we didn’t notice before. It was like we had invited Phoebe Bridgers, Colin Meloy, Joni Mitchell, Jenny Lewis, Interpol, DJ Shadow and others into our living room. It’s time I back up here and go back to the unboxing and setup experience, rather than just my aural epiphany. The box is very large, as this is a large record player. It’s heavy, as well. Lifting the player out of the box, you understand that this is a quality engineered machine. Out of the box, you have everything you need, apart from the speaker and audio receiver. There’s the heavy magnetic driven platter, a basic rubber mat to go above, arm balance weight with an additionally auxiliary weight for if you changed to different stylus setup, metal 45 adapter, and a Ortofon 2M Red stylus already attached to the headshell. Lastly cables for power, audio, and a ground connection. Setup is as straightforward as it gets and the printed manual – something I also appreciate when receiving any tech product in 2023 – was easy to understand and work through. The process is uncomplicated but does require attention to do it properly. This included putting the platter on, attaching the headshell with stylus, putting on the balance weight, and adjusting the weight, arm level, and arm height. You’ve got to get down to eye level with the record player for several of these steps, so do a stretch or two first. Yes, there are ways to set up turntables with added equipment, scales, guides, and the sort, but none of that is required here. As I said at the start, you’re going to go from out of the box to playing a record quickly. The setup, with me being very meticulous, still took under an hour in total. From there, you connect the power and audio cables and you’re good to go! As for connections, this player has a built-in phono pre-amp, so if you’re connecting to audio equipment without one of its own, you can use the built in line-out. Or you connect the ground with the included cable and use the phono out. It’s important to know what your setup is, as there is a switch and two different places for your audio out cables depending on your phono versus line out setting. On the back is also a switch for the auto arm lifter. The arm is not automatic, but if you have this switch set to on it will, after twenty to forty or so second depending on the record, that there is no more music and will pop up the tone arm so that it doesn’t keep sitting on your record. It does not stop the record and it does not move the tonearm back – it simply lifts it off the moving record. From that point you’d still have to move the arm back to its resting position and lower the arm back down. The playback itself is simple and straightforward. Press the power button, hit the big start/stop button, and go. If you need to adjust the speed, there’s a button for 33 and one for 45rpm. If you press them together it will play at 78rpm. From that point you lift the arm onto the record and you’re good to go. There is a tonearm lift to help with this. I’ve got slightly shaky hands, so it’s very much appreciated and helpful. Visually and physically, this is a large, heavy and solid centerpiece of a turntable. All turntables tend to be practically a piece of furniture on their own and this is no exception. The white version is more of a two tone, with a beautiful white top above a black base. The included dust cover accentuates the machine and in its simple, no frills design you find a record player that looks like a designer purposely matched it to your space. I can’t imagine any scenario where this won’t look amazing. Overall, I’m shockingly impressed with the SL-1500C. It may be the nicest audio component I’ve ever owned, from both an aesthetic and functional standpoint. I appreciate that it’s out of the box nearly ready to go, but also do appreciate that this player is ready to go for life. It’s ready for any audio set up your home may have with its built-in line out and phono out and it’s ready for any stylus upgrade you’d want. Ortofon 2M Red is a very good stylus, but it’s the lower end of what Ortofon offers. Whether you want to upgrade to their 2M Blue or even swap the entire headshell for a different brand, you’re not locked in. Of course, ultimate how it works and how it sounds is paramount and the Technic SL-1500C delivers. I’m pulling out records I’ve not listened to in a long while, just to hear how it sounds. Records I’ve listened to a dozen times feel brand new. Each album I put on is the start of a new journey both familiar and new at the same time. After I put that first record on, I was grinning ear to ear and a week later that hasn’t diminished. If you want to fall in love with your records all over again or you’ve decided to jump into the turntable world and want to get it right from the start, you’re going to be very happy.

INTRO: I’m a newcomer to vinyl and turntables, but started collecting physical CDs nearly a decade ago. With vinyl back on the rise, last year was the start of my collection with the full intention of picking up a turntable. And now that I have the Technics SL-1500C turntable, I’d like to share my thoughts as an audiophile and music lover that is inexperienced with vinyl. UNBOXING: My turntable was shipped with decent packaging and actually triple-boxed. So I wouldn’t be particularly worried about your expensive gear getting damaged during transit. Everything is disassembled and well-packaged without any loose pieces. Inside is everything you’ll need to get started. You’ll need to supply your own amplifier and speakers and vinyl, but so long as you have those, you’ll be good to go. SETUP: I won’t go into nitty gritty detail here, but the included instruction manual will be your best friend in guiding the assembly process. It outlined every accessory included in the box and what they were for. I really appreciated all of the illustrated diagrams and descriptions throughout the instruction manual so I knew exactly what I was doing for the setup process. While I’m a very technically inclined person, I think that someone less technically inclined could follow the instruction manual pretty well in setting up this Technics turntable. I was able to get everything set up at a relaxed pace in less than 30 minutes, but I could have had it set up significantly faster if it wasn’t my first time setting up a turntable. SOUND: While the sound quality of your music will be dependent on the quality of the mix/master and the pressed vinyl, I did my listening through a set of speakers as well as high-end headphones—both with appropriate amplification equipment. The Technics SL-1500C’s direct drive motor has effectively instant torque, so it takes no time to get up to speed, and is very consistent in maintaining its constant RPM during playback. And when you want to switch sides or switch to a different LP, it stops playback just as quickly—making it much less of a hassle. Throughout my listening using just the included Ortofon 2M Red cartridge, I found that the highest quality vinyl had the most consistent playback without any distracting pitch variance, while more budget-focused vinyl had a very low amount of pitch variance, always keeping things enjoyable–especially for an analytical listener like myself who can hear any subtle pitch deviation. So for those who just want to hear the cartridge against the grooves of an LP, the Technics’ direct drive motor will ensure that you have no belt to replace or lubricate. It’s very low maintenance and easy to start. There are arguments that belt-drive turntables are quieter than direct-drive, but my experience with the SL-1500C has me baffled at this proposition. From my own listening experience, the Technics direct drive motor is incredibly quiet, and any potential mechanical noise is perhaps dampened by the sheer weight of the turntable—at just over 21 lbs. With the turntable on and the platter spinning, I cannot hear any noise directly from the table—even with my ear close to it in a dead quiet room. HEAD SHELL: If you’re the kind of person who is interested in using different cartridges to achieve different tonality across your vinyl library, the detachable head shell on the SL-1500C makes it incredibly easy to do so. A few turns of the locking nut is all it really takes to remove the head shell. So whether you like to buy combos or assemble the cartridge to a headshell yourself, Technics is providing flexibility that should be expected from a modern turntable. That being said, you’ll still want to perform calibration to ensure proper stylus pressure. TONEARM: The tonearm was very easy to adjust on the SL-1500C. While you can certainly leverage a stylus pressure gauge to dial in the most accurate calibration, I felt that the included instructions were sufficient for those performing a first-time setup. The tonearm clamp is sturdy but easy to release, and lifting up the tonearm via the lever is effortless. And assuming you’ve performed proper calibration, the tonearm also lowers gently when you press the lever down. AUTO-LIFT: One feature less commonly found is that the SL-1500C can auto-lift the tonearm approximately 60 seconds after a record has ended. This means less wear on your stylus and your vinyl if you have to step away. In my testing, I found that this feature worked pretty reliably, but it can also be disabled through a switch on the back of the unit. CONCLUSION: As a newcomer to vinyl and turntables, I think the Technics SL-1500C is a good option for those looking for a turntable that offers high quality features, sound and premium build. While there are certainly cheaper turntables on the market, Technics is delivering a pain-free experience with a premium build and excellent clarity.

My point of reference for context: Existing turntable is a vintage, direct drive Denon DP; I use a Pro-ject photo stage and also use a clever little gizmo called a 'SugarCube'.. it removes click & pops without coloring the remaining sound. I am a big proponent of fine-line or micro-line stylus tips.. which the Ortofon 2M Red is not. Fine-line tips are more dynamic and way more forgiving with respect to groove/wall/surface noise. With that out of the way - Initial Inspection: The Technics - SL-1500C was well packaged and easy to assemble. I would recommend that any new owner take the time to read the provided User Manual - probably twice before diving in. One small thing I noticed was that the rubber pad that spans across the arm life was lifted on the inner most radius of the lift. It took a little gentle force to move it back into proper position. I consider that to be a small quality control issue but an important one none the less. The Technics - SL-1500C is hefty and solid feeling. The plinth (base or deck) is dense and robust. The tone arm assembly is as those things go and easy to work with. The mechanical lift lever and its feel are Ok. It will take some time to become accustomed to but does it job. The bottom of the motion of the level is spring dampened by design and provides good tactile feedback when depressed, to lower the tone arm. The 'drop down' dampening is Ok but doesn't exude anything feeling precise. Setup: Set up was simple & straightforward. One thing I noticed right away was that the tone arm height control was just floating, unlocked - so it wasn't pre-set at the factory for the 2M Red's required 4 mm of offset. Another QC oversight in my mind but not hugely egregious. New owners will want to check that facet of the Technics - SL-1500C straight away before proceeding with the follow-on steps of setting things up. Once the tone arm height was properly set, the balancing procedure, tracking force and anti-skate settings were all a breeze to set. What I really like about the Technics - SL-1500C is the provision of both an Aux line-level set of RCA jacks and the 2nd set for a 'straight shot' of signal coming off the cartridge. This bit of ingenuity means that the Technics - SL-1500C offers a lot of flexibility for the customer. I also like the fact that all interconnecting cables are not 'fixed' in their attachment. Especially good is the ability to upgrade the IEC power cord and ground lead if one so chooses. My vintage "spinner" doesn't have that! Playback and Use: The biggest appeal of the Technics - SL-1500C - to me - is the dead silent signal path and quiet operation of the direct drive motor. Those two facets of this turntable are directly tied to the price of admission. There was (is) no detectable hum or noise in the signal path when using this thing without the onboard phono stage. For my particular tastes, I found the onboard preamp to be kind of flat in response but it was still quiet as can be. Bonus! After a handful of LP plays, I came away really satisfied with the audio fidelity of the Technics - SL-1500C with the 2M Red - entry level - cartridge. Most entry level price styli aren't stellar in their performance as it relates to groove/wall noise but I never found what I did hear all that distracting or annoying. The 2M Red that comes with this turntable is a solid entry level cartridge bonus that puts most other budget carts to shame - at a similar price point. My one and only gripe about the Technics - SL-1500C is the Auto Lift feature. Over the course of about 10 LPs I didn't experience a single 'rogue' tone arm lift in the middle of music being played. That's good thing. But what I don't understand is why the microprocessor control that initiates the 'lift' varies and generally takes more than 60 seconds to occur. Being microprocessor based, the timing should be spot-on precise - with no variance. To me, that's a design flaw. I did experience a couple of playbacks where the Auto Lift was never activated too. That's a problem. I did dive into the service manual to obtain explanations and left feeling like the "logic" of this feature just doesn't quite make much sense. Two positions for where Auto Lift is supposed to happen? Why even the 2nd one that is further in (away) from the record label and inner groove track? Boggles my mind.. One thing about the tone lift lever: It is spring dampened on the bottomed-out position. This is intentional and provides good tactile feedback bump when releasing the arm to drop & play the LP. Some might call the overall "action" of the lift level somewhat sloppy but I find it about average and just one of those things you have to become accustomed to with time - with any semi-automatic turntable configured in similar fashion. But back to the overall playback performance - the Auto Lift functionality notwithstanding - the Technics - SL-1500C is a solid performer - sonically. This turntable rivals any belt-driven alternative out there in the price segment. Pros: Dead quiet signal paths and motor operation What one would expect from Technics in terms of overall build quality; the base is slender and aesthetically pleasing yet dense The tone arm assembly is standard faire but still easy to work with Connectivity options are great Non-fixed power, ground and audio cable configuration is the way it should be! White deck layered onto the black underside looks fantastic "in the flesh" Finely tunable isolation feet that make dialing in the "level" a pleasing experience - in other words, they got the thread pitch and range of adjustability right! Cons: Unreliable and generally prolonged Auto Lift functionality - when it works Small QC issues but nothing outrageous Feels a little bit too expensive for what it offers and that goofy Auto Lift thing In a world of many turntable choices, this one would be a solid recommendation despite its flaws - with a touch better price. It does offer some flexibility that will widen its appeal though. Even with the few oddities I've outlined, it does sound fantastic with even just an entry level cartridge - so just know that going into your purchase. I have no doubt in my mind that with a big cartridge upgrade, this turntable will sing a completely different tune!

I have owned a few turntables, but this is my first high-end turntable. I was curious how my listening experience would be with one of the best brands in the industry. Set-up was pretty quick, but I would recommend reading the manual before attempting to play a record to prevent damaging your vinyl. For example, adjusting the tone arm height for the included cartridge requires the height control position set at 4 and lists other necessary positions depending on the height of other cartridges. I was impressed with how easy Technics made this adjustment possible with an arm lock/release switch. I was also impressed with how smooth the turntable spun since it does not have a belt drive system, and instead uses a direct-drive mechanism. At first, I thought the sound was pretty great. However, after listening to quite a few records, I noticed the sound quality sounded fantastic. I would guess the cartridge needed a break-in period, so give it a chance before making any modifications. I read that even though the Ortofon 2m red cartridge is a decent cartridge, this are better cartridge out there which I may consider later. The auto-lift feature is a nice addition, but it did not activate on all my vinyls. I wondered if it had to do with the thickness of the record. This turntable does not have a true semi-automatic lift since it does not return the tone arm to the cradle. The arm just lifts and hovers once the record is over. The auto-lift feature can be turned off, but I am not sure why that would be necessary. Pros Great sound Nice starter cartridge Smooth magnetic turntable Easy tone arm adjustments Two options for sound output Cons No auto return to cradle I believe Technics really choose the right balance between price and high-end components for this turntable. This turntable is built in a way to allow future upgrades, if you find that necessary. If you are looking for an amazing turntable out of the box, then this should be the one on the top of your list.

I have been able to sit down and listen to the SL-1500C for a few days now, and have probably close to 30 hours on the table and included cartridge. Having owned a couple of Technics direct drive tables over the last 20 years (the most recent being the SL-1200 MK7), I was excited to receive and review a table that Technics has built around home use versus DJ use. The 1500C is an absolute work of art. While the 1200 series is very industrial looking, the 1500C is classy. The build looks similar to a 1200, but the pitch controls are gone and the only controls on the top of the 1500C are a power button (not a rotary switch like on the 1200s), a Start/Stop button, and the speed controls. The buttons on the 1500C are nice and flat, and have a reassuring ‘click’ to them. The white top is absolutely gorgeous. Gone is the strobe light you might be accustomed to seeing on a Technics table, as well as the speed indicators that are molded into the platter. Instead, on the 1500C, the edge of the platter is smooth as glass and finished in the same color as the table top. Wow, it is beautiful. I’ve owned probably 30 turntables (trust me, my wife hates my hobby), and I don’t think I have owned a better looking table than the 1500C. The platter is a typical Technics platter, heavy duty metal with a rubber gasket glued to the bottom of it to help dampen ringing and vibrations. It is reassuringly heavy, and has an attached magnet for rotation of the platter. Setting it on the spindle and giving it a spin by hand, it just spins and spins. The platter bearing is smooth as glass. I placed the included rubber mat on the platter and then connected the included Technics headshell with Ortofon 2M Red cartridge (already aligned). I have a digital tracking force scale, and used it to set the tracking force at 1.8. The 1500C comes with its own phono preamp and RCA outs, or you can bypass the internal preamp and tie into a second set of RCA outs that can be run into an external preamp. I tried both solutions and will talk about that later. VTA (Vertical Tracking Angle) can be adjusted by loosening a lever by the base of the tone arm and raising or lowering the tone arm assembly. I have to admit I prefer the 1200 series tonearm adjustment method better. I liked turning the 1200 series adjuster in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction versus the 1500C’s lift up or push down. When you go to tighten the lever after lifting the 1500C’s tonearm assembly to the desired height, you have to carefully hold the assembly up or it will just sink right back down again. But it works, and if you read the manual, it will tell you what that height should be. Kudos to Technics for providing a VTA, there are a lot of audiophile decks that do not provide for easy adjustments to cartridge heights. Technics also included an auto-lift function at the end of the record. It works pretty well. You can turn it on or off at the back of the table. What it does is lift the needle if the record gets to the end and you haven’t lifted the needle yet. Pretty effective. Had some records that it lifted too soon on, others it didn’t lift at all. I’d say it worked 95% of the time and I was cool with it. Nice to save wear and tear needles, in case you’re like me and end up wandering around while records are playing. Nothing worse than forgetting that a record was playing and discovering a half hour later that you left it playing the end of the record. Anyhow, I set the Anti-skate control to 1.8 on the dial, and started listening. First impressions were way too much treble. Listening fatigue set in quickly. The Ortofon 2M Red is known for being a lively cartridge, so I kept the volume low on my system and cycled through a handful of records. It wasn’t until day three that the Ortofon cart started to quiet down a bit, but I was a tad disappointed still in the sound. Bass was fine, the midrange was just okay, and the highs were still front and center. I really like a balanced sound, and I wasn’t getting it. Favorite records seemed to be missing something, the detail I was used to hearing with tables costing a quarter of what the 1500C cost seemed missing. It came time to experiment. Perhaps the issue was the Ortofon 2M Red. I had a Ortofon 2M Blue cart and stylus, and swapped it out. It tamed the highs, added some mids, but still seemed like it was missing detail. Bummer. I had an extra headshell and fitted it with a pricey AT cart (with a micro linear stylus) that I had lying around. Biggest improvement yet in overall sound, but AT carts are really finicky with capacitance loading, and highs were almost as bad as the Ortofon 2M Red cart. Thinking about this, I swapped an inexpensive by highly rated external phono stage in place of the Technic’s internal one. This external preamp had a selector switch for 100 or 200 pF. I selected 100, and started listening again. Bingo… this did the trick. Sound quality was significantly improved with all three carts: The AT, and the Red and the Blue. In other words, if the 1500C has a weakness, it is the internal preamp. Second on the list is the included cart, the Ortofon 2M Red. It’s an average cart on an excellent table. For reference, my system is relatively humble. I have a pair of Kef R7 floorstanders, powered by a Crown XLS2500 amp and controlled by a Topping high-res preamplifier. The sound from these components is simply sublime. In conclusion, some thoughts on the SL-1500C. It is absolutely high-end in looks and operation. It will be my flagship turntable for years to come. It occupies the place of honor in my listening room. But out of the box, it does not sound as good as I am accustomed to with less expensive tables. I don’t know why Technics decided to include a subpar internal preamp and cartridge on this unit. Why include either if they aren’t that good? Technics could have knocked some money off of a very expensive table and then let people buy their own preamp and cart. That is my only complaint. Fortunately, I had a nice cartridge here, as well as a nice external preamp, so I didn’t have to spend any extra money. But I feel that the discerning listener is not going to be pleased with having to also purchase a new preamp and cart in order to get the most out of what the 1500C has to offer. That being said, buy the 1500C if you can afford it. Buy an external preamp and upgrade the cart and you will have a table that will last you the rest of your life.

The Technics - SL-1500C is an absolutely beautiful piece of machinery. I have been a vinyl enthusiast for the past 15 years collecting many vintage and new release records and I always prefer to listen to a record over digital. I had a Stanton turntable before this and it did a fine job but the SL-1500C is on a whole different level entirely. From the moment I opened the box I could tell that the utmost thought and care was put into the design and packaging of this turntable. Everything was packaged perfectly with plenty of padding. The instructions that were included were straight forward and easy to understand and I was up and running in about 30 minutes. The turntable itself is stunning, the white finish is classy and elegant with beautiful silver buttons that give it a timeless look. I really appreciate how robust the tonearm adjustments can be with the rotating weight, auxiliary weight, anti skipping features, height adjustments with locking mechanism and auto lifter function at the end of the record. I plugged the turntable into my Marshall speaker and the tones I got from the included Ortofon 2M Red Phono Cartridge were amazing. I played multiple different records from the new Allen Stone to older Beatles records to really get a feel for how it handled newer and older vinyl and it played everything beautifully. There is a rich vibrant tone to Vinyl records that just can’t be replicated in MP3’s or streaming services. I was blown away by the careless direct drive motor in the SL-1500C as it’s completely silent with adjustments for 33,45, and 78 RPM LP’s. It played every record I threw at it flawlessly with no vibrations whatsoever. The dust cover and high quality rubber mat are an especially nice touch as it rounds out the entire presentation for the SL-1500C. All of these features and more make the Technics SL1500-C a winner for anyone looking for a high quality well built and highly adjustable turntable. It makes a stunning centerpiece to your home audio setup and one that will surely be a conversation starter whenever you have guests over. I’m my opinion it’s the nicest turntable I will probably ever own and will likely have for the rest of my life. Technics should be applauded for continuing to make such a beautiful product at a time when everything is turning digital.

Technics is a company that came up with a direct drive turntable idea back in the 70s and it was an instant hit in DJ community as it allowed for a bunch of special "effects", there was a ton of different clones of the original Technics SL-1200 and I even used to own a cheap clone. Was excited to finally get a real Technics! It's built substantially better with vibration insulating feet and absolutely quiet drive. I can hear nothing when platter is operating! Turntable requires some minor assembly to do after unpacking - install platter, cartridge (it comes with Ortofon m2 red but will accommodate pretty much anything), counterweights. Setting up stylus down force (1.8 grams for included cartridge) was easy and I did NOT need an additional counterweight that Technics included with the turntable, I guess it will be useful for heavier cartridges. Set and antiskid to the same 1.8 value and check the cartridge alignment (look up cartridge alignment protractor on the internet). Truntable came with RCA cable and ground lead which could be connected to either PHONO input of your receiver/processor or a line input, just select if you want to use the built-in phono pre-amp or bypass it. I prefer the external phono pre-amps. Included RCA cable worked surprisingly good with absolutely no humming or any other noise introduction. Overall - it's an amazing turntable for a vinyl enthusiast, super quiet drive, ability to work with pretty much any cartridge (tonearm height is adjustable plus additional counterweight allows for a heavy cartridges to be used) and pure Phono output make it a great choice that will serve you for many decades just like the original SL-1200 did.

The Technics SL-1500 C Semi-automatic direct drive turntable with a built-in phono preamp provides an elegant look with a bright sound. The option to either use the onboard preamplifier or plug it into an external preamplifier makes it an easy choice for audiophiles. Pros: Preamplifier Automatic Tonearm (when it works) Smooth play Cons: Auxiliary weight (not needed) Automatic Tonearm (when it does not work) Included Cartridge After set up and a (most) exhausting process of balancing the tonearm, I listened to some vinyl. However, I will admit that the setup was a breeze. For my setup, I took advantage of the built-in phono preamp (unfortunately, my external preamp was not working). I connected the provided RCA cables directly to my Marantz amplifier, and my listening stage includes the Martin Logan Motion XT F100 speakers. The built-in phono preamp was a lifesaver, but it did not draw away from the sound that the SL-1500 C provides. The option of having both for audiophiles is workable for any environment. After balancing and setting up the tonearm, I immediately played one of my favorite go-to vinyl, Boston (self-titled). The sound was bright, enduring, and simple. I sensed that the bass was not as prevalent compared to my other record player/cartridge. However, I did sense more clarity and response from the included Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. When side one of the record finished playing, the automatic tonearm did not lift (at first, but more on that later). The SL-1500 C features an automatic tonearm "lift" when it detects the end of the groove from the record. I did inspect the rear side of the SL-1500 C to make sure I had the "automatic lift" option selected (I did). Also, raising the height of the tonearm was a little difficult too. You have to unlock and lift while holding the tonearm up, or the arm will slide back down. What I recommend doing is carefully wedging the tonearm up (carefully), and holding onto it while locking it. This was a little cumbersome, but I achieved the height adjustment I needed for balancing. I carefully lifted the tonearm off the record and placed it back on the cradle. The anti-skating adjustment was set to 1.5; I bumped it up to 2 and readjusted the tonearm height/weight again. I played side one again and noticed that the tonearm did lift after the end of the record playing. Next, I placed ACDC's Highway to Hell on the player and played the entirety of side one (to double-check that the tonearm lifted automatically). Successfully, the tonearm lifted automatically at the end of side one. I believe my minor adjustment helped. However, if you plan on picking up the SL-1500 C, you may have to play around with the anti-skating and weight further to take advantage of the automatic lift. I was enthralled by the direct drive motor of the SL-1500 C because the performance was smooth and precise. My vinyl (even older mono records) played accurately while maintaining clarity and sound. Overall, I did not experience any vibrations, skipping, or noise vibrating from the SL-1500 C. Though the directions stated that the included auxiliary weight is needed during installation, it is not required to play vinyl. Users do not necessarily need to add it to the tonearm for additional balancing. Installing the weight itself is enough to play vinyl. As I stated previously, I had to play around with the anti-skating further and readjust the weight of the tonearm to take advantage of the automatic lift function. While exhausting at first, testing out this feature (when it worked) was essential. Without having to run back to the SL-1500 C to lift the tonearm and flip the record over, I felt at ease knowing that the automatic function worked as intended (again, after playing around with it). Lastly, the SL-1500 C includes an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. Although I felt that what I was listening to was brighter, richer, and certainly cleaner I expected a little more balance out of the sound. I swapped cartridges, and I noticed a subtle change in sound. I did experience a little more bass during the swap and sound test. The Ortofon 2M Red cartridge is solid, but there are better cartridges out there that provide a more balanced (dare I say more precise bass) tone. Overall, the Technics SL-1500 C Semi-automatic direct drive turntable features a beautiful body, automatic tonearm lift functionality, and quiet/rich sound. The included phono preamplifier and the option to use your own provide options for audiophiles. Technics' strong suit with the SL-1500 C is the direct drive motor, design, and functionality of the turntable. With patience and (some) perseverance, the SL-1500 C is a remarkable turntable on the market.