AXPONA Audio Show and Technics SL-50C turntable savings: I just returned from the 2026 AXPONA show and saw lots of amazing gear, much of it priced well into the six-figure range. It's fun to see and hear that stuff in person, but it is even more fun to find excellent products that are affordable. The Technics SL-50C turntable falls into this category, and an upcoming Record Store Day promotion makes it more obtainable than ever.

Technics turntables have taken the hi-fi world by storm since returning to the market in 2016. The coreless motors and updated electronics of the new models eliminated the drawbacks associated with direct drive, providing extreme precision, utter reliability, low maintenance and sound quality that matched or exceeded turntables selling for many times more. A dealer once confided in me that since he started selling Technics turntables his sales of much more expensive, exotic turntables plummeted. The Technics turntables sounded better, were effortless to own and once they went home with the customer they never came back with problems or issues. When I walked around the show and talked turntables with showgoers and even company representatives, something I heard repeatedly was, "I want to get a Technics turntable." Even so, with prices from $1,299.99 to $24,999.99 a Technics turntable has typically represented a considerable, if worthwhile investment.

Enter the new $899.99 Technics SL-50C. Introduced last year to critical acclaim, the SL-50C packages Technics direct drive goodness in a simpler plinth (base) with a switchable phono preamp and premounts the S-shaped arm with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. The SL-50C provides plug-and-play simplicity and outstanding sound in a well-built package that should provide a lifetime of enjoyment. The SL-50C was used in many demo rooms at the show, including cartridge manufacturers who used the SL-50C to demonstrate their own products — a notable endorsement, indeed. In every case the SL-50C sounded impeccable, with dead-quiet backgrounds, lively sound and sonic purity that had clean, beautiful music seeming to leap effortlessly out of the grooves.

The SL-50C is available in Black, Silky Gray or Terracotta Brown. I have seen all three in person and am a huge fan of the Terracotta Brown, and it would be my choice. It's just gorgeous! From Record Store Day, April 18, to May 2, there is a $100 instant rebate on the Technics SL-50C, making it only $799.99. This offer is available from authorized Technics retailers and no code is required. These kinds of deals tend to sell out quickly and Technics turntables are in high demand already, so if interested it is best to act promptly. us.technics.com

I'll have more great finds from the show in the weeks to come, including the CD player featured in the following question.

Q. I have a vast collection of CDs. Is there a way to connect an external CD player to my 26-year-old Bose Radio which cannot read or play CDs anymore?

—C.S., Rignac, France

A. Your Bose CD Radio has an auxiliary input that can be used with an external CD player, and the new Fosi Audio Merak CD Player is perfect for the job. I saw the Merak at AXPONA and it is what a lot of people are looking for to use with their compact systems. The winner of several design awards, it is barely bigger than a CD case and is as full-featured as many component-sized CD players, with a remote control, front display and multiple outputs, including optical digital and line for your Bose radio. It also supports CD ripping. It is a tremendous bargain at only $139.99 with free worldwide shipping. fosiaudio.com

———

©2026 Tribune Content Agency, LLC