Technics confirms commitment to the DJ community: ‘They gave our turntables legendary status’

Technics caused controversy last month when they suggested that their reissued line of SL-1200 turntables are not marketed at the DJ community. 

In an interview with The New York Times, Hiro Morishita, a creative director at Technics, commented, “Our concept is analog records for hi-fi listening. DJs are fine, too, but as a marketing target it’s problematic. We don’t want to sell the 1200 as the best tool for DJing. The 1200 is the 1200.”

Now, speaking at the launch of the new Technics SL-1210GR at Abbey Road Studios last week, Adam Marshall, Technics category manager, has clarified that DJs are still very much at the core of Technics’ products.

“Technics turntables wouldn’t have their legendary status if it weren’t for the DJ market,” he told DJ Mag. “Some of what was said was lost in translation.

“The production of the turntable isn’t geared up to be specifically for the hifi or DJ market. It’s just a direct turntable which harks back to the previous models that we’ve launched, which DJs have used and loved since they were first released.”

DJ Mag got the first look at the Technics SL-1210GR over the weekend, the turntable that follows last year’s SL-1200G.

Rob McCallum is DJ Mag’s deputy digital editor. Follow him on Twitter here.