DJs rejoice: the iconic Technics SL-1200 turntable is back

It was an industry standard for mixologists and turntablists the world over, and then in 2010 (as the vinyl market continued to suffer) Panasonic said it was going to stop making the world’s most popular decks.

Despite the heritage, these new models aren’t exactly DJ-friendly; they’ve got the all-important ±8% pitch adjustment for mixing, but Technics’ parent company Panasonic is targeting serious audio geeks instead. The regular Grand Class SL-1200G will be available before the end of the year.

Panasonic’s decision to develop and launch new turntables is inspired by the expanding consumer interest in vinyl records. What makes this particular turntable so special is the very fact that it will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Technics brand, where it is tipped to arrive some time later this summer – and it will be in extremely limited quantities of just 1,200 units.

No final word on price just yet, but we don’t suspect the seventh SL-1200 model will be a budget buy by any means.

The tonearm on the new Panasonic player will be made of aluminium on the SL-1200G, and magnesium on the limited edition GAE.

The turntable’s cabinet is also multi-layered, which includes a 10 mm-thick aluminum top panel, for a combination of high rigidity and premium finish. Both have been cold drawn, said to decrease dampening even further, and this, together with Technics’ gimbal suspension construction, results in extreme accuracy when you lay the needle down.

In addition, the company also unveiled the DMC-ZS100, which packs a one-inch MOS sensor and is also capable of shooting 4K video at a rate of either 34 frames per second or 30 frames per second.