About the Technics SL-1210G Grand Class
A top-notch turntable from Technics
A top-notch turntable from Technics

The Technics SL-1210G Grand Class turntable is an elegant, high-precision work of art. (Headshell is empty, no cartridge included with this turntable).
Technics direct-drive turntables have been a force in the audio industry since the early 1970s, offering classic looks and rock-steady performance. Their latest masterpiece is the Technics SL-1210G Grand Class, an exceptionally well-constructed 'table that showcases exquisite attention to detail.
At the heart of this turntable is Technics' signature coreless direct-drive motor. It delivers high torque and rotational stability, and eliminates an audible effect called "cogging" that lesser motors may exhibit. And there's an adjustable slider for variable pitch control (±8%), a favorite feature for DJs worldwide.
You can see what it looks like — it's a work of art. But to truly appreciate this 'table's excellence, we have to look at each part of its construction separately. So let's do that.
Well-built and balanced plinth
If you've ever handled a budget turntable, you may have noticed they tend to feel insubstantial, like the slightest footfall could cause the whole thing to rattle and shake. Not so with this Grand Class turntable. Its four-layer plinth squelches vibrations to fully isolate the music contained in the grooves of your favorite records.
The design starts with a trio of heavy-duty layers originally developed for the classic Technics SL-1200MK: die-cast aluminum, BMC (reinforced polymer), and heavyweight-class rubber. Plus, it adds a 10mm-thick aluminum top panel for extra rigidity and a finished look and feel. The turntable's formidable 39.7 lbs. rests on rugged, adjustable feet that further dampen vibration.
And it's not just weight for weight's sake. Technics uses specialized high-precision balance adjustment equipment at the factory to ensure ideal weight distribution throughout the chassis. A sticker reading "BALANCED" is affixed, so you know your 'table has been fully tested and fine-tuned.

The Technics SL-1210G's tonearm is supported by a clever gimbal suspension assembly.
Sensitive, accurate tonearm
Perhaps the most intricate part of any turntable is the tonearm assembly. Technics has put a lot of thought into making this one exceptional. The arm itself is constructed of cold-drawn magnesium — it's lightweight and very sensitive, so it can read a groove with extreme accuracy. There's a universal headshell, so you can choose your own preferred moving magnet or moving coil cartridge (sold separately), and swap them out to suit your listening needs.
The tonearm is exceptionally stable, thanks to high-precision bearings, and Technics' clever gimbal suspension construction, which has the horizontal rotation axis and the vertical rotation axis intersecting at a single central point.
Dense, heavy platter
The heavier a turntable's platter, the better. Solid construction eliminates resonance that can creep in and color the sound of your vinyl. The platter included with the Grand Class has three layers — aluminum in the middle, with brass on top and heavy rubber on the bottom. It's yet another example of Technics looking at their previous high-end turntables and finding a way to improve on an already stellar design.
Pair it with a Grand Class amp
As cool as this turntable is, you'll need something to hook it up to in order to hear your records, right? That's where the Technics SU-G700M2 Grand Class integrated amplifier comes in. It's a well-built amp that delivers 70 watts x 2 into 8 ohms and features a premium stereo RCA phono input — for moving magnet and and moving coil cartridges — with four-level gain adjustment.
Product highlights:
- universal headshell compatible for use with your choice of phono cartridge
- no factory-installed cartridge included
- coreless direct-drive motor offers high torque and rotational stability
- lightweight, static balance S-shaped magnesium tonearm reads grooves with extreme accuracy
- precision tonearm bearings in cut-processed housing
- stylus target light for easier cueing in low light
- four-layered die-cast aluminum, BMC (reinforced polymer), and rubber plinth with 10mm aluminum top plate
- factory-balanced for ideal weight distribution
- adjustable slider for variable pitch control (±8%)
- fully manual operation
- brass and aluminum platter
- reinforced three-layer structure with anti-resonance rubber backing
- high-precision motor controller increases rotational stability
- speeds: 33-1/3, 45 and 78 rpm
- wow and flutter: 0.025%
- brass-milled, gold-plated stereo RCA phono output with ground terminal
- adjustable vibration-damping feet
Dimensions and warranty:
- 17-7/8"W x 6-7/8"H x 14-5/8"D (with dust cover down)
- weight: 39.7 lbs.
- warranty: 3 years
- Our 60-day money-back guarantee
- MFR # SL-1210G-K
What's in the box:
Technics SL-1210G Grand Class owner's manual
- Turntable
- Tone-arm (pre-installed)
- Headshell
- Balance weight
- Auxiliary weight
- Mat
- Dust cover
- 63" AC power cord
- 58" Stereo RCA cable
- 58" Ground wire
- Overhang gauge
- 3 Screws
- 5 Washers
- Owner's Manual
- "Read Before Use" sheet
- Sticker labels
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More details on the Technics SL-1210G Grand Class

Features & specs
Features | ||
---|---|---|
Color | Black | |
Operation | Manual | |
Speeds | 33-1/3, 45, 78 | |
Drive Type | Direct | |
Pitch Control | Yes | |
Phono Preamp | No | |
USB Output | No | |
Bluetooth Built-In | No | |
45 RPM Adapter | Yes | |
Audio Cable | Detachable | |
Power Cable | Detachable AC Cable (3-pole) | |
Materials and Construction | ||
Plinth | Aluminum/BMC/Rubber | |
Platter | Brass/Aluminum/Rubber | |
Tone Arm Shape | J-shaped | |
Tone Arm Material | Magnesium | |
Tone Arm Lift | Finger, Lever | |
Cartridge Info | ||
Included Cartridge | None | |
Cartridge Type | N/A | |
Removable Headshell | Straight | |
Tracking Weight | 0-4 g | |
Frequency Response | Not given | |
Output Voltage | 0 | |
Load Impedance | 0 | |
Load Capacitance | 0 | |
Audio Specs | ||
Signal to Noise Ratio | --- | |
Wow and Flutter | 0.025 | |
Dimensions and Warranty | ||
Width (Inches) | 17.875 | |
Height (Inches) | 6.875 | |
Depth (Inches) | 14.625 | |
Weight | 39.7 lbs. | |
Turntable Parts Warranty | 3 Years | |
Turntable Labor Warranty | 3 Years | |
Cartridge Parts Warranty | N/A | |
Cartridge Labor Warranty | N/A |
Product Research
Features
Coreless Direct-Drive Motor: The SL-1210G-K turntable includes a newly developed coreless direct-drive motor by Technics for increased precision. This newly developed coreless direct-drive motor features no iron core, resulting in the elimination of cogging which plagued past inferior direct-drive motor designs. The Technics coreless direct-drive motor system offers exceptionally high performance with an audiophile-grade signal-to-noise ratio, rotational accuracy and powerful torque. The coreless direct-drive motor requires no replacement of parts and delivers long-term, reliable, impressive sound.
High-Precision Motor Control: The incorporation of of motor control technology developed for Blu-ray devices and switching the drive mode depending on the operational status of the motor, allows the Technics SL-1210G-K turntable to achieve a high-starting torque and high-speed stability.
High-Sensitive Magnesium Tonearm: The tonearm is made of lightweight magnesium with excellent sound damping characteristics. What's more, it has adopted the traditional Technics gimbal suspension construction at the bearing section. This tonearm offers high initial-motion sensitivity and accurate groove tracking performance.
Note: The Technics SL-1210G-K direct drive turntable does not come with a cartridge/stylus assembly (only the head shell); a cartridge/stylus assembly must be purchased separately (see Accessories Tab).
Speed & Pitch Controls: The Technics SL-1210G-K direct drive turntable supports playback speeds of 33-1/3, 45, and 78 RPM records (cartridge/stylus not included and sold separately - see Accessories Tab). It also offers variable pitch control of +/-8% and +/-16%. In addition, you can adjust the turntable's startup and brake speed. You can manually adjust the startup speed faster or slower, or select Auto mode (recommended). The brake speed can manually be adjusted slower or faster.
3-Layer Turntable Platter: The platter is constructed with three layers of different materials (aluminum diecast, brass and deadening rubber) for high rigidity and superb vibration damping characteristics. Every platter manufactured for the SL-1210G-K is adjusted precisely for a rotational balance
4-Layer Chassis Construction: The SL-1210-G-K ensures high rigidity by using a chassis with a 4-layer construction which adds a 10mm-thick aluminum top-panel to its aluminum die-cast body with BMC (reinforced polymer) and heavyweight-class rubber. This four-layered construction combines high rigidity with a high-quality finish and feel. The 4-layer constructed chassis sits on 4 special silicon rubber feet that further ensure high vibration damping characteristic.
Brass-Milled, Gold-Plated RCA Outputs: The Technics SL-1210G-K direct drive turntable uses brass-milled, gold-plated phono terminals for detachable cables, so a wide variety of cables can be selected. Also, the use of metal shielding construction inside the case reduces the effects of external noise. The turntable must be connected to a Phono MM input on the back of your integrated amplifier or AV receiver. If your amplifier or receiver does not have a suitable Phono MM input, a separate phono preamplifier (sold separately - see Accessories Tab) is required to connect the turntable to your amp or receiver.
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