Demo of new Technics SP-10/SL-1000R

Just thought I'd pass this on...

Alma Audio in San Diego will be doing a demonstration of the new Technics SP-10/SL-1000R March 17.
Alma Music and Audio

2 demos - 11:30am and 1:30pm

System demo components will include:
D’Agostino, Audio Research, Wilson Audio, YG Acoustics and Kubala-Sosna

You do need to RSVP:
[email protected]

 

Any other SHF members going next Saturday?

 

Would love to, but they need to do one on the east coast!

 

they did! There was a demo today @ Audio Den (Long Island NY)

 

Nice. Ok, DC area next!

 

Just might try and make it... there's a few good breweries in the neighborhood as well ... Society and Council to name a couple.

 

Just a reminder that the demo is tomorrow.

Alma Audio also has vinyl available for sale as well - current titles as well as some used across most genres.

Hope to see you there!

 

I couldn't get there, we're you able to catch the demo?

 

Yes. I went with a friend to the first demo session at 11:30am.

It was well attended; I'd say about 25 or so of us in the main listening room where everything was set up. And about that again for the second session.

There was a presentation by Bill Voss, Business Development Manager/US Technics who gave a history of Technics direct drive technology and TTs, the reintroduction of the SL1200 series and the new SP-10/SL-1000.

Technics got serious with the reintroduction of the SL1200GAE/G/GR and the SP-10/SL-1000 TTs with significant improvements to the motor design, and the tonearm, special attention to detail, new materials, improving S/N ratio, etc et al.

It did go on for a bit, but we did finally get to listen to some music.

The setup was the SL-1000R and the 10" Technics tonearm with what I think I heard was the Ortofon A95 MC cartridge. Preamp/amp setup was Dan D'Aonstino equipment driving Wilson Alexia speakers.

This wasn't a comparison demo, just the Technics as the source. With that, the sound was very impressive; soundstage was spacious, deep, 3 dimensional, amazing tonality and detail (not meaning bright or treble tilted, rather a v. convincing presentation of instruments as if they were in front of me).

Way out of my price range, but glad I got a chance to see and hear it first hand. Alma Audio has received an allocation from Technics for pre-orders, and I overheard some people put their orders in on Saturday.

They did have a 1200GR set up with a Ortofon 2M Blue, so they do have those as well in stock.

I only managed to snap two quick and poor pictures, so apologies in advance for that

 

Thanks for this report. Did they discuss the quality of the SL-1000r tonearm in comparison to the 1200g arm? I know it's 10" vs 9", but is it otherwise the same? I may get the table, but I'm undecided on the sp-10r or sl-1000r. I want the Technics plinth, but if the main arm can't be removed it may be a deal breaker for me.

 

My understanding was that the technology of the new SL1200GAE/G/GR was 'trickled down' to the SL-1000R tonearm; it is not a ground up design specific to the SL-1000R.

I don't think you can remove the arm from the 1000R, but you can order it with add'l arm boards for a 2nd or 3rd arm, but you'd still have the Technics arm.

 

It appears from Alma's posts on What's best Forum that they have presold all of their allocation.

 

Admittedly I know little about the Technics arm, but is it a bit below the standards of the 1000r? It's annoying that I could want the turntable and plinth, but if I don't want the arm then I have to go to a third party plinth maker. Yes I could add another arm (for an additional $1300 just for the armboard) but having the better arm in the rear position would bother me. I wonder what would make the arm not removable. I'd bet we'll see after market alternatives, much like we see in the 1200 tables. Oh well, minor issues in the scheme of things because I'm happy they brought the table back at all.

 

Great experience, thanks for sharing

 

Thanks.

I've been lucky to be able to attend demos like this of gear I could only dream of owning - and I've slowly come to realize and appreciate what black backgrounds, dead quiet, low noise floor, etc means sonically to music playback.

This demo was one of them - amazing.

 

I was there at the 11:30 am demo. SL-1000R is actually my current dream turntable even before attending the demo.

 

I think that the view of the Technics arm’s inferiority are misplaced, or at the very least premature as nobody has done any sort of comparison at this point. Ultimately it will be pretty easy to do some unscientific comparison with two other arms mounted with the same model cartridge, if any of the publications are so inclined.

 

I do know from Bill Voss's presentation that the arm on the SL-1000R is magnesium, like the GAE/G(the GR uses aluminum), as well as some esoteric materials in the gimbal and bearing assemblies.

 

And apparently the gimbal and bearing assemblies are a bit upgraded from the GAE/G as well, right?

I’m merely suggesting that we not be so quick to dismiss this arm as inferior to others one could use. My guess is it will be proven quite good when tested.

 

I can't say for sure.

I do not recall Bill Voss specifically describing tonearm differences from the GAE/G and the 1000R aside that it is 10" long.

Maybe someone else who was at the demo remembers something specific.

 

I remember Bill Voss mentioned that there's no specific information provided by Technics engineering team regarding the differences between the SL-1000R tonearm and the Grand Class SL-1200 G tonearm except for the arm length. The tonearm on SL-1000R is 10 inches while the one on SL-1200G is 9 inches. He mentioned the obvious advantage of the longer arm for having less tracking error. According to him, the Technics engineering team would have not put that 10-inch tonearm on an expensive high-end turntable system if it's not a good tonearm to begin with. It's a magnesium tonearm with high-precision mechanism.

 

Looks like the release date for both SL-1000R & Sp-10R will be on May 25th.

On Japanese link, so you'll need to use Google translate to read it: Technicsターンテーブルの頂点「SL-1000R/SP-10R」。“測定限界”の安定回転

"Panasonic will release the turntable of direct drive to be a reference class new products of Technics (Technics) on May 25. Price, is 1.6 million yen "SL-1000R" of the turntable system, the old model SP-10MK2 or MK3 user-friendly, can be stored in the hand-held cabinet "SP-10R" is 800,000 yen. Both made to order."

 

Wow. 800,000 Yen is only about $7500.

 

Gets a front page and a Fremer review in the new Stereophile ...

Overall, I found the SL-
1000R’s sound precise, serenity inducing
(probably a result of
the speed stability and accuracy),
and refreshingly non-mechanical.
However, just because a turntable
spins precisely—even more precisely
than almost any other ‘table
out there—doesn’t mean it delivers
the ultimate sound quality.
The SL-1000R did not produce
the “blackest” backgrounds
behind the music. The bottom
end, while well controlled, was
still not completely controlled,
and not as explosive, muscular,
or grippy as some other more
costly turntable-tonearm combos—and
compared to the Kuzma 4Point, or
either of the latest arms from Swedish
Analog Technologies, as used with
my Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn
turntable, the Technics’ overall image
focus, solidity, and three-dimensionality
were, by comparison, somewhat
obscure. Still, the SL-1000R’s overall
picture was never less than musically
extremely pleasing—and consider the
huge price gap: the cheaper of the two
SAT arms costs some $4000 more than
the entire Technics package.
Shortly I’ll be listening to the SP-
10R supported by an Oswalds Mill
Audio slate plinth fitted with an SAT
arm. Only then will I find out just
how good the SP-10R is. While I can’t
separately test each of the SL-1000R’s
components, my suspicion is that the
tonearm, well made though it is, is the
weakest link in that chain.
That said, the Technics SL-1000R
produced a sophisticated musical
picture that was seamless and superbly
integrated from top to bottom, was
never less than completely satisfying,
and is fully competitive with anything
else I’ve heard for $20,000—and it’s far
better built than many.

 

The new VPI HW-40 is a high torque DD, has a better tonearm, has a periphery ring and is 5k cheaper than the Technics SP10-R.