Panasonic revives legendary Technics vinyl turntables

Panasonic Corporation announced at the international exhibition CES 2016 in Las Vegas, USA about the revival of the legendary Technics DJ “turntable”, which for its outstanding sound quality and reliability has gained wide recognition among audiophiles around the world, becoming the industry standard. A limited edition Technics SL-1200GAE premium analog turntable for vinyl records, as well as a production model of the Technics SL-1200G turntable will be released for the 50th anniversary of the Technics brand. They will please true audiophiles and connoisseurs of “warm tube sound.

For the brand’s 50th anniversary, a limited-edition premium series will hit the market

The Technics SL-1200GAE premium model will be released in a limited edition of 1200 copies, each with an individual license plate. You’ll be able to buy them starting in the summer of 2016. Grand Class SL-1200G model will be available in larger runs later. In addition to the new generation of vinyl turntables, new Technics headphones, amplifiers and speakers will be on sale.

Some time ago analog turntables were forced out of the market because of the wide spread of CDs and digital technology. But the growing interest in vinyl records and high-quality sound close to live musical performance , which recently demonstrated by music lovers, gives turntables a real chance for a second life. It was this trend that pushed Panasonic Corporation to create the new generation of Technics turntables.

Regular analog turntables sometimes allow for reduced sound quality because of slight vibrations of the motor and speed changes of the rotor. To solve this problem, Panasonic developed a new direct-drive electric motor with a system to prevent any, even the slightest, vibrations.

The improved direct drive in the new turntable is much more powerful than in the legendary Technics SL-1200 MK2 model. Potential motor vibrations are suppressed by high-precision microprocessor-controlled positioning sensors. It’s a unique feature of the new turntable that reproduces the sound of the vinyl record with all the nuances of the original recording.

The working part of the new turntable consists of a turntable mechanism and an adjustable S-shaped tone arm:

– Composite three-layer construction of the turntable consists of a cast aluminum disc with a brass weighting plate and a soundproof rubber gasket that covers the entire bottom surface of the turntable.

– Made from the lightest possible materials: magnesium in the SL-1200GAE premium model, aluminum in the SL-1200G standard model. Thanks to them, it achieves an amplified damping effect.

Before the sale, each turntable will pass a mandatory balancing at the factory using specialized equipment. All tested units will be labeled “BALANCED.