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'{{Infobox company | company_name = Technics | company_logo = [[Image:Technics.png|200px]] | company_type = Public | traded_as = {{nyse|MC}} {{Tyo|6752}} | company_slogan = ''Ideas for Life.'' | foundation = March, 1918 | location = [[Kadoma, Osaka|Kadoma]], [[Osaka]], [[Japan]] | key_people = Fumio Ohtsubo, president | area_served = | industry = Electronics | products = [[DJ]] sets, headphones, synthesizers, turntables | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | num_employees = | parent = [[Panasonic Corporation]] | subsid = | homepage = | footnotes = }} '''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. ==Name== '''Technics''' is a term for the [[useful arts]] in general, distinct from that of the [[performing arts|performing]] and [[fine arts]]. The brand was originally intended to be a top of the line audio brand, thus was called audio "techniques". Official '''Western''' Technics advertisements have pronounced the name "tek-niks".<ref>{{cite video |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ptkfF80iyY |title=1990 Technics |accessdate=2011-03-08}}</ref> ==Description== Under the brand name Technics, the company produced a variety of [[high fidelity|hi-fi]] products, such as [[phonograph|turntables]], [[electronic amplifier|amplifiers]], [[receiver (radio)|receivers]], [[tape deck]]s, [[CD player]]s and [[Loudspeaker|speaker]]s 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. [http://www.panasonic.co.uk/technics-systems/index.htm] ==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 turntable]]s. 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 reinforcement system|sound system]] he set up after emigrating from [[Jamaica]] to [[New York]]. This latter model was the predecessor to the [[Technics SL-1200|SL-1200]] which, as the upgraded [[Technics SL-1200|SL-1200]] MK2, became a widely used turntable by [[disc jockey|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 [[Technics SL-1200|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. Currently, it's used on the [[Technics SL-1200|1200 series turntables]] (discontinued in 2010), and digital pianos, thus limiting their dealerships to music/pro audio stores. The [[Technics SL-1200|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 [[DJ]]'s to transport their own equipment. In 1972 Technics was the first{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} to use an autoreverse system in a cassette deck (Technics RS-277US). In 1973 Technics was the first{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vintagetechnics.info |title=Vintage Technics Database |accessdate=2011-03-08}}</ref> ==Products== {{image gallery|title=Technics audio products |align=center|height=120 |Technics-suc01.jpg||SU-C01 Stereo Preamplifier (1979) |SA202LightsBlk.JPG||Typical receiver circa 1980, SA-202 |SU-Z980ampTuner.jpg||SU-Z980 120W Stereo Amplifier and ST-Z980 AM/FM Tuner (mid 1980s) }} ;1960s: *SX-601 [[Electronic organ|Electronic Organ]] (1963) &mdash; 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]]). <br/>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) &mdash; a premium loudspeakers, later renamed to SB-1204. It was also nicknamed "Technics 1", and referred as the origin of Technics brand.<ref>{{cite book |title=松下電器ラジオ事業部50年史 |trans_title=50 Years History of Radio Division. |publisher=Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.Ltd}} (''not for sale'') &mdash; The brand name "Technics" was formed in the conversations between Naraji Sakamoto (audio product designer of Panasonic) and chairman of Kawamoto Musen (a home electronics dealer in [[Nipponbashi]], Osaka).</ref> ;late 1960s - early 1970s: *SP-10 Direct Drive Turntables (1969) &mdash; first direct-drive model for the professional market *SL-1100 Direct Drive Turntables (1971) &mdash; 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 *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)<ref name="SY-1010">{{cite web |title=Technics SY-1010 Analog Synthesizer |url=http://www.sequencer.de/syns/technics/sy1010.html |publisher=Synthesizer Database (sequencer.de) }}</ref> ;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 [[Video cassette recorder|VCR]]; *cassette decks with [[dbx (noise reduction)|dbx noise reduction]] *direct-drive linear tracking turntables [[Technics SL-10|SL-10]], SL-15, SL-7, SL-6, SL-5, and SL-V5 (vertical) ;mid 1980s: *Technitone E ''series'' (1983) &mdash; one of the earliest PCM sampling organ in Japan. *SX-PV10 PCM Digital Piano (1984) &mdash; one of the earliest PCM sampling piano in Japan. *SY-DP50 PCM Digital Drum Percussion (1985)<ref name="SY-DP50">{{cite web |title=SY-DP50 catalog (clip) |language=Japanese |url=http://www.denhaku.com/85/sydp50.jpg |publisher=Technics }}</ref> ;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 Tyros2|Yamaha Tyros]] *SX-WSA1 Digital Synthesizer (1995) &mdash; utilizing Acoustic Modeling synthesis (PCM sample + [[Physical modelling synthesis|physical modeling]] resonator)<ref name="WSA1">{{cite web |title=Technics WSA1 Digital Synthesizer |url=http://www.sequencer.de/syns/technics/WSA1.html |publisher=Synthesizer Database (sequencer.de) }}</ref> {{image gallery|title=Technics musical instruments |align=center|height=120 |National electronic organ (playing).jpg||National Electronic Organ (c.1960s) |Technics SX-PV10 PCM Digital Piano.jpg||SX-PV10 PCM Digital Piano (1984) |Technics digital piano SX-PR902..jpg||SX-PR902 Digital Ensemble Piano }} ==Gallery== {{image gallery|title=Technics turntables |Technics SL-120.JPG ||Technics SL-120 Same as SL-1200 Without Tonearm |Technics SL-1600.JPG||Technics SL-1600 Direct Drive Automatic |Technics SL-1800.JPG||Technics SL-1800 Direct Drive Manual |Technics SL-1200MK2-2.jpg||SL-1200 Mk2 |Technics SL-1200Mk5.jpg||Technics DJ set including SL-1200 Mk5 }} ==References== {{reflist}} ;historical products * {{cite web |title=Technics Catalogus |url=http://technicscatalogus.com * {{cite web |title=Technics/Panasonic audio products list |url=http://www.audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/index.html |work=オーディオの足跡 [Audio Heritage] |language=Japanese}} &mdash; other older Technics products site in Japanese. * {{cite web |title=Vintage Technics |url=http://www.vintagetechnics.info/ |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110722005714/http://www.vintagetechnics.info/ |archivedate=2011-07-22}} &mdash; information about older Technics products * {{cite web |title=Technitone Forever |url=http://wildwood.main.jp/13technitone/t03t_his/techhis.html |language=Japanese }} &mdash; Technitone Electronic Organ database including [http://wildwood.main.jp/13technitone/t03t_his/techhis.html history] and [http://wildwood.main.jp/13technitone/t01organ/techmodel.html models] ==External links== {{Portal|Companies}} {{commons category|Technics (audio brand)}} ;official sites * [http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/technics_dj/default.asp General Technics DJ home page] * [http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/technics_musical/default.asp Technics Musical Instruments home page] {{Japanese Electronics Industry}} {{Matsushita}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Technics (Brand)}} [[Category:Panasonic Corporation brands]] [[Category:Headphones manufacturers]] [[Category:Phonograph manufacturers]] [[Category:Audio equipment manufacturers]] [[cs:Technics]] [[da:Technics]] [[de:Technics]] [[es:Technics]] [[fr:Technics]] [[it:Technics]] [[he:Technics]] [[ja:Technics]] [[pl:Technics]] [[pt:Technics]] [[sk:Technics]] [[fi:Technics]] [[sv:Technics]] [[tr:Technics]]'