Technics' latest turntable goes gold to celebrate fifty years of the SL-1200G

(Image credit: Technics)

published 29 October 2025

Technics is giving one of its most storied turntables a fitting encore. The hi-fi icon has unveiled the Grand Class SL-1200GME and SL-1210GME Master Edition decks: a final, limited-run evolution of its half-century-old SL-1200G series.

First launched in 1972 and immortalised by hip-hop pioneers, the SL-1200 has long been both a DJ workhorse and an audiophile benchmark. Now, after five decades and countless spins, the G line is bowing out spectacularly.

Technics has re-engineered nearly every key component for this send-off. At the heart is the brand’s Delta Sigma Drive motor control system, a digital precision technology borrowed from its high-end amplifiers, which delivers near-perfect rotational accuracy by suppressing micro-vibrations. The iron-coreless motor has been reinforced with a sturdier stator, while a hybrid encoder constantly monitors platter speed to ensure consistency across every record.

Technics SL-1200G Series turntable zoomed

Structurally, the Master Edition retains Technics’ signature four-layer chassis, aluminium, BMC, heavyweight rubber, and a brushed 10mm aluminium top plate, built for near-bulletproof rigidity.

A magnesium tonearm with high-precision bearings provides exquisite tracking, while αGEL insulators effectively suppress surface vibrations. Power is derived from a multi-stage, silent supply based on Technics’ £27,000 SL-1000R flagship, promising an exceptionally low noise floor.

For its final flourish, Technics has gilded the details: gold-painted tonearm, embossed logos, and individually numbered badges. Each Master Edition is both playback perfection and a collector’s art piece.

Only 1,200 silver SL-1200GME and 1,210 black SL-1210GME units will be produced, priced at £5,000. Europe gets them in January 2026, with North America following a month later.

After fifty years of revolution, the world’s most famous turntable takes one last spin, and it will be a collector’s dream.

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Morgan got his start in writing by talking about his passion for gaming. He worked for sites like VideoGamer and GGRecon, knocking out guides, writing news, and conducting interviews before a brief stint as RealSport101's Managing Editor. He then went on to freelance for Radio Times before joining Shortlist as a staff writer. Morgan is still passionate about gaming and keeping up with the latest trends, but he also loves exploring his other interests, including grimy bars, soppy films, and wavey garms. All of which will undoubtedly come up at some point over a pint.

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