Are Turntables Finally Dead? (Technics Rumor)

Are turntables finally dead?

The AudioBeef blog is saying R.I.P. to the Technics turntable.

They report that the owner of the Technics brand, Panasonic, has issued this statement killing off Technics turntables:

Regarding our analogue turntable products, we have to inform you of our decision to terminate the business within this year, regrettably. Here are the reasons which made us reach this conclusion.

Since beginning of last decade, our sales of turntables have been decreasing drastically. They’re almost one-fifteenth of the sales 10 years ago.

Many key parts are no longer available as some of our suppliers stopped production or discontinued their businesses. Also, there is the risk that some key parts’ availabilities might stop suddenly, and these parts are only being produced for our turntables. In that case we cannot produce the products that we have taken orders for already.

We cannot help discontinuing production in advance in order to avoid the worst case scenario.

I’ll believe turntables are finally dead when there’s a statement like this on an actual Panasonic or Technics site – and when they pry my Technics can’t-afford-an-SL-1200MK2 second-string turntable out of my cold, dead hands.

Think that there’s anything behind the turntables are dead rumors this time?

15 thoughts on “Are Turntables Finally Dead? (Technics Rumor)

  1. It means TECHNICS turntables are dead. Just likeanalogue synthesizers are dead; vinyl is dead; tape recording is dead; the stylophone is dead; Bob Moog is dead.

    [Actually, one of those is true. Can you spot which one?]

  2. It means TECHNICS turntables are dead. Just like analogue synthesizers are dead; vinyl is dead; tape recording is dead; the stylophone is dead; Bob Moog is dead.

    [Actually, one of those is true. Can you spot which one?]

  3. It means TECHNICS turntables are dead. Just like analogue synthesizers are dead; vinyl is dead; tape recording is dead; the stylophone is dead; Bob Moog is dead; AM/FM radio is dead; 2D normal definition TV is dead.

    [Actually, one of the above is true. Can you spot which one?]

  4. Most likely is that the Technics brand name still has a market value, and that Panasonic will sell it to someone else. I didn't know that Technics was Panasonic until I read this post, but then again, my wind-up gramophone was built by His Master's Voice.

    Sorry to take two posts, but I was politely informed that my initial post "Was a little too long".

  5. Nothing ever dies these days. According to this morning's newspaper, the must-have Christmas gifts this year are going to be (a) Buzz Lightyear, and (b) the BigTrak programmable vehicle.

  6. It’s just a hoax, I don’t believe they will kill them off. Panasonic is denying the rumor and they still have the turntables on there website for sale.

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