Forty Years Of Technics Turntables
Panasonic’s Technics electronics line may have started forty years ago, but it shows no sign of slowing down. With a storied history featuring tens of turntables and electronics accessories, Technics is credited as one of the innovators of the contemporary dance music scene and crucial to the origins of hip hop.
The Start Of It All
The Technics brand began its run in’69, bringing the first direct drive turntable to see the light of day. At the time, belt drive machines were extremely popular thanks more to their affordable prices than any kind of quality difference. Thanks to Matsushita’s insistent marketing, the SL-1100 caught the attention of the average consumer and sold off the shelves. The SL-1100 helped innovate the “DJ scratch” move that is used so commonplace in modern music.

