How a Japanese engineer's invention revolutionized the sound of hip hop
In short: In 1969, Shuichi Obata invented a turntable that changed music forever. By replacing fragile belts with a direct-drive motor, he created a machine so robust that DJs could scratch records without breaking the mechanism, inadvertently birthing an entire musical genre.
Technics, established in 1965 by Matsushita Electric (now Panasonic), began as a premium loudspeaker brand. However, the company's most significant legacy lies in its development of direct-drive technology. Invented by engineer Shuichi Obata in Osaka, this mechanism used a motor to drive the platter directly, eliminating the belts used in older turntables. This was a critical advancement; traditional belt-drive systems were prone to breakage from back-spinning and were unsuitable for the physical demands of turntablism.
The impact of this technology was felt most acutely in the burgeoning hip hop scene. The Technics SL-1100, released for consumers in 1971, was used by DJ Kool Herc for his first sound system after moving from Jamaica to the US. This was followed by the iconic SL-1200, released in 1972. As New York City DJs like Grand Wizard Theodore and Afrika Bambaataa experimented with the SL-1200, they discovered that the motor maintained a constant RPM even when the record was wiggled back and forth. This discovery allowed for the development of scratching techniques.
The SL-1200 series became an industry standard, evolving through models like the MK2 and the MK5, which was released in 2003. Although Panasonic dropped the label for most items during October 2010, Technics returned in 2015 via premium turntables. Today, the brand remains a cornerstone of DJ culture, having transitioned from a high-end competitor to a provider of equipment ranging from entry-level to professional-grade gear.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Technics (brand)
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