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…