Turntables Might Wobble, But They Don’t Fall Down… Technics Returns

The Technics turntable is one of Hip-Hop music’s most iconic symbols. As old as the culture and genre itself, these direct-drive tables are famously sturdy, regardless of low-end bass vibrations, an explosive moving crowd, or heavy-handed DJs cutting back and forth the records. Durable, dependable, and incredibly sleek, it is no surprise that the Technics SL-1200s got famed lyric shout-outs by A Tribe Called Quest (“Clap Your Hands”), Ultramagnetic MC’s (“Ego Trippin'”), and even The Lox (“Boom Bap”). With the boombox and the spray can, the high-end turntable is one of the everlasting “tools of the trade.”

After five years, Wired reports that the Technics are returning. In 2010, Japanese electronics maker Matsushita (n/k/a Panasonic) dropped the line, citing changing music trends. At the time, Hip-Hop Heads cried foul, losing the iconic piece of equipment for home, studio, and performance audio. Beyond the culture, the Technics were closely associated with House, Disco, Techno, and Turntablism, among others.

At this year’s IFA press conference in Berlin, Germany, Panasonic has revealed its latest prototype of the Technics turntable, signaling an imminent return.

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While a release date, price, and a model name was not provided, the brushed aluminum design and emphasis on the wheel maintains the lineage of Technics, dating back to its 1972 beginnings.

Visit Wired for further information on Panasonic’s revamped attention to vinyl culture, and other new developments from the conference.

Can you see revered mixmasters like DJ Scratch, Grandmaster Flash, or Mixmaster Mike using this new prototype?

Related: Tower Records’ Place in Music History Is Being Remembered in New Doc (Video)