If you're wanting to invest in one of the best turntables, you'll want to make sure we awarded it five stars. A top rating like this guarantees that, in our testing, it performed well across the board. If it's an Award-winner, then even better.
One such turntable that ticks all those boxes is the excellent Technics SL-1500C. We describe it as a great-sounding, fuss-free record player. It also features a built-in phono stage, which means you won't need to invest in an external phono preamp.
Sound good? You can now snap it up for just £799 at Richer Sounds. Given that this matches the lowest price it's ever been and there are no guarantees of further discounts during Black Friday, now is a fantastic time to buy this turntable.
The Award-winning Technics SL-1500C has been a mainstay in our guide to the best turntables for many years, thanks to its reliable build quality and ease of use, built-in phono stage and entertaining sound quality at this level.
The 1500C uses a core-less direct drive motor with sophisticated speed management circuitry that is derived from the much higher-end SL-1000R. The build quality is rock-solid: the direct drive motor is swift and smooth, and electronic speed control is always welcome.
Unlike higher-end Technics models, the SL-1500C comes with an Ortofon cartridge fitted, which is good enough for several years of service.
And it's equipped with a built-in phono stage intended for use with moving magnet cartridges, but it should work just fine with moving coils too, should the itch to upgrade strike.
Sonically, it's an incredibly pleasing offering. In our full review, we said: "The SL-1500C package, as supplied, is one of the best sounding we’ve heard at this price. It has a clean and precise presentation, one that defines the leading and trailing edges of notes with impressive skill."
Its bass performance is particularly of note, with impressively defined leading edges at low frequencies.
We were also impressed by the SL-1500C's agility, praising it for "the way it resolves plenty of detail and manages to deliver all that information in a cohesive and musical whole".
Overall, this five-star turntable feels solid and well-engineered, with a pleasing sense of precision to the way everything works.
One of the SL-1500C's biggest rivals is the Rega Planar 3/Nd3 – a belt drive model without a phono stage built-in that costs the same price as the Technics. With this total £100 off deal at Richer Sounds, the Technics is now even better value for your money and deserves a place on your shortlist.
MORE:
Read our full Technics SL-1500C review
Check out the best turntables 2025: top record players tested by our expert reviewers
How to store records: 9 tips for keeping your vinyl tip-top
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