<p>Commonly called as "Tech 12s," "1200s," and "the 1's and 2's," the Technics SL-1200 turntable is certainly the most significant piece of disc jockey technology ever created. But with almost a year after its discontinuance, will DJing be lost without this legendary icon?</p>
<p>The Technics SL-1200 series turntable, which enjoys a massive following in the DJ community, had been in nonstop production since 1972. Since then, 3.5 million units have been produced, making the brand an icon in clubs. However, with sales reportedly down 95% over the past eleven years, Panasonic was left with no choice but to pull the plug.</p>
<p>The End of an Era</p>
<p>Technology has changed, and so as the preferences of the consumers as well. Several years ago, there have been fewer choices in gear for consumers making vinyl as the only practical choice. Suddenly, there were rack-mounted CD players, then CDJs, then more music going digital. While many traditionalists gave critical remarks at the new technology, others saw it as a new beginning.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, vinyl turntables still weren't going to vanish. When the patent on the direct drive motor of Technics expired, nearly every company put out new turntables all very similar to the 1200. Some even adopted its silver color, placement, and look. Additionally, Digital Vinyl Systems (DVS) like Serato Scratch gave these turntables new life. With this, many DJs saw a new breath of life.</p>
<p>This new breath, though, was short-lived. As the software grew, companies discovered new ideas in making midi controllers for their software. Controllers that would allow DJs to have a full setup in just a small package. Despite how DVS gave new life to turntables, the old problems still existed, and new ones were added. You have to now hook up some box to work with the turntables, plus deal with old problems like venues having broken or malfunctioning and poorly maintained equipment, and the usual thing of needles skipping. In addition to these, how the analog signal made from time code on a turntable was also not as stable as you would get from a CD or controller.</p>
<p>The Next Evolution</p>
<p>In our present generation, you can be a DJ for as little as $80 and a computer. Almost every company comes out with DJ midi controls pushing down on low price. Hence, many aspirants go for a midi control first before fathoming a full traditional setup (which could be worth anywhere from $1900-$3500). Would you ever go for that costly setup when in fact with just a laptop and a midi you can be all set to go?</p>
<p>As you can also observe, even the crowds these days have changed. Most vinyl purists years ago used to boo the DJ who uses a laptop. Now, we basically see every major headliner not using vinyl anymore, and the crowds also stopped booing.</p>
<p>1200 No More?</p>
<p>Although its production already ceased, it will still be the shining symbol of DJ culture. And with so many of Technics turntables already in circulation and their tough build quality there will always be turntables available for those who want them. Controllers will continue to get better and hopefully, sooner or later, reach the level of quality required to replace such a historic instrument with features and performance that live up to the demands of DJs, controllerists, and turntablists alike.Many may claim that nothing can come close to the 1200, but let's face the truth loads of classics are now converting to digital. 1200 is the icon, but it's not the only one. It's about time to move out of analog thinking and let the youth enjoy playing music with what their generation offers them.</p>
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