The obsession for high resolution audio sources and very high quality audio components is growing in Japan and the Asian markets in general, and in a lesser degree around the world - creating an overall addressable market that is larger than generally estimated. In response to these trends that most other audio manufacturers continue to ignore, the new Technics SL-G700M2 is the ultimate digital audio player. While it is true that vinyl made a very strong comeback - and no one understands that better than Technics - other physical media formats, including CD and SACD remain respected and increasingly appreciated.
In fact, in recent years the growing popularity of music streaming services and the awareness about high resolution audio sources that are not restricted by network bandwidth limitations or the use of destructive audio codecs, helped create growing awareness for existing high quality audio alternatives. This is leading many collectors and music enthusiasts to look again at high-resolution media, including SACD.
As a multi-digital audio player, the Technics SL-G700M2 supports a wide range of music sources. In addition to Super Audio CD/CD playback, it also supports MQA, numerous high-resolution audio sources, and a wide variety of music streaming services. And in order to accommodate all those digital sources, Technics improved the critical aspects of the digital and analog stages of the player.
In developing digital audio signal processing technology for its next generation products, Technics' goal has been to achieve phase alignment and ideal impulse response. Starting with LAPC (Load Adaptive Phase Calibration), which was first incorporated in the SE-R1 stereo amplifier in 2014, and continuing with Space Tune and the Phono Response Optimizer, this concept has been consistently applied to the brand's products. The SL-G700M2 is equipped with the High Precision Coherent D/A Converter, which is the result of the accumulation of these technologies. This technology converts digital to analog signals in a dual mono topology, outputting the result directly to a proprietary discrete amplifier circuit.
Coherent Processing improves the reproducibility of impulse signals by minimizing amplitude and phase deviations that occur throughout the D/A conversion process for PCM signals up to 192kHz PCM, while DSD signals from Super Audio CD and CD media are input directly to the DAC without performing this processing. This uses a dedicated "Pure Disc Playback" mode, dedicated for Super Audio CD/CD playback, to reduce the internal noise and enhance sound quality.
The Technics SL-G700M2 player supports playback of DSD sources up to 11.2MHz, and is capable of full decoding playback of MQA files and MQA-CDs. Various other high-resolution formats are also supported, including WAV/AIFF up to 32-bit/384kHz, and FLAC/ALAC up to 24-bit/384kHz.
The dual ESS ES9026PRO DAC chip ensures the symmetrical placement of one L/R unit on each side and their independent transmission structures reduce mutual interference and faithfully reproduce the sound source. The filter circuit after the D/A conversion uses a unique discrete configuration instead of an operational amplifier IC, improving the responsiveness and signal-to-noise ratios with even the most subtle sounds. Finally, power supply noise suppression thoroughly eliminates adverse effects on signals.
Digital audio players that handle small signals require thorough noise suppression because even the slightest noise can significantly affect sound quality. The SL-G700M2 is equipped with a Multi-Stage Silent Power Supply that applies and deploys developed and proven technologies, starting with a high-speed switching power supply, followed by a low-noise regulator. This is the same approach used by Technics in the SU-R1000 reference-class integrated amplifier, but in this case improved with current injection active noise cancelling by applying an inverse phase current to the detected noise.
Apart from supporting Chromecast, the new Technics SL-G700M2 now adds AirPlay 2, and updates the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless modules to support the latest standards. Technics also added the USB port for connection to a network audio server or for playback of external high-resolution sound sources, which increases a lot the value of the SL-G700M2. Unfortunately Technics still added an old USB-B port, which is unfortunate in 2022. Many audio manufacturers still think that, since they are not supporting the faster speeds of USB3 or USB4, they can remain with the old Type B connector. Very soon there will be a thriving market for USB-B to USB Type-C adapter cables dedicated to audio playback, which was not needed.
In compensation, in the best Technics tradition, the housing of the SL-G700M2 received improvements and is a stunning design. The chassis is divided into four sections, with the power supply, digital interface, analog circuits, and disk drive sections, all independent of each other to suppress interferences. The disc drive adopts a three-layer chassis configuration. Powerful vibration-damping and quiet construction, including a disc tray made of die-cast aluminum, ensures high-precision disc playback. The exterior of the SL-G700M2 features a 7mm-thick brushed aluminum front panel and 3mm aluminum side panels.
The Technics SL-G700M2 will be available from Technics dealers for MSRP $3,499.99 at the end of January 2023.
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