Seeing as how we're in the midst of awards season, allow me to announce one more: The Technics SL-1200GR turntable is the well-deserved winner of my Sound Advice Product of the Year award for 2018.

Other than the iconic looks, the new turntable has nothing in common with the SL-1200 turntables of years ago. The original SL-1200 was introduced in the early 1970s as a hi-fi turntable. It was later adopted by DJs because of its performance and durability, and over time it became regarded as a "DJ turntable." The SL-1200GR is an engineering tour de force that goes far beyond the original.

This is not the first award for the new line of turntables. The introductory model in the series, the $4,000 SL-1200G, was chosen as 2017 turntable of the year by the high-end audio magazine the Absolute Sound (theabsolutesound.com). The magazine said it "offers performance at the very highest level, belying its relatively modest price. Its silence and speed stability are competitive with any turntable available and are far superior to most, even very high-priced ones."

(While $4,000 might sound very high-priced to casual fans, to the audiophile editors and readers of the Absolute Sound, it is, in fact, modest. To them, very high-priced turntables range from $30,000 to $100,000 or more.)

Which brings us to the $1,699 SL-1200GR. While incorporating several technical changes that make it more affordable than the SL-1200G, it's just like its predecessor in that it delivers world-class sound. It is a finely made instrument of great precision and impeccable technical performance, and comparing its physical construction and sound quality to comparably priced turntables made of fiberboard is like comparing a business jet to a single-engine Cessna.

The SL-1200GR rotates the record so smoothly, steadily, quietly and evenly that the cartridge can effortlessly lift the music out of the groove, playing it back with such purity that you forget you are listening to electronically reproduced music. The Absolute Sound said it well: "One has the sensation of hearing what is actually on the record." That was exactly my impression when I first started reviewing it. My $4,000 AVID rig went up on Craigslist, and I bought the review model. Never before have I been so desperate to make sure that something I tested stayed in my equipment rack.

I realize that for many readers, even a reduced price of $1,699 sounds like a lot for a turntable. Lots of people spend $1,500 or more on computers and TVs they will use for only three to eight years. A Technics SL-1200GR likely will be around for decades. (technics.com)

Rabbit-ear refit

Q: I want to use a rabbit-ear antenna with my Bose radio, but the antenna connection is just a small plug. Is there any way to use rabbit ears with my radio?

A: Yes, and it's an easy fix. You can get a 3.5mm-to-coax adapter for about $6 online. The rabbit ears will be a big improvement over the wire antenna. Try it.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.