Technics SL-1200 3D model

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Technics SL-1200 is a legendary series of direct-drive turntables originally crafted from October 1972 until 2010, and revived in 2016 by Panasonic Corporation under the Technics brand name. S stands for Stereo, L means Player. Initially designed as a high-fidelity consumer record player, it quickly gained popularity among radio and disco club disc jockeys due to its direct drive, high torque motor design, making it perfectly suited for pushbutton cueing and track starting in radio and dance clubs. It remains an absolute favorite among audiophiles. When the use of slip-mats for cueing and beat-mixing (and scratching) became a staple in hip-hop music, the quartz-controlled high torque motor system allowed records to be mixed with consistency and accuracy. A primary design goal was to achieve hi-fidelity, but having excellent build quality, control over wow and flutter, and minimized resonance made the equipment particularly well-suited for use in nightclubs and other public-address applications. Since its release in 1978, SL-1200MK2 and its successors have been the most common turntable for DJing and scratching. Producers, DJs, and MCs refer to the Technics turntable as the Tech 12s, the 1s and 2s, and the Wheels of Steel. The 1200s are widely used in recording studios and for non-electronic live music performance. More than three million units have been sold. It is widely regarded as one of the most durable and reliable turntables ever produced, with many 1970s units still in heavy use. In the autumn of 2010, Panasonic announced that the series would be discontinued. However, at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, Panasonic announced that they would return with two models named Grand Class: one a limited run of 1200 globally (1200GAE), and the other a consumer product (1200G). A lighter and less expensive 1200GR model was also announced. A Technics SL-1210 is on display at the London Science Museum as one of the pieces of technology that have shaped the world we live in.