photo by Mr. Guep
Panasonic didn’t officially announce that they are discontinuing production of the Technics 1200 and 1210 Direct Drive Turntable, but if and when they do I think it has been a long time coming. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve owned turntables since 1996 and I remember bringing home my first pair of 1200s like it was yesterday.
I also remember not being able to find music easily and paying $10 to $12 for a single. I didn’t own much music back then, mind you, and became a digital convert when the back and forth started in the 2003 / 2004 timeframe. Remember the debate over whether or not a real dj spun cds? That was fun.
It’s cool to be nostalgic, but time marches on.
Why Digital Crushes Analog
The main selling point for me at the time was that it’s just more convenient to lug around 100 tracks on a thumb drive than it is to haul around a crate of 100 LPs. Not to mention the cost savings in paying ten times less for the same song…
I also really like the fact that I can add my own samples into an all digital setup. Scratching movie quotes or my own voice and sounds opens up an entirely different spectrum of creativity and personalization that was unknown to me in the late 90s.
And finally, digital music is a lot more accessible in real time, than records are/were. I don’t have to hunt for a record store, and spend hours searching through their stock to find music anymore. In fact, I’m track hunting as I write this, with streaming music on in the background.
The ultimate in time savings.
What Do You Think?
You’ve read what I have to say about the debate, now it’s your turn. Were you devastated by the Panasonic news only to be relieved when you found out it was a misunderstanding? Did you even care? Hit up the comments and let us know where you stand.
Technics is dead. Long Live Technics…
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Tags: Digital audio, music, Tecnics, turntable
6 Responses to “Technics is dead. Long Live Technics…”
Chris – This is definitely an interesting topic; thanks for bringing it up on our blog! Given that RV offers a dance music download shop, I (of course) fully embrace the digital music revolution. That said, I must confess that it’ll tug at my heart strings if Panasonic discontinues the Technics 1200s.
12/06/2009
digging for digital tunes is easy sure. but eff sittin in front of a laptop or desktop at home when you could be in the shop, sifting through crates or CD bins and interacting with people.
I’m sorry man, but I get ZERO satisfaction out of digital hunting, and I do do it- precisely for the reasons your mention – cost and ease, but you know what? I have zero investment in all the digital tunes I’ve bought. in one ear and out the other, I can’t say that about the 25 crates of vinyl in my studio.
Each disc brings a memory, gigs, sets, radio shows etc etc.. I get zero of that with digital.
I dont know what I’m really arguing for, since digital is the way it is, but nobody can tell me they’re building memories of these mp3 files. Its like dnb dubplate culture and the constant hunt of only playing fresh tunes, but multiplied by millions.
12/06/2009
i gotta say im a fan of all types of djing, techniques, pioneer cdjs they are all fun. i think all djs should embrace it all learn all kinds of different software so they can walk into any situation. if they discontinued tech 1200s yeah i might be upset because i would always want to be able to get a pair if i ever needed them. but i think its still gonna be a bit until that avenue is dead. with traktor and soratto many djs still using the technique 1200s they simply just lock the groove the best out of any type of dj equipment. and people always remember there are plus and minus’s or pros and cons to everything.
12/07/2009
Guys: this story is bunk, and proof that a (loose) news story can get legs and virally explode. From a statement released by Panasonic: “As a major global business, Panasonic keeps all of its operations under constant review. However, there are no current plans to discontinue the Technics brand and the production of Technics turntables.”
12/12/2009
Link if you’re interested: http://www.inverted-audio.co.uk/industry_news/$blog/2009/11/27/industry_news_panasonic_ends_production_of_technics_1200__1210_turntables?source=ActivityLog&_c=1
12/12/2009
Digital and Analog have their pros and cons. Vinyl records have better dynamics and sound quality than any digital mp3, period. This translates to better sound on large club systems. Try mixing a vinyl record with a mp3, and you might notice the mp3 track sounds thin and lifeless when comapred to the vinyl. Trying to compensate with eq boosts on the mp3 may help a little, but it can’t add the lost dynamics. Digital mp3s are also more tiring on the ears over extended listening periods in my opinion. On the plus side, digital tunes are more convenient to find, purchase, edit, and transport. They also don’t have dust, scratches and other artifacts that vinyl inherently has. Personally, I would try to avoid playing anything less than original full quality .wav or .aiff files from cd or hardrive on a club system.
04/11/2010