Technics (brand)

Technics

Industry	Electronics
Founded	1965
Headquarters	Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
Key people	Fumio Ohtsubo, president
Products	DJ sets, headphones, synthesizers, turntables
Parent	Panasonic Corporation

Technics was a brand name of the Panasonic Corporation, a company that produces a variety of electronic products. The brand has been quietly phased out.

Description

Under the brand name Technics, the company produced a variety of hi-fi products, such as turntables, amplifiers, receivers, tape decks, CD players and speakers for sale in various countries. It was originally conceived for a line of high-end audio equipment to go against such companies as Nakamichi, but most of its home products have been rebranded as Panasonic starting in 2002 (except in Japan and certain other areas like the former Soviet Union, places where the brand holds considerable appeal). DJ equipment, electronic pianos and Micro Hi-Fi Systems are some of the Technics products currently being sold in the USA and Europe. [1]

History

The name Technics was introduced as a brand name for premium loudspeakers marketed domestically by Matsushita in 1965. The name came to widespread fame with the international sales of direct-drive turntables. In 1969, they introduced the SP-10, the first direct-drive model for the professional market, and in 1971 the SL-1100 for the consumer market. The SL-1100 was used by the influential DJ Kool Herc for the first sound system he set up after emigrating from Jamaica to New York. This latter model was the predecessor to the SL-1200 which, as the upgraded SL-1200 MK2, became a widely used turntable by DJs. The SL-1200 MK2 was a robust machine and incorporated a pitch control (or vari-speed), and kept the speed constant and the speed variability low, thus making it a popular tool with DJs.

The SL-1200 continues to evolve with the M3D series, followed by the MK5 series in 2003.

Originally created by Panasonic to show off their high-end offerings, by the early 1980s Technics ended up offering an entire range of equipment from entry-level to high-end.

Matsushita retired the Technics name almost completely in the early 2000s (decade). Currently, it's used on the 1200 series turntables (discontinued in 2010), and digital pianos, thus limiting their dealerships to music/pro audio stores.

The SL-1200 model is often considered as the 'Industry Standard' turntable equipment of the DJ industry. Its supreme torque and robust build make it a frequent choice for club venues as standard, eliminating the need for DJs to transport their own equipment.

In 1972 Technics was the first to use an autoreverse system in a cassette deck (Technics RS-277US).

In 1973 Technics was the first to use a three-head recording technique in a cassette deck (Technics RS-279US).

In 1976, Technics introduced two belt-driven turntables for the mass market, the SL-20 and SL-23. The principal difference between the two models was the addition, in the SL-23, of semi-automatic operation and an adjustable speed control with built-in strobe light. They offered what were, for the time, technical specifications and features that rivaled much more expensive turntables, including well-engineered s-shaped tonearms that featured both tracking weight and anti-skate adjustments. At the time they were introduced the SL-20 and SL-23, which sold for $100.00 and $140.00, respectively, set a new performance standard for inexpensive turntables.

Products

Technics audio products

• 
  SU-C01 Stereo Preamplifier (1979)
• 
  Typical receiver c. 1980, SA-202
• 
  SU-Z980 120W Stereo Amplifier and ST-Z980 AM/FM Tuner (mid 1980s)

1960s

• SX-601 Electronic Organ (1963) — an origin of Technics SX keyboard series, the result of cooperative works of National Electronic Organ Company (Panasonic group) and Ace Tone (precursor of Roland Corporation).
  After 1970s, this product line was branded "Technitone" as a brother brand of Technics, and newer electronic musical instruments were branded Technics.

• EAB-1204 loudspeakers (1965) — a premium loudspeakers, later renamed to SB-1204. It was also nicknamed "Technics 1", and referred as the origin of Technics brand.

late 1960s - early 1970s

• SP-10 Direct Drive Turntables (1969) — first direct-drive model for the professional market
• SL-1100 Direct Drive Turntables (1971) — for the consumer market
• RS-277US Autoreverse Cassette Deck (1972)
• RS-279US Three-heads recording Cassette Deck (1973)

mid 1970s

• SA-8500X The biggest quadraphonic receiver technics ever built with integrated CD4 demodulation
• RS-858US quadraphonic 8-track player/recorder
• SH-3433 4-channel quadraphonic audioscope

late 1970s

• RS-1500/1700 series of open-reel tape decks;
• SA-100/400/600/800/1000 receivers
• SL-1600,SL-1700,SL-1800 Direct Drive Turntables
• SL-1300MK2, SL-1400MK2, SL-1500MK2, SL-150MK2(No Tonearm) Quartz Synthesizer Direct Drive Turntables Professional Series
• new class A Amplifier series launched featuring SE-A1 / SE-A3 High Output Power Amplifiers
• SU-C01, SU-C03, SU-C04 amplifiers (a "concise" line of home audio consisting of amplifier, tuner and cassette deck)
• SB-F1, SB-F01, SB-F2 and SB-F3 monitor speakers (2-way, sealed casing, aluminium box speakers)
• 9000 Pro Series; A series of stackable units of which the SE-9060, SU-9070, SH-9010, SH-9020, ST 9030 where the more compact. SE-9600, SU-9700, etc.
• SY-1010 Analog Synthesizer (1977)

early 1980s

• SU-V3,V4 V5, V6, V7, V8, V9 Stereo Integrated Amplifiers
• SE-A3MK2 SE-A5 SE-A5MK2 SE-A7 Power Amplifiers and SU-A4MK2 SU-A6 SU-A6MK2 and SU-A8 preamplifiers
• SV-P100 digital audio recorder (using VHS tapes). Also available as the SV-100, a stand-alone PCM adaptor requiring a separate VCR;
• cassette decks with dbx noise reduction
• SB-2155 3-Way Stereo Speakers [1982]
• SL-D212 Direct Drive Turntable [1982]
• SU-Z65 Stereo Integrated Amplifier [1982]
• SH-8015 Stereo Frequency Equalizer [1982]
• ST-Z45 Synthesizer FM/AM Stereo Tuner [1981]
• RS-M216 Cassette Deck [1982]
• direct-drive linear tracking turntables SL-10, SL-15, SL-7, SL-6, SL-5, and SL-V5 (vertical)

mid 1980s

• Technitone E series (1983) — one of the earliest PCM sampling organ in Japan.
• SX-PV10 PCM Digital Piano (1984) — one of the earliest PCM sampling piano in Japan.
• SY-DP50 PCM Digital Drum Percussion (1985)

1990s

• hi-quality power amps, Mainstream receivers, Dolby Pro Logic receivers
• SX-KN series electronic keyboards, including the arranger keyboards KN3000, KN5000, KN6000 and KN7000, competing with the same market as the Yamaha Tyros
• SX-WSA1 Digital Synthesizer (1995) — utilizing Acoustic Modeling synthesis (PCM sample + physical modeling resonator)

Technics musical instruments

• 
  National Electronic Organ (c.1960s)
• 
  SX-PV10 PCM Digital Piano (1984)
• 
  SX-PR902 Digital Ensemble Piano

References

historical products

• "Technics/Panasonic audio products list". オーディオの足跡 [Audio Heritage] (in Japanese). — other older Technics products site in Japanese.
• "Vintage Technics". Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. — information about older Technics products
• "Technitone Forever" (in Japanese). — Technitone Electronic Organ database including history and models

External links

official sites

• General Technics DJ home page
• Technics Musical Instruments home page
• The Exclusive Online Audio Museum "TheVintageKnob" with Technics Audio Products History (1960-2000)