RIP TECHNICS???

[Ghouls_Night]

Could it really be an end of an era??

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/10/end-of-an-era-panasonic-kills-off-technics-turntables/

[kaiser soze]

Have you seen the price of them lately? Even the MK2's are being sold for close to $900 new at most online retailers. I'm sure their SL-DZ1200 is doing well (a nice piece of machinery it is as well) - but even cd players are starting to morph into mp3 players - the time is coming when dj medium becomes strictly digital.

It really is sad to see this happening. I can't imagine Stanton, Numark, Gemini, and even Vestax holding out long on their tables considered for all of them (besides Vestax), their turntables were a cheaper alternative to 1200s.

What I hate about digital dj'ing is that it takes the danger out of spinning. To know that the music was coming from a tip of a needle (especially in large venues) was mind blowing, better sounding in my opinion as well.

but what can we do - the digital age is hear and it's going to consume everything analog. Sony also stopped making the tape cassette Walkman!

I will now hold onto my 3 1200s

[Sir SkratchaLot]

There hasn't been any official announcement from Panasonic's HQ regarding most of the world market. Also, the end of the product line has been reported and then never happened several times in the past. It wouldn't suprize me if it happened, but I would wait for the official work before believing it.

See here for more info
http://www.skratchworx.com/news3/comments.php?id=1544

Also, it's not the end of an era. The thing that people tend to forget is that there are tons and tons of records out there that never got CD treatment and never got converted to MP3s. The ONLY way to get these records is to find them used. DJs, like myself, who have thousands and thousands of records, are not going to upload our entire collection. You MUST have a turntable to rip the tracks/sounds anyway.

A lot of digital djs haven't figured out that, unless they go out and buy vinyl, they only have access to very small percentage of music that's out there.

[kaiser soze]

DJs, like myself, who have thousands and thousands of records, are not going to upload our entire collection. You MUST have a turntable to rip the tracks/sounds anyway.

A lot of digital djs haven't figured out that, unless they go out and buy vinyl, they only have access to very small percentage of music that's out there.

Here's hoping you do have a turntable if you're a dj - all you need is 1 table/mixer/pc/recording software

I've been tempted to convert my vinyl to "digital" - it would be a fucking shitload of work, not to mention editing the tracks afterward for blemishes

I've been torn - go digital because it's becoming increasingly difficult to find gigs that still support analog turntables, go digital to save space and money (a $12 import single is pricey), convenience, something new, the options are tempting and I've seen many djs who were once vinyl whores praise digital options.

I guarantee cd/mp3 djing have made life much easier for international djs. I remember picking artists up and lugging their damn records for them - those days are coming to an end.

[Guy Incognito]

What I hate about digital dj'ing is that it takes the danger out of spinning. To know that the music was coming from a tip of a needle (especially in large venues) was mind blowing, better sounding in my opinion as well.



i dont necessarily agree but only cos i am such a clumsy tech idiot sometimes that i tend to press the wrong button, select the wrong stuff from time to time but i get what you are saying. although mistakes can sometimes work out a lot better than you thought or arent noticed at all.

[Sir SkratchaLot]

Here's hoping you do have a turntable if you're a dj - all you need is 1 table/mixer/pc/recording software

I've got 2 1200M5Gs, 2 1200M3Ds, a Vestax Controller One, a Rane 56, and a Rane 54. I'm pretty much set for life even if they stop making this shit.

[kaiser soze]

damn you're gonna give the Skratch piklz a run for their money

with that much technology you could build a spaceship

(envy your get up fo' sho)

[mikizee]

Gizmodo have updated their story saying that now Panasonic actually said theyre only killing off the sl-1200 mk6 - all the rest will continue.

So who teh fuck knows really.

[cj hood]

Hip-Hop IS Dead!

[kaiser soze]

I should really get my tables tuned/repaired before it's too late

[FunkyHiFi]

Looks like the 1200 series really is going away. :(

"Hip-Hop's Turntable Goes To The Great Lock Groove In The Sky"
(http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2010/11/18/131418593/technics-1200-hip-hop-s-war-horse-goes-to-the-great-lock-groove-in-the-sky?sc=fb&cc=fp)........The site says Panasonic, the company that's been producing the tables and acquiring parts for them from a dwindling group of manufacturers since 1972, is discontinuing them.

Panasonic put out a press release written in Japanese saying as much back in October. The language barrier led to lots of confusion and speculation on this side of the Pacific, but yesterday Panasonic put out a statement in English confirming the unfortunate demise.My first turntable was a Technics SL-D20 (http://www.vinylengine.com/library/technics/sl-d20.shtml). Cost me $170 back in '83. A middle-class but nice direct-drive table for home use with one of the first P-mount cart mounting systems (mounting a conventional cart is a touchy business & can be a little nerve-racking and if not done right, can tear up your vinyl or at the very least, lower the sound quality you hear. But p-mounts literally just plugged into the headshell. Then snug up a tiny set screw & you're done).

My present table is also a Technics, but more basic, a SL-BD22 paired up with a Shure cart. I've also owned two Technics CD players - remember CD player? :) - one of which I still use, an SL-PG4 which by 2002 was the last CD-only player Technics sold. I also owned a Pioneer which had a slightly warmer/rounder sound (the digital portions of different CD players sound basically the same, but the analog portions of a CD player, or MP3 player or cassette deck etc......can be designed to sound very different).