Technics Turntable, Premium Class HiFi Record Player with Coreless Direct, Stable Playback, Audiophile-Grade Cartridge and Auto-Lift Tonearm, Dustcover Included – SL-100C, Black (SL-100C-K)

The two main reasons I purchased the Technics SL-100c were the adjustable VTA of the tonearm and the removable headshell. Other things that were important to me were looks, sound quality, ease of use and value for money. Of all the new Technics black turntables available now, I think this one looks the sharpest with its silver accents and lack of "dj features." Sound quality is subjective, but technically this table measurably excels in all categories. I currently own three turntables that are each in a different room with different speakers. From my personal experience, it is really the room itself that plays the biggest role on the sound of a home stereo system. Compared to my Denon DP-3000NE, the Technics SL-100C is nearly its equal as far as sound quality. I can appreciate the differences in "tuning" between these two turntables. The sound differences between the DP-3000NE and SL-100C are difficult to describe, but, I would roughly characterize the differences as round versus sharp, respectively. Another way of describing this turntable's sound is neutral. I believe this neutrality also allows someone to easily experience the nuances and qualities of different phono cartridges. Playing a record is one of the most tactile experiences in hi-fi listening. As far as ease of use, this record player requires no regular maintenance, no belt changes, no complicated set up and easily switches to play different speeds. My own experiences with its auto-lift/semi-automatic features have been positive. I appreciate though the option to turn the auto lift off with only a flick of a small switch on the back of the turntable. I did activate the hidden features including auto stop, auto power off and changing the position of where the auto lift off activates to closer to the spindle. These hidden or easter egg features are activated by pushing the control buttons on the turntable in a particular sequence that are available on both the Technics SL-100C and SL-1500C. Instead of me describing how to do it here, I would recommend instead to easily search for it on internet chat forums and you tube videos if you intend to try it for yourself. Finally in my assessment of value for money, it follows the rule of diminishing returns in hi-fi. I changed the rca cables to world's best Mogami 2964s and the rubber platter mat to a Hudson Hifi Acrylic. I also added an IsoAcoustics zaZen II platform, a KAB auxiliary tonearm weight and a record weight. Not counting the Hana ML cartridge currently installed, it adds about $300 worth in upgrades. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Is it necessary? Absolutely not. This is a great looking and awesome sounding turntable. It is audiophile premium grade turntable that is compatible with a wide variety of moving magnet, moving iron or moving coil cartridges that adds value to an enthusiast who likes to swap out cartridges with ease. It has a silent advanced technologically engineered motor trickled down from Technic's most expensive turntables making this "entry level" version a good choice for most. My first record player was a Technics SL-QD33 I got for Christmas in 1985, it served me well for nearly 40 years. If your budget is around $1000 for a new record player, this one is a great pick and I highly recommend it. This is a fun hobby. Enjoy the music!

This is preemo. Technics is probably considered one of the most reliable turntables in this price range. Direct drive, built like a tank, and looks great. Pricy but worth the premium for great sound and borderline heirloom quality.

I received my Technics in September of 2023, and would like to share my thoughts on what I feel is the best value on the turntable market, one year later. Technics builds a wide range of models, all the way up to their 20 grand reference series. They've been designing phonograph players for 60 years and have built some of best selling models of all time, including the SL-1200 series. What attracted me to the 100-c was build, function and price. This model offers the same build of the 1200 without all the strobe lighting and pitch control DJing features I did not care for. The chassis is aluminum with damping material to reduce vibration. It comes in at 20 lbs. It features the same mid weight tonearm as the 1200 that will accommodate a wide variety of MM/MC cartridges and 6mm of adjustable height control. The auto-lift is spotty at best, but will eventually pick up should you leave the room and forget you have a record playing. I would suggest going online and learn how to calibrate this feature. The shell is plastic with no aluminum top. The feet are it's downfall. I replaced the rubber/ plastic ones with machined aluminum, sorbathane filled feet and this really steadied vibration and lowered the noise floor. The Audio Technica 95 conical cartridge is also budget and was immediately replaced by one of my MC carts. Alot of these budget friendly features are easily replaceable and upgradable but I understand Technics reasoning as wanting to keep cost as low as possible. The speed is rock solid on both 33 and 45 rpm with the same coreless motor used on the 1200 and many other Technics models. It does also offer 78 speed, but I have yet to try it. The brass platter mat (pictured) was another add-on and offers no benefits except for a slight static reduction and aesthetics. Finally in conclusion, the price, ranging from $899 to $1099 is a tremendous value when you consider prices for a well made turntable these days. To own a well made turntable, while listening to a well pressed vinyl record is second to none. This deck checks all the boxes for me, and one year later, I have no intentions of replacing it.

Just for starters, I received my turntable a couple of days ago and I finally got a chance to get it set up and running. After getting the through the initial tweeks I now have it up and running. It took maybe 45 minutes at the most to get it setup, but believe me it has been worth every minute getting together. Setup was not that difficult, the instructions were easy to follow. Well now for the first listening. I put Howard Jones- Hide & Seek( long version) on and I’m here to tell you the clarity was amazing. Next selection was Andreas Vollenweider- Dancing with the Lion and it sounds simply amazing as well. And last but not least Checkfield - Water, Wind and Stone, this was another home run. This turntable brings out the clarity and brightness of the songs I could not hear before. Simply amazing. I guess if there is one negative thing is the Auto-Lift, it can take up to 60 seconds to engage and it can engage before the end of the last song finishes playing on each side of the run-off. To me this is no game changer. I simply just turn the switch off. Problem solved. I started using the Audio-Technica AT-VM95C cartridge which is included with this turntable. This is a good cartridge. But I changed the cartridge to the AT-VM95SH and this a major improvement to the overall sound. I’m hearing instruments in the songs that I couldn’t hear before. I couldn’t hear this much clarity with my Fluance RT85N turntable which came with the Nagaoka MP-110 cartridge. The SL-100C turntable takes your music to another level. I highly recommend this outstanding turntable, you will not be disappointed. Also I was able to get this at a lower price point. Cheers 🎶

Oh yea and of course wow. Plays great feels great and sounds fantastic with the bundled cartridge and stylus. I upgraded to the 95 ML (Green) and it sounds even more full ( of course). Auto lift works as indicated by Technics and reviewers confirmed that it may take up to 60 seconds at the end of the record to lift. I am thoroughly satisfied with the purchase. The lack of Bluetooth may come back to spank me later but again I am satisfied. The one thing I do miss from my previous DJ style turntable is the platter light.

Before delving into this review, please understand that I have been a big Technics fan for years. Aesthetics: 4/5. I like the look of this turntable, a different take than the versions with the dj furniture on them. It's attractive and different. Build Quality: 4/5. This turntable is built well in many aspects. It is not 100% up to par with Technics previous mk2 models, but the build quality is very acceptable for the 21st century. The 100c does feel substantial. However, the build aspect of the 100c that I really dislike is the auto-lift feature. It actually cheapens this turntable. It is nothing but a spring that pops up inside the tonearm, and you have to push the cueing lever back down to lock the spring back. I personally don't use it, and I didn't buy the 100c for the auto-lift feature anyway. Sound Quality: 4/5. The 100c actually sounds about the same as the Technics sl-1200gr in many regards. That doesn't mean it has best sound out there for the money. I have owned many, many turntables over the years, so I may have a different point of reference as compared to newer vinyl enthusiasts. I upgraded the stock cartridge (not just the stylus) to get the 100c to the sound rating that I gave it. In my opinion, just upgrading the stylus will not give you the best the 100c can offer. The entire stock cartridge should be replaced. Something like the atvm520eb or higher is able to produce more detail and bass, and has a higher output. In describing the sound quality of the 100c, it is very clean and detailed, with a very low noise floor. The 100c does not color it's sound; it presents a neutral presentation of the upper, mid and lower ranges, albeit slightly on the cool side. I also have to mention that the phono preamp you choose makes a huge difference. If you're using a receiver or integrated amplifier with a built-in phono preamp, you may want to consider purchasing an external phono preamp. It is not necessary, just a recommendation. In most cases, the combination of a new cartridge and phono preamp will take any turntable to the next level. There are direct drive turntables out there for half the price of the 100c that may sound closer to the original sl-1200mk2 to some listeners. For price to value ratio, I recommend the at-lp140xp or at-lp5x. In conclusion, just because the 100c is a Technics turntable, doesn't mean it will live up to its legacy for some folks. At the same time, some vinyl newbies may love the sound of a 100c. With the name and pedigree of Technics, expectations will be higher. That may seem unfair, but Technics will always be more scrutinized. Afterall, Technics set the high standard.

Outstanding turntable from the folks that pioneered and perfected direct drive. Coming from many different belt drive tables over my 50 years in the hobby, the latest being a Pro-Ject X1 this is my first direct drive. I'm a believer! The speed stability truly makes a difference in the presentation of the music. I was one of the folks who was taught and truly believed that belt drive was superior in eliminating motor noise due to the decoupling of belt. I will say with SL-100C I haven't noticed any appreciable noise at all. What I have noticed is the timing and pace of the music is more lifelike. It draws you into the performance and makes you want to listen to more and more music, after all isn't that what this hobby is all about. I won't get into the spec's here, but the features this table offers are exceptional. While my X1 offers VTA adjustment it is nowhere near as easy to set as the SL-100's. The main reason I purchased the Technics was the ease of changing cartridges (I have a few). This is not the first table I've owned with that capability, but it's been a minute since I have. I think if you are an analog enthusiast and this is within your budget, I would put this on your short list.

The SL-100c is very quiet and its rotation is very accurate, and the tone arm is very light and stable, and it looks great. In addition, by taking out all un-needed features including the phono pre-amp, strobe, speed adjust, and record light, Technics made a world class audiophile turntable. The only thing they could have done better is offer it without a cartridge. In most cases any person purchasing a $1,099.00 turntable is most likely not a HiFi Noves and will be changing out the supplied phono cartridge for a more comparable one. For myself I installed my AT-155LC unit and also can change to my Audio-Technica VM750SH as well. I can keep the supplied cartridge for playing older damaged or other people's records, I guess. The SL-100c may not be the most expensive TT out there, but it will handle some very high-end phono styles, making it sound like a $20k system. Update July 23, 2025: By incorporating a Moving Coil cartridge (ballanced) a ballanced phono preamp and the proper cabling the SL-100c can be set up for ultra quite balanced connectivity. Consult a reputable and technically qualified dealer for full information before trying this. No business connection, but Skyfi Audio in New Jersey has the smarts to do this, they helped me out.