Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

The SL-1300G weighs an extra 1.5kg over the more affordable SL-1200GR2 [HFN Sep ’24] despite both models sharing the same coreless DC motor and overall 453x173x372mm (WHD) footprint. The former’s heftier BMC chassis and die-cast alloy platter with brass top layer – 3.6kg versus the SL-1200GR2’s 2.5kg – account for the difference. Nevertheless, the SL-1300G still brings its platter up to speed within ~1sec (AC power peaks at 10W then settles back to 6W) and achieves the same superb pitch accuracy of ±0.004%. Cyclical speed variations – wow and flutter – remain ‘state-of-the-art’ low at 0.03% (0.01% peak wow) – a feat clearly illustrated by the sharpness of the 3150Hz test tone [Graph 1, below]. Again, as we saw in the SL-1200GR2, Technics’ new digital PWM direct-drive results in a through-bearing (through spindle/motor) rumble of –69dB (DIN-B), but in the SL-1300G, with the improved damping offered by its two-piece die-cast platter and rubber mat, the through-groove rumble is squeezed down by another 2dB to a fabulously low –75.9dB. Frankly, this is as ‘quiet’ as I have ever measured...

The partnering S-shaped, alloy-tubed tonearm is retained from the SL-1200GR2. This is a statically balanced design with lightweight gimbal bearings offering minimal play with very low stiction/friction of just 5-10mg. The counterweight is very precisely calibrated – dialling-up 1g realises a 0.98g downforce while 2g yields 1.97g. Moreover, while the detachable headshell weighs 7.5g, the low 9g effective mass of the arm as a whole is well suited to moderate-to-high compliance MMs. Arm resonances are complex (a feature of most S-shaped tubes) but benign, with mild bending modes at 85Hz and 150Hz joined by higher-Q resonances at 215Hz, 270Hz and 310Hz [Graph 2]. PM