Television is a drug. from Beth Fulton on Vimeo.

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The legendary Technics 1200 turntable is dead, according to rumours spreading across the Web today. Panasonic is reportedly discontinuing the Technics 1200 and Technics 1210 decks in February 2010.

The rumour started among Australian clubbers at ravey-davey message forum Global Hardstyle. We’ve asked Panasonic but are yet to hear anything official, although we notice that Panasonic hasn’t got round to creating a new Technics Web page since 2007.

The Technics 1200 launched in 1972, followed by the 1200MK2 in 1978. Quickly becoming popular among DJs, the various forms of 1200 have sold over 3 million units. The direct-drive turntable has a special place in the hearts of DJs, rappers, producers and vinyl junkies of all ages for its reliability and durability.

The age of digital DJs has taken its toll on vinyl, but the much-loved format refuses to lay down and die. Is this a sad day for the DJ world or is it about time too? Mix and scratch your Technics memories in the comments.

For more landmarks in the history of music, seamlessly crossfade into our feature on music and technology firsts.

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Punk’s not dead, neither drum&bass, but Technics on the other hand put a cross over these two turntable models we’ll so turn to treat as collectables from now on: SL-1200 and SL-1210. Yes the much apreciated direct drive turntables that made adiffrence for artists like Roc Raida, Q-Bert and so many djs out there will cease to be manufactured[as Panasonic Corp announced] starting February next year. We still have left the other models in the Technics menu, yet this should be called a historical moment.

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The DJing community and the greater dance music scene mourns the loss of a clubbing staple today. No, Steve Aoki hasn’t hung up his record bag, but rather news has emerged that iconic turntable manufacturers Technics will be stopping production on their universally loved Technics 1200s and Technics 1210s.

In a statement re-posted on dance board Global Hardstyle, the company behind the production of the Technics turntables Panasonic announced that they would cease the manufacture of Tehcnics turntables in February next year, citing an increasing decline in sales as the motivation behind the line’s demise.

The Australian arm of Panasonic issued a similar statement today, expressing their disappointment that the brand’s 35 years-and-running legacy was to be put to bed.

“It is a sad day today but due to low sales globally in analogue turntables a decision to stop production has been made on Technics Turntables,” Panasonic spokesman Ian North explained. “For Australia this means we will receive our last shipment in March.”

With the disappearance of Technics decks now imminent it’s becoming increasingly clear that the digital juggernaut is showing no signs of slowing down. We’ve already heard from trance icon Tiesto how he’s abandoned the ‘outdated’ medium in favour and gone for the ease and accessibility of digital tune libraries. Indeed, the new (and might we just say super-sexy) CDJ-2000s from Pioneer look to be making things easier than ever before with USB stick functionality, employed just last weekend by another digital convert Sasha.

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Mda, cam de cacat! Parca incep sa-i inteleg intr-un fel pe nenorocitii aia de colectionari de viniluri de prin state sau Europa care o ardeau cu “Fuck Serato mp3, KEEP IT DUSTY!”, toate au un scop. Asta e, trecem pe Vestax

P.S.: Grigo, u lucky muhfucka!