Brace yourselves — Technics teases new turntable at IFA 2015
At IFA 2015, Technics announces that they're working on a turntable. And this is how far they've got — early days then. A tonearm might improve things.
Last year, the Technics brand was resurrected via a high end music service, as well as a handful of very expensive audiophile focussed boxes. Sadly, there was no turntable to be seen — until today that is. The good people at whathifi.com were on hand at IFA 2015 to see Technics release information about a new turntable. But I really wouldn’t read past this if you’re expecting a 1200 mk7.
It looks to be strictly prototype right now, and not in anyway resembling what we would describe as a 1200. At this point, it’s little more than a high art concept, so much so that it doesn’t even have a tone arm. Hell, it’s just some shiny bits of metal assembled in the shape of a turntable at this point. This is what whathifi.com has to say so far (and you should keep hitting this link to stay up to date too):
It’s billed as a direct drive, analogue turntable.
Here’s what we know so far:
・ Coreless stator design that eliminates cogging
・ Twin rotors that reduce bearing load and minimize tiny rotational fluctuations (wow & flutter), while maintaining high torque
・ Oil impregnated high-precision bearings that minimize unwanted vibrations during rotation
The redesigned direct drive motor control technology involves the following:
・ Spindle motor control technology that switches the stator winding drive mode according to operating conditions to provide both high starting torque and high rotational stability
・ Adaptive rotational control technology that achieves optimized compensation according to precision rotational position detection and load fluctuation factors.
The turntable does not currently have a name or price – so no word whether it will continue the SL dynasty.
Nor is there a release date besides a vague eye on a 2016 commercial launch.
Watch this space for more information as we get it…
So at this point if ever, I’d say that this unit is not worth getting excited about for DJs. Lacking fundamentals like pitch, tone arm and even a start button, there is literally nothing to talk about. But the idea that Technics is working on a turntable is worthy of discussion. But the unit above and the jargon used does seem to be rather more audiophile than DJ. This is just Technics saying “hey, we’re kinda sorta looking at a turntable and here’s a symbolic and vague approximation”.
Feel free to comment as you see fit, but I post this purely as interesting news rather than firm information of a new 1200, because this unit definitely isn’t that.
Osaka, Japan – Panasonic Corporation today announced that it will exhibit a direct drive1 analog turntable prototype equipped with a newly developed direct drive motor at the IFA 20152 trade fair to be held in Berlin from September 4 to 9, 2015. Panasonic is accelerating further development of this technology with a view to market launch in 2016 under the Technics hi-fi audio brand.
In conventional analog turntables, sound quality degradation caused by tiny vibrations of the motor and rotational speed fluctuations has been a major challenge. To overcome this challenge and assure smooth, highly-stable rotation, Panasonic has developed a new direct drive motor and redesigned high-precision motor control technology. This makes it possible to reproduce the warm sound and subtle nuances of musical expression engraved in the analog record grooves.
The newly-developed direct drive motor has the following features:
•Coreless stator design that eliminates cogging3
•Twin rotors that reduce bearing load and minimize tiny rotational fluctuations (wow & flutter), while maintaining high torque
•Oil impregnated high-precision bearings that minimize unwanted vibrations during rotation
The redesigned direct drive motor control technology involves the following:
•Spindle motor control technology4 that switches the stator winding drive mode according to operating conditions to provide both high starting torque and high rotational stability
•Adaptive rotational control technology5 that achieves optimized compensation according to precision rotational position detection and load fluctuation factors
Cutaway view of direct drive motor structure
Development background and goals
Demand for analog turntables has been on the rise in recent years as music aficionados once again find the value in the sound of analog records, mainly in the North American, European and Japanese markets.
Panasonic put on sale the world’s first direct drive analog turntable6 in 1970 under the Technics brand. This was followed by the SL-1200 series7, which earned the brand critical acclaim for its outstanding sound quality and reliability, not only from audiophiles, but also dance and music clubs, studios, broadcasters and other commercial users around the globe. Technics has become synonymous with “turntable” as the first choice of club DJs, whose support has remained strong and who are awaiting a new model to come out.
This September marks the beginning of the second year since the Technics brand’s rebirth in 2014 and the 50th year since its birth8.
To celebrate this opportunity, Panasonic has developed an analog turntable that combines its heritage of “emotive acoustic technology” and advanced digital technology to provide new technological synergies. To deliver greater satisfaction to customers worldwide, the company will continue to refine its technology, including the prototype on display at IFA, which draws visitors who demand the highest sound quality and are well-versed in audio equipment.
In a direct-drive turntable, the turntable platter spindle is, in fact, the shaft of an ultra-slow servo-controlled motor.
IFA 2015 consumer electronics exhibition held in Berlin, Germany, Friday the 4th through Wednesday the 9th of September.
Cogging is motor speed ripple arising from the rotational angle dependence of magnetic attraction between rotor magnets and stator windings.
Minimized cogging assures smooth rotation and enables precision servo control.
Technology that switches stator winding drive mode between high-torque startup and normal platter speed, which requires accurate rotational speed control.
This uses an encoder to detect rotational position at high speed, together with a compensation table based on load fluctuation factors on bearings and other variables, thereby enabling adaptive individually-optimized control.
The world’s first direct drive turntable to be marketed. Model number SP-10. Technics direct drive technology successfully overcame the problems of conventional drive systems (belt-drive and rim-drive), such as rubber deterioration causing rotational speed fluctuation and speed deviation, as well as noise caused by belt vibration. As a result, direct drive became the new standard for analog phono reproduction.
The SL-1200 series evolved through ten models (listed below) during the hi-fi audio boom, beginning in 1972 with the SL-1200 and continuing through 2007 with the SL-1200MK6. Over a period of 35 years, it has continued to be a long-run hit, evolving to transcend the role of “record player” and gain unshakable renown and prestige for performance that satisfies the senses and meets the needs of demanding professionals, particularly DJs who use it as a musical instrument. SL-1200 Series:
•1972:SL-1200
•1979:SL-1200MK2
•1989:SL-1200MK3
•1995:SL-1200LTD
•1997:SL-1200MK3D,SL-1200MK4
•2002:SL-1200MK5,SL-1200MK5G,SL-1200GLD
•2007:SL-1200MK6
Born in 1965, the Technics brand name was coined from the word “technology,” expressing the brand’s commitment to delivering high quality audio reproduction faithful to the original sound. Technics proceeded to expand into hi-fi audio markets around the globe. Following the parent company’s 2008 name change to Panasonic, Technics began a hiatus in 2010. In September 2014 Panasonic revived Technics as a dedicated hi-fi audio brand with the slogan “Rediscover Music”, to deliver richer, emotionally-engaging sound and an emotive musical experience while staying true to its original policy of sound source fidelity.
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, enterprise solutions and device industries. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates 468 subsidiaries and 94 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.715 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2015. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/global.
Ha ha ha ha! That’s a direct to our hardheaded turntablists! :)
Hahahahaha That shit made me laugh literally out loud… Good One
Maybe it’s gesture controlled….and the control vinyl is invisible….
No disrespect but, trying to get the turntable nerds riled up again. I see no actual news here but, we all do miss seeing brand new Technic 1200s on shelves.
Technics announce that they have a turntable in development and it’s coming next year, and you say there’s no news? There’s certainly nothing to see, and my words make that abundant clear. But it would be remiss of us not to at least mention this. The news of Technics working on turntables is HUGE news to a lot of people.
Unless you are now AudiophileWorx there is no news. This mockup appears to be some fancy audiophile turntable. I’m sure the audiophiles are excited and I can understand their enthusiasm but, a turntablist excited about this mockup? – i just don’t see it.
Need an idea for an article? Switching between TSP and SDJ on the Rane MP2015 using both USB ports. People would love to see that. Especially a video of it.
bitches about this being for audiophiles THEN says a rane mp2015 instructional video is more news worthy. cause that doesnt exist to make audiophiles nipples spin or anything.
I hurt your feeling Bill?
my feelings, no they are not hurt. my faith in humanity maybe dented a bit
Sorry you feel that about the human race. I would argue the 2015 is not for audiophiles. I think it was more to fill a void for rotary mixers with USB soundcard and MIDI (the modern age) but, yes it does sound amazing. I just don’t see the MP2015 in high end audio stores the same way I don’t see Bang and Olufsen turntables in DJ booths.
And since you take such offense to my views on the Technics prototype what’s your view on it?
im not feeding your trolling ass, go bust someone elses balls
When you get at someone for “bitching” and they respond to you with more sound arguments don’t be hurt. If anything I thought you were trolling me.
I’m not using the word bitching to describe other peoples opinions here just because I don’t think it’s classy and when I meet these other DJ’s at expos, touring, or in person it would get weird.
stop smelling your own farts
Stop taking L’s. The meme is whack.
So about this turntable then…
“nipples spin”. I have to remember that one!
The look and the wording make it VERY audiophile oriented, for sure. However it’s not so much about the mockup itself – for instance, they are reporting “both high starting torque and high rotational stability”.
While everyone can agree on wow and flutter, I can’t see how high starting torque matters to audiophiles.
Their description of the drive control sounds fancy (audiophile bait !) but could just as well be that of the 1200 (read what 1200 loving audiophiles, Kabusa included, have written about it).
The 1200’s motor and drive have their roots in cutting lathes and hi-fi turntables.
Their new stuff reads like it could still be polyvalent.
Also, yes, +1 on documenting switchovers on the MP2015 – especially curious about TSP’s behaviour.
We’d love to do something like that. But getting an MP2015 is hard — we don’t just have one laying around.
could it be that the era had never been over and Panasonic just missed the right moment? Pioneer is filling the turntable gap quickly… I don’t think we’re gonna see some new technics as a club standard again… if ever this was made for djs…
Tend to agree. Given the units that Technics is putting out now, a DJ turntable doesn’t compute, nor does reissuing the 1200 or heaven forbid trying to make an all new DJ turntable. Their record on designing DJ gear hasn’t been great.
Panasonic tweeted indicating there will be a new 1200/1210, i think this will happen next year
Lets not forget that the 1200 was designed to be a piece of hifi equipment aswell….
This is exactly right. Who knows what this will turn out like.
the MK1 was designed to be hifi, the MK2 was designed for club and radio usage, because the demand was there during the Disco explosion, the SL-1700MK2 had fader start option, they where popular at radio stations at that time in 78, then they released the MK2 in 79 to replace the 1700MK2 and 1800MK2, don’t tell me that a pitch slider is needed for audiophiles, they couldn’t care less, they are happy with beltdrive, pitchless turntables.
Looks like the 1200 is coming back!!! Wall Street Journal is reporting Panasonic is reviving the 1200’s sometime next year.
I don’t think that’s what the article says. It’s just saying a new TT is coming… this one, probably.
Panasonic tweeted that there will come a new 1200/1210, im guessing they are pissed at the poor job Pioneer did letting them manufactured in China looking like an MK5 (shame on them), so it’s time for Technics to show who is the undisputed king in turntables, like Pioneer is in CDJs.
I just came! Imagine what a complete TT would do to me…. :)
They’ve done this before – see the SP10 from 1970.
Looks like this…
This prototype may not be it, but this tweet from Panasonic today seems to confirm a new 1200/1210 is in the works.
Whoa! That sounds very enticing indeed. :-o
Which tweet?
The one right above your comment? ;)
THAT WASN’T THERE BEFORE
CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.
WORLD EXCLUSIVE! I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE FINAL PRODUCT.
lol. I don’t know anyone who buys vinyl (they barely buy music anymore). guess it makes a neat hobby though, vinyl.
seems more ppl are buying vinyl than 20 years ago according to Nielsen Music, i often buy records for sampling
you still can’t call it a real business model though. I could understand if record stores were opening on every corner or they figured out how to absorb the weight and cost of of shipping.
Here in Toronto, record stores are opening up all over the place. I know of 2 that just opened within the last 2 weeks. Hell, my favorite record store only sells vinyl, and has been open for more than 25 years… So people, at least in Toronto, are still buying vinyl.
but can artists make a living off those sales in the digital age? deserving artists of course, not every bedroom producer who comes along.
most artists cannot even make a living out of digital sales unless youre a commercial huge succes, ppl press and buy vinyl out of passion, i know stores here that survive on vinyl and still going strong, ,most cd stores have shut down.
If youre only concerned about sales and into fast food teenage music then i’d say go for mp3 and forget the wax.
guess that passion is ok until rent/mortage. marriage and kids come along. I see a lot of genres of music who need to stop with the secretive way of doing business latching on to this re-hash vinyl thing as if the masses will be reached via this format. It’s a business, and it it needs fuel to run right. There are people making great money via dance music, but they treat what they do as a business that fares better if they work with formats that everyone can get their hands on. Very few people have turntables. I just hope people arent resting dreams on this return to jurassic park.
Its a small business but it won’t go away soon, its not about dreams, its about enjoying music and taking time to enjoy music, i use mp3 on the road and vinyl at home, over 10 million Technics turntables have been manufactured, not just the 1200, a very few ppl is a couple of hundred, i see cheap USB turntables everywhere, those things don’t seem to die out.
Anyway, controllers and CDJs are not for me, they bore me.
wow. and I thought children dream big.
then you must be a big dreamer
haven’t dreamed in 17 years lol. but i do fantasize.
I always wanted a technics cooktop.
Despite the lack of overtly obvious turntable accoutrements such as tonearms, and pitch faders the majority of the presented news seems to me to be oriented towards advancing the technologies needed by turntablists. Torque is debatably something that is only in question where back cueing and scratching are concerned. For Audiophiles, in general they wouldn’t think of back cueing on their records, good needle or not.
This is probably is probably a leap that won’t be taken but I like to talk about it anyway. It’s possible (not probable) that they are working from the ground up to make this the digital direct drive table that many (not most) of us have wanted for a while..
To me.. The royalty and long time apex of the dj table market are doing a brilliant thing by going back to the drawing board and working to improve on an integral part of a direct drive table many have overlooked as being hard to improve on.
I look forward to any technologies that may be born out of this endeavour.
I would make sense if Technics brought the 1200 series to life again. It’s a design icon. I believe that London’s science museum have one on display. Its a classic. The dj and audiophile community would be all over them.
I saw the tweet about a new SL1200 so hopefully that will follow – but what will it feel like with a new motor?
It’s hard to get any kind of clear picture as to what’s going on right now. There are a handful of facts such as Technics is working on a new turntable, with a new motor… and that’s about it. Everything else from a DJ’s perspective is wishful thinking. One site even had the headline “The Technics SL-1200 is Back”.
About the tweet — given the heritage, I’d say it’s highly likely that the 1200 name will continue. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be DJ friendly. Let’s not read too much into what was stated by Panasonic Germany.
As Nicky H states below, what will a new motor bring? Much of the success of the 1200 is based on the old motor, so immediately a new motor throws up many questions. Personally, I just don’t see Technics making a turntable to fit in with the rest of their audiophile lineup that could work in the DJ space at a price that people will pay. Maybe a limited run of slightly tweaked MK7s at astronomical prices, but Hanpin pretty much has the market sewn up now.
What if it wasn’t a record player at all, but a direct drive, platter-controlled digital player. Maybe that’s why there’s no tonearm. Lessons learned from the dz; software-self-contained technics. Djs would use it, and so would home users. Who cares how the music gets accessed, what matters is the turning table.
Home users don’t need a platter for digital files. A platter and motor is just extra expense and a moving part that can break. Everything that Panasonic is saying is geared towards being a vinyl player, it’s just whether it’s going to be suitable for DJ use.
I disagree. That sounds like a time before remote controls were standard equipment. I think the appeal of vinyl, in listening and collecting(non djs) comes from the fact that it’s moving. sound that you can touch appeals to something in all of us.
but yes, I agree that this will be an expensive record player to get $ from people that don’t know any better. Shame though, cause the mods have proved how close they were to something great with the dz.
Ah well, somebody will do it. (Gut the scs1d and make it do one thing, send out timecode, and there ya go)
So I guess I have to charge my drill.. (there’s a lot of job to be done..) lol
Maybe a modular turntable with tonearm as option and digital control for 2016 djs who don’t need the tonearm… Just sayin’…
get a Denon digital deck, Technics needs a tonearm, the SL-1200 MK7 is coming next year, thats great news
Sure it is still space for tomearms but what to pay for them if people don’t have vinyl?
Make it modular with digital deck (12″), tonearm “expansion”, standalone player “expansion” for cdj lovers… And so on. Like project Ara in smartphones but with turntables. Maybe that’s the reason to present a motor platter with nothing attached to it…
For all ppl who bought the PLX1000 thinking they’re getting Technics quality i’d say sell them and save money for the MK7
The tone arm looks as light as a feather…
Finished.
Ha ha ha ha! That’s a direct to our hardheaded turntablists! :)
Hahahahaha That shit made me laugh literally out loud… Good One
Maybe it’s gesture controlled….and the control vinyl is invisible….
No disrespect but, trying to get the turntable nerds riled up again. I see no actual news here but, we all do miss seeing brand new Technic 1200s on shelves.
Technics announce that they have a turntable in development and it’s coming next year, and you say there’s no news? There’s certainly nothing to see, and my words make that abundant clear. But it would be remiss of us not to at least mention this. The news of Technics working on turntables is HUGE news to a lot of people.
Unless you are now AudiophileWorx there is no news. This mockup appears to be some fancy audiophile turntable. I’m sure the audiophiles are excited and I can understand their enthusiasm but, a turntablist excited about this mockup? – i just don’t see it.
Need an idea for an article? Switching between TSP and SDJ on the Rane MP2015 using both USB ports. People would love to see that. Especially a video of it.
bitches about this being for audiophiles THEN says a rane mp2015 instructional video is more news worthy. cause that doesnt exist to make audiophiles nipples spin or anything.
I hurt your feeling Bill?
my feelings, no they are not hurt. my faith in humanity maybe dented a bit
Sorry you feel that about the human race. I would argue the 2015 is not for audiophiles. I think it was more to fill a void for rotary mixers with USB soundcard and MIDI (the modern age) but, yes it does sound amazing. I just don’t see the MP2015 in high end audio stores the same way I don’t see Bang and Olufsen turntables in DJ booths.
And since you take such offense to my views on the Technics prototype what’s your view on it?
im not feeding your trolling ass, go bust someone elses balls
When you get at someone for “bitching” and they respond to you with more sound arguments don’t be hurt. If anything I thought you were trolling me.
I’m not using the word bitching to describe other peoples opinions here just because I don’t think it’s classy and when I meet these other DJ’s at expos, touring, or in person it would get weird.
stop smelling your own farts
Stop taking L’s. The meme is whack.
So about this turntable then…
“nipples spin”. I have to remember that one!
The look and the wording make it VERY audiophile oriented, for sure. However it’s not so much about the mockup itself – for instance, they are reporting “both high starting torque and high rotational stability”.
While everyone can agree on wow and flutter, I can’t see how high starting torque matters to audiophiles.
Their description of the drive control sounds fancy (audiophile bait !) but could just as well be that of the 1200 (read what 1200 loving audiophiles, Kabusa included, have written about it).
The 1200’s motor and drive have their roots in cutting lathes and hi-fi turntables.
Their new stuff reads like it could still be polyvalent.
Also, yes, +1 on documenting switchovers on the MP2015 – especially curious about TSP’s behaviour.
We’d love to do something like that. But getting an MP2015 is hard — we don’t just have one laying around.
could it be that the era had never been over and Panasonic just missed the right moment? Pioneer is filling the turntable gap quickly… I don’t think we’re gonna see some new technics as a club standard again… if ever this was made for djs…
Tend to agree. Given the units that Technics is putting out now, a DJ turntable doesn’t compute, nor does reissuing the 1200 or heaven forbid trying to make an all new DJ turntable. Their record on designing DJ gear hasn’t been great.
Panasonic tweeted indicating there will be a new 1200/1210, i think this will happen next year
Lets not forget that the 1200 was designed to be a piece of hifi equipment aswell….
This is exactly right. Who knows what this will turn out like.
the MK1 was designed to be hifi, the MK2 was designed for club and radio usage, because the demand was there during the Disco explosion, the SL-1700MK2 had fader start option, they where popular at radio stations at that time in 78, then they released the MK2 in 79 to replace the 1700MK2 and 1800MK2, don’t tell me that a pitch slider is needed for audiophiles, they couldn’t care less, they are happy with beltdrive, pitchless turntables.
Looks like the 1200 is coming back!!! Wall Street Journal is reporting Panasonic is reviving the 1200’s sometime next year.
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/09/03/panasonic-to-revive-technics-turntables/
I don’t think that’s what the article says. It’s just saying a new TT is coming… this one, probably.
Panasonic tweeted that there will come a new 1200/1210, im guessing they are pissed at the poor job Pioneer did letting them manufactured in China looking like an MK5 (shame on them), so it’s time for Technics to show who is the undisputed king in turntables, like Pioneer is in CDJs.
I just came! Imagine what a complete TT would do to me…. :)
They’ve done this before – see the SP10 from 1970.
Looks like this…
This prototype may not be it, but this tweet from Panasonic today seems to confirm a new 1200/1210 is in the works.
Whoa! That sounds very enticing indeed. :-o
Which tweet?
The one right above your comment? ;)
THAT WASN’T THERE BEFORE
CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.
WORLD EXCLUSIVE! I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE FINAL PRODUCT.
http://www.breville.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/11/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/h/bhp150_01_product_101112.jpg
Looks hot.
lol. I don’t know anyone who buys vinyl (they barely buy music anymore). guess it makes a neat hobby though, vinyl.
seems more ppl are buying vinyl than 20 years ago according to Nielsen Music, i often buy records for sampling
you still can’t call it a real business model though. I could understand if record stores were opening on every corner or they figured out how to absorb the weight and cost of of shipping.
Here in Toronto, record stores are opening up all over the place. I know of 2 that just opened within the last 2 weeks. Hell, my favorite record store only sells vinyl, and has been open for more than 25 years… So people, at least in Toronto, are still buying vinyl.
but can artists make a living off those sales in the digital age? deserving artists of course, not every bedroom producer who comes along.
most artists cannot even make a living out of digital sales unless youre a commercial huge succes, ppl press and buy vinyl out of passion, i know stores here that survive on vinyl and still going strong, ,most cd stores have shut down.
If youre only concerned about sales and into fast food teenage music then i’d say go for mp3 and forget the wax.
guess that passion is ok until rent/mortage. marriage and kids come along. I see a lot of genres of music who need to stop with the secretive way of doing business latching on to this re-hash vinyl thing as if the masses will be reached via this format. It’s a business, and it it needs fuel to run right. There are people making great money via dance music, but they treat what they do as a business that fares better if they work with formats that everyone can get their hands on. Very few people have turntables. I just hope people arent resting dreams on this return to jurassic park.
Its a small business but it won’t go away soon, its not about dreams, its about enjoying music and taking time to enjoy music, i use mp3 on the road and vinyl at home, over 10 million Technics turntables have been manufactured, not just the 1200, a very few ppl is a couple of hundred, i see cheap USB turntables everywhere, those things don’t seem to die out.
Anyway, controllers and CDJs are not for me, they bore me.
wow. and I thought children dream big.
then you must be a big dreamer
haven’t dreamed in 17 years lol. but i do fantasize.
I always wanted a technics cooktop.
Despite the lack of overtly obvious turntable accoutrements such as tonearms, and pitch faders the majority of the presented news seems to me to be oriented towards advancing the technologies needed by turntablists. Torque is debatably something that is only in question where back cueing and scratching are concerned. For Audiophiles, in general they wouldn’t think of back cueing on their records, good needle or not.
This is probably is probably a leap that won’t be taken but I like to talk about it anyway. It’s possible (not probable) that they are working from the ground up to make this the digital direct drive table that many (not most) of us have wanted for a while..
To me.. The royalty and long time apex of the dj table market are doing a brilliant thing by going back to the drawing board and working to improve on an integral part of a direct drive table many have overlooked as being hard to improve on.
I look forward to any technologies that may be born out of this endeavour.
http://www.vintagetechnics.stereomanuals.com/images/technics_sl1500mk2.jpg
I would make sense if Technics brought the 1200 series to life again. It’s a design icon. I believe that London’s science museum have one on display. Its a classic. The dj and audiophile community would be all over them.
According to the press release they have developed a new motor:
http://news.panasonic.com/press/news/data/2015/09/en150903-3/en150903-3.html
Quote:
“…….. with a view to market launch in 2016 under the Technics hi-fi audio brand.”
Note hi-fi brand.
I saw the tweet about a new SL1200 so hopefully that will follow – but what will it feel like with a new motor?
It’s hard to get any kind of clear picture as to what’s going on right now. There are a handful of facts such as Technics is working on a new turntable, with a new motor… and that’s about it. Everything else from a DJ’s perspective is wishful thinking. One site even had the headline “The Technics SL-1200 is Back”.
About the tweet — given the heritage, I’d say it’s highly likely that the 1200 name will continue. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be DJ friendly. Let’s not read too much into what was stated by Panasonic Germany.
As Nicky H states below, what will a new motor bring? Much of the success of the 1200 is based on the old motor, so immediately a new motor throws up many questions. Personally, I just don’t see Technics making a turntable to fit in with the rest of their audiophile lineup that could work in the DJ space at a price that people will pay. Maybe a limited run of slightly tweaked MK7s at astronomical prices, but Hanpin pretty much has the market sewn up now.
What if it wasn’t a record player at all, but a direct drive, platter-controlled digital player. Maybe that’s why there’s no tonearm. Lessons learned from the dz; software-self-contained technics. Djs would use it, and so would home users. Who cares how the music gets accessed, what matters is the turning table.
Home users don’t need a platter for digital files. A platter and motor is just extra expense and a moving part that can break. Everything that Panasonic is saying is geared towards being a vinyl player, it’s just whether it’s going to be suitable for DJ use.
I disagree. That sounds like a time before remote controls were standard equipment. I think the appeal of vinyl, in listening and collecting(non djs) comes from the fact that it’s moving. sound that you can touch appeals to something in all of us.
but yes, I agree that this will be an expensive record player to get $ from people that don’t know any better. Shame though, cause the mods have proved how close they were to something great with the dz.
Ah well, somebody will do it. (Gut the scs1d and make it do one thing, send out timecode, and there ya go)
So I guess I have to charge my drill.. (there’s a lot of job to be done..) lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=53&v=nOj9MTlLrG4
Glorious Technics Master Race Returns (TCMR)
Maybe a modular turntable with tonearm as option and digital control for 2016 djs who don’t need the tonearm… Just sayin’…
get a Denon digital deck, Technics needs a tonearm, the SL-1200 MK7 is coming next year, thats great news
Sure it is still space for tomearms but what to pay for them if people don’t have vinyl?
Make it modular with digital deck (12″), tonearm “expansion”, standalone player “expansion” for cdj lovers… And so on. Like project Ara in smartphones but with turntables. Maybe that’s the reason to present a motor platter with nothing attached to it…
For all ppl who bought the PLX1000 thinking they’re getting Technics quality i’d say sell them and save money for the MK7
MK7 AHOY!!!! All aboard, this is a glorious week!