'Music is an art of time. Time flows without form': Technics releases a burgundy turntable, ties itself in knots over a matching 1930s lamp collab, we're all confused (but secretly I love it) | Tech Radar
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'Music is an art of time. Time flows without form': Technics releases a burgundy turntable, ties itself in knots over a matching 1930s lamp collab, we're all confused (but secretly I love it)
'Sound and light both change how a space feels without touching its structure. That's what we wanted to explore'
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Technics x Fritz Hansen: every content creator's dream collab
From Technics: its premium-class SL-40CBT turntable in oxblood red
From Fritz Hansen: its iconic Kaizer idell 6631-T lamp, also in oxblood red
Fritz Hansen, the Danish furniture company, and Technics, the Japanese audio specialist, have teamed up to unveil a brand new... nothing, strictly speaking (and when we get down to brass tacks).
And yet the new partnership is every content creator's dream, because it has seen them both re-release old products, but in a juicy oxblood red. It's perfect for the influencer staple 'I just bought a 60ft Parisian apartment with no plan; now what?!' series. Arrange next to a well-thumbed hardback book with macrame bookmark, a French press with ceramic blue-glaze espresso cup and an old armchair bought on a lazy Sunday at the Marche aux Puces — you're away.
Anyway. Since we're a tech site, let's start with the audio option. The Technics SL-40CBT direct-drive turntable was released towards the end of 2025 and we noted its refreshingly different 'terracotta' color option as one of the biggest highlights of the deck.
Well, that's terra-gotta go, because Technics' new model is a burgundy or oxblood red version — a colorway that's definitely having a moment — of that same turntable. It offers the same specs as the original build (no word on pricing just yet), but in the new hue and with Fritz Hansen branding on the felt mat. Oh, and it's limited edition! Only 300 models are going on sale.
Coming from Fritz Hansen is, you guessed it, another older device recolored to oxblood-slash-burgundy. It's the Kaiser idell lamp which is, I'm told, an iconic 1930s table lamp. I'm no lamp journalist, but Fritz Hansen's lights straddle the $1,000 price point, so I don't doubt its credentials.
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Only 200 of these red lights are going on sale (well spotted, the lamp is even more limited edition than the deck), and only in Europe or Asia — unlike the turntable, which will be on sale in the US. Both products will see the light of day in October, with pricing yet to be announced — but I imagine they won't be affordable to the majority of flea market shoppers, Parisian or otherwise…
Companies re-releasing older successful models in new colors is nothing new. What's confounding to me about Technics and Fritz Harmon's collaboration is just how much spin has been invested, to make these devices sound truly exciting.
"Music is an art of time. Time flows without form, quietly imprinting itself on our emotions through sound" says a noted representative of Technics. "Sound and light both change how a space feels without touching its structure" reads another quote.
If you've been re-reading those press release quotes to try and understand what they mean (and wondering whether I've introduced a typo to ruin their meaning), you're not alone. But I've carefully re-read it several times and consulted with experts (other people on Tech Radar's team) and we've come to the conclusion that at least we know it wasn't written by AI.
"Two objects with distinct origins that, together, form a setting that is considered and deeply human" puts me in mind of The Bard's "Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene". But I think really, it's two companies with very good legacy products, tying themselves in knots, trying to wax lyrical on the interplay of light and sound (because they are light and sound companies).
Or maybe there's a lot more going on, and I'm just too confused (or dim) to understand what they're trying to say. Look, the burgundy turntable actually looks really nice. Yes, I wish I could enjoy it without requiring a Ph D in philosophy to understand the announcement, but in the end, it would look great in my listening room…
➡️ Read our full guide to the best turntables
- Best overall: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo
- Best cheap beginner deck: House of Marley Revolution
- Best budget Bluetooth deck: Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT
- Best premium Bluetooth deck: Cambridge Audio Alva TT V2
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Tom Bedford is a freelance contributor covering tech, entertainment and gaming. Beyond Tech Radar, he has bylines on sites including Games Radar, Digital Trends, Android Police, Tech Advisor, Whatto Watch and BGR. From 2019 to 2022 he was on the Tech Radar team as the staff writer and then deputy editor for the mobile team.
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