Technics SL-1200M7L 50th Anniversary

(Image credit: Technics)

Technics has announced a new limited edition direct-drive turntable to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its legendary SL-1200 series.

The new model is based on the SL-1200MK7, released in 2019, and features a golden anodised tonearm and an engraved serial number on the top panel. Included with each turntable is a slip mat with a gold-coloured Technics logo and a 50th-anniversary sticker. Only 12,000 units of the 50th-anniversary SL-1200M7L will be released worldwide, with decks available in seven colours: black, red, blue, white, green, yellow and beige.

The original SL-1200 has been a club staple since being adopted by disco DJs after the deck’s initial release in 1972 and is one of those rare components that blurs the lines between hi-fi and musical instruments.

The design of the SL-1200M7L uses a high rigidity cabinet and damping insulator to minimise vibrations in mixed operating conditions. It also includes a starting torque/brake speed adjustment function, pitch control, reverse play, and a stylus illuminator with a high-brightness, long-life LED.

The SL-1200M7L will be available for pre-order from selected retailers on April 7th for shipment beginning in July, priced at $1099 (around £841 / AU$1459).

To help celebrate the iconic deck’s birthday, Technics will also be hosting a free live-streamed dance event in conjunction with Boiler Room(opens in new tab) on April 7th, beginning at 9 am (EDT). Over seven hours, seven international DJs will perform, each using one of the different colourways of the new SL-1200M7L. The artist line-up is set to include: DJ Koco (Japan), Mala (UK), Ellen Allien (Germany), Gilles Peterson (UK), Shanti Celeste (Chile), Marcel Dettman (Germany) and DJ CRAZE (USA).

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Mary Stone 

Mary is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi? and has over a decade of experience working as a sound engineer mixing live events, music and theatre. Her mixing credits include productions at The National Theatre and in the West End, as well as original musicals composed by Mark Knopfler, Tori Amos, Guy Chambers, Howard Goodall and Dan Gillespie Sells.