‘Music is the art of the times. Time flows without form’: Technics releases burgundy turntable, ties knots over matching 1930s lamp collab, we’re all confused (but secretly love it)

Technics x Fritz Hansen: every content creator’s dream collaboration
From Technics: its premium 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 booklet ‘I just bought a 60-foot Parisian apartment with no plans; what now?!’ series. Set next to a well-thumbed hardback book with a macrame bookmark, a French press with a ceramic blue glaze espresso cup and an old armchair bought on a lazy Sunday at Marche aux Puces – you are gone.

In any case. Since we are a technical site, let’s start with the audio setting. The Technics SL-40CBT direct drive turntable was released in late 2025 and we noted its refreshingly different ‘terracotta’ color option as one of the biggest highlights of the pile.

But… why?

Technics SL-40CBT in its burgundy color.

(Image credit: Technics)

Companies re-releasing older successful models in new colors is nothing new. What baffles me about the Technics and Fritz Harmon collaboration is how much spin has gone into making these units sound really exciting.

“Music is the art of time. Time flows without form and imprints itself quietly on our emotions through sound”, says a well-known 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 these press release quotes trying to understand what they mean (and wondering if 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 TechRadar’s team) and we’ve come to the conclusion that at least we know it wasn’t written by AI.

“Two objects of separate origin, which together form a frame 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 really think it is thaw companies with very good legacy products that tie themselves up in knots trying to wax lyrical about the interplay between 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 weak) 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 PhD in philosophy to understand the message, but ultimately it would look good in my listening room…