Technics SL-7
The SL-7 was a linear tracking quartz direct-drive turntable manufactured by the Technics Corporation of Japan. It came with one of the most advanced moving magnet cartridges of the time (EPC-P22S) which had a frequency response of 10 Hz to 35 kHz. The cartridge sported a pure boron pipe cantilever, whilst the stylus tip was a 0.3-mil × 0.7-mil elliptical diamond. The replacement stylus/needle is EPS-22ES and EPS-22ED, and commonly available at places such as eBay and most online stores.
This turntable had the MN-1400 integrated circuit (IC) which was a 4-bit microcomputer that provided automation. It allowed one to skip a track forward, or return to a track, whilst the microcomputer took care of the tonearm movements. It uses phototransistor technology to determine the size of the record and therefore the speed. In addition, this technology detects the beginning/ending of a track, as that part of the surface is usually shinier and therefore reflects more light. A revolutionary feature of this turntable was the dynamic balancing technology, where the gimbal suspended tonearm maintained stability in any position. This was one of its most powerful selling points as you could hang the SL-7 vertically on a wall or even on its side. It also had a stand (SH-B10) so you could display it in an elevated position, which was very impressive at the time.
Features
- Direct drive motor
- Quartz-phase-locked control
- Dynamically balanced tone arm
- Optoelectronic sensor
- Microcomputer control
- Fully automatic operation
- Automatic speed selection
- Automatic cueing and muting
- 2-speed forward/backward search
- Moving magnet cartridge with Boron pipe cantilever
Specifications
| Platter | 30 cm diameter, aluminium die-cast |
| Speed accuracy | ±0.002 % |
| Wow and flutter | 0.025 % wrms |
| Tonearm type | Dynamic balanced, linear tracking |
| Cartridge | EPC-P202 Moving magnet |
| Dimensions | 315 mm × 88 mm × 315 mm |
| Mass | 7 kg |
Cost / eBay
The SL-7 is extremely popular today as it provides a huge amount of automation and is ideal for those who do not like manual control. Whilst the cartridge and stylus is simple to replace, this is a complicated piece of electronic equipment, which can require repair and servicing. The replacement parts are difficult to find and they can be costly. A broken one might sell for around fifty pounds whilst the good working unit can fetch well over one hundred pounds.