In Memorium: Technics SL Tables

[FreddieFerric]

It is with great sadness that I report the apparent death of the Technics SL line of direct drive turntables. While Panasonic has not officially announced that the Technics brand will end production at the end of this month, evidence of the brands demise is evident throughout the internet. Many enthusiast sites are reporting it as fact and a review of the usual online retailers that have historically carried the brand are now out of stock or are offering the remaining stock at very steep prices. Perhaps most telling is that these tables are no longer offered for sale on the Panasonic website as they had been in the past.

Never in the annals of analogs long history has one product been so revered and reviled at the same time, depending upon which encampment you belong. For myself, I am glad that I have a mere one year old SL-1210mk5 that is now in my second system. It will remain there as any notions of listing it on ebay or Agon have now been eliminated from any conscious thought.

Anyone who may find links to more definative news on this, please post them here. Thanks!