Technics SL-1500CS Delta Sigma Premium Class Direct Drive Turntable

Coreless DD Motor

Technics' direct-drive system delivers exceptional signal-to-noise ratio and high rotational accuracy. To minimise cogging—uneven rotation that has traditionally been a challenge to Direct Drive—we employ a coreless direct-drive motor that uses stators without iron core. A rotor yoke is also incorporated to prevent magnetic flux leakage, thereby eliminating magnetic interference with the cartridge.

The same 12-pole, 9-coil, three-phase brushless DC motor used in our higher-end models, the SL-1500C and SL-1200MK7, is adopted here.

The drive circuitry is precisely tuned to match the weight of the platter, maximising performance.

This achieves the same high rotational precision as the SL-1200MK7, with wow and flutter rated at 0.025% and startup time of just 0.7 seconds (at 33⅓ RPM).

ΔΣ-Drive (Delta Sigma Drive)

In the SL-1500CS, a ΔΣ (Delta-Sigma) conversion minimises calculation errors, further reducing even the slightest distortion remaining in the drive signal to achieve higher rotation accuracy.

Two-layer Structure with Improved Vibration Damping Performance

The platter on which a vinyl record is placed features a two-layer structure with deadening rubber on the entire back surface to eliminate unwanted resonance in the aluminium die-cast platter. The platter offers high rigidity and outstanding vibration-damping characteristics to prevent harmful vibration from being transmitted to the record, delivering clear sound.

To increase the inertial mass and minimise vibration, the shape of the aluminium die-cast section was optimised through simulation. For extra rigidity, reinforcing ribs were added to the back side. The increased area of contact with the deadening rubber contributes to the outstanding vibration-damping characteristic that is more than two times higher than that of the SL-1200MK5.

High Sensitivity Tonearm

The tonearm, which is responsible for accurately reading the signal by tracking the groove on the phono record, is a static-balance universal S-shape tonearm, another Technics tradition. The tonearm pipe is made of lightweight, high-rigidity aluminium. The bearing section of the gimbal suspension construction tonearm consists of a machined housing and high-precision bearing to provide high initial sensitivity. All in all, the tonearm accurately traces the groove on the record and reads the signal.

High-sound-quality MM cartridge provided

The supplied universal head shell is mounted with an Ortofon 2M RED cartridge.

The tonearm height can be easily adjusted within a range of 6 mm to enable the use of various other phono cartridges. Using the auxiliary weight that comes with the product, a cartridge weighing 14.3 to 25.1 g (including the supplied head shell) can be used.

Auto Lifter

When the tonearm reaches the end of the record, the auto lifter automatically raises the tonearm. This prevents unnecessary wear on your valuable vinyl records and stylus, thus letting you enjoy playing records more comfortably.

High Rigidity Cabinet and High Damping Insulator

The chassis, an essential part for reducing external vibrations, inherits the audio quality enhancement technology fostered through the development of high-end turntables. The aluminium die-cast chassis is rigidly integrated with a special material consisting of ABS mixed with glass fiber to achieve a two-layer construction. The combination of this special high-rigidity material and a metal chassis raised the rigidity and vibration-damping performance to higher levels, realising a robust cabinet for beautiful sound reproduction.

The insulator is comprised of a spring and rubber to provide optimal frequency characteristics. This not only assures high sound quality and superb howling resistance, but also effectively shuts out external vibrations under high sound level conditions.

Built-in Phono EQ

The built-in MM phono equaliser allows direct connection even to devices without a PHONO input, enabling immediate playback without external units. With all wiring kept inside the chassis, noise is minimised and the PHONO signal is routed through the shortest path to reduce loss. When using an external phono EQ, the internal circuit can be fully bypassed to maintain signal purity. LINE/PHONO output switching provides optimal compatibility with any system.

A low-noise FET is used at the input stage to handle the cartridge’s delicate signal, and the design eliminates input coupling capacitors to preserve purity. A carefully tuned combination of discrete components and an op-amp—refined through repeated listening tests—delivers high sound quality. The phono section is shielded against external noise, powered by its own ± supply, and grounded separately from the motor system to reduce interference.