Technics SL-7 Turntable

The SL-7 is a great turntable for a small(er) price.
 
BUILD QUALITY
The body is cast aluminium so it's quite a heavy turntable at 7.8 KG, but this also makes it very stable, durable and silent.
The direct drive motor also helps in making this one of the quietest turntables I've heard so far.
 
the tonearm moves straight over the record which is better for the sound reproduction.
 
FUNCTIONALITY
the turntable can automatically select 30CM(12"), 25CM(10") or 17,5CM(7") records, and you can let it automatically select the speeds 33³RPM and 45RPM.
this works relatively well, however clear vinyl shows problematic(it reads this as an empty platter), as do maxi singles(it plays these at 33³RPM).
 
the buttons on the turntable in order from left to right
 
open; this is to open the cover. this locks in place when closed.when you open the cover while playing, it will return the arm towards it's default position.
power; self explanatory.
repeat; with this the record will repeat.
 
up/down; this will put the needle on the record
start/forward/fast forward; this will move the arm to the correct start position and drop it on the record/this will lift the needle off the record, and moves it towards the center. if you press deeper it moves faster.
stop/rewind/fast rewind; this will lift the arm and return it towards the default position/this will lift the needle off the record, and moves it towards the default position. if you press deeper it moves faster.
 
SOUND QUALITY
The combination of a linear system, direct drive motor, and a rigid, 7.8 KG body, makes this a very silent turntable, no vibrations are hear-able.
As my headphone for listening and the pre-amp used aren't the best(far from it) i can't give a good judgment of the hearable sound,only my opinion.
 
It sounds perfect to me.
clarity is clear, but not too sharp sounding
balanced highs
deep bass
overall fairly neutral
 
stylus used: eps202 REPLACEMENT(tonar non original) elliptical
record played: Tubular Bells half speed mastering
pre-amp used: vivanco PA111
amp used: PA2V2
headphones used: Koss Portapro(modded for clearer highs and mids)
 
This is my first review, and even though at this time i don't have top quality audio equipment, i hope this will help you decide if this is a future turntable for you.
 
one last thing: i had the luck of finding this turntable for cheap, on eBay the prices usually get between $160 to $200, excluding shipping. a replacement element does not come cheap, as P-mounted elements are relatively rare.

The finest turntable I've ever owned - it's still my #1 turntable source.  I had a Benjamin-Miracord 50H Mk II with an Empire cartridge before this, but the sound quality from the Technics with the Shure V15 LT is better, hands down.  Detail is superb and as noted in the description, is better than every DAC I own (except the pupDAC).
 
The lid snaps shut with a clamp on the record - sort of a giant compact disc player, if you can imagine.  My only complaint - at least back in 1981 - was that the ground and RCA leads are soldered directly inside the turntable.  Now that I'm a somewhat experienced DIY-er, that's no longer an issue.  Regardless, I've never had one issue with the turntable in any respect - either operation, sound quality, or RCA/Ground leads.
 
I had to get the angled bases that Technics offered when I originally purchased the turntable and still use them.  It's pretty cool to have an audiophile quality turntable (MHO) that can sit up like this - or vertically, for that matter.  The original came with a very cool looking white Ortofon MM cartridge, but I replaced it long ago with the best that was available in the "P" mount cartridge that these turntables created: the Shure V15 LT.
 
The tone-arm lever, play, stop, forward and backward advance are all buttons that we've come to know and love on tape decks and CD players.  The tone arm is fully damped and muted and slots in the turntable platter automatically sense the size of the record.  A slide switch changes from 33 to 45, with a pop up spindle in the center of the platter for 45's.  It comes equipped with a Repeat button.  The start and stop switches double as tone arm advancing buttons (fast forward/reverse).  Simply press and hold, rather than just pressing, and the tone arm starts advancing across the record.  When it gets to the position you want, simply use the cueing button to set the needle on the record.  The entire operation is completely sealed within the integral, snap-shut dust cover of the turntable.
 
It's lasted me a couple of decades and I expect it will go a few more.