Over the last several months rumours have spread that Panasonic company would discontinue the legendary piece of the Technics DJ equipment - the SL1200 series turntables. This has come as a shock to many fans of the famous Technics turntable. Some reacted with anger, some with grief. But too many rumours are spread around without the backing facts. In fact, Panasonic company themselves allegedly made a statement that the SL1200 series turntable would NOT be discontinued - for now. Whether discontinued or not, the SL1200 will always have a place in the history of DJing. However, with the spread of the digital age, it will have to face a very tough environment.
Technics sl1200 turntable first appeared in October 1972 and many do not know that it was originally released as a consumer record player. But it very quickly spread in the world of disc jockeys. The MK2 upgrade has become the most favourite turntable for DJs and their tricks, including scratching. Technics turntable has since been around for more than thirty years. Its durability and solid build, together with excellent precision have changed the way DJs choose their decks. A sample sl1200 model features in Science Museum in London as a piece of technology that has shaped the history of the modern world.
But technology is moving faster and faster every day. The computers we buy are outdated within months, and so are the mobile phones. The music industry is experiencing a dramatic shift unprecedented in history - from analogue media (tapes, cassettes, VHS, CDs and DVDs) to digital format (mp3 for example). We are able to store almost unlimited amount of data with ease. And it is this environment that the sl1200 Technics turntable will have to face. Will it survive?
Whether discontinued or not, a point in time will come when an old analogue turntable will no longer be an option. DJs around the world have already started to realize that the future is in the digital media. Analogue age is over, and a DJ carrying around his cases with heavy vinyl records will slowly become a rare sight.
Panasonic seems to realize this, and their recent confusing comments seem to have sprung not only a new wave of sales (perhaps, the last one) of the good old SL1200s, but also a new realization on DJs mind - it is time to move on. The evolution does not stop - and the ones who adjust live on.
Nevertheless, Technics SL1200 turntables are still predicted to live on for another decade or so. With the arrival of digital technology, the notorious decks will only move deeper underground, where they truly belong.
To sum up, Technics SL1200 turntables will be discontinued, whether it is in near or more distant future. The digital age has dawned and is mercilessly taking its toll. But discontinuation does not mean disappearance. Technics DJ equipment will live on in the hands of the old-school artists.
