Photo contributions Ryan Loebe & Chloe Nordquist
In 2014, 9.2 million Vinyl records were sold, a 20-year record, according to Neilsen SoundScan and the Wall Street Journal. This revival of the analog has prompted Panasonic to respond and give hipsters all around the world an elevated sound from the Turntable.
Today, at CES 2016 Panasonic press day, the Direct-Drive, a HiFi Turntable for vinyl records was released.
The Turntable has a Twin-Rotor Surface-Facing Direct Drive Motor, high sensitive Tonearm, a three-layer construction combination of heavyweight brass and aluminum die cast platter and deadening rubber to cover its entire rear surface. Turntable speeds include 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm.
Your discs will have to wait awhile as the Technics 50th anniversary limited edition Grand Class SL-1200GAE will be available from summer with a limited serial number plate and restricted global quantity of 1,200 pieces while the Grand Class SL-1200G will be available in late 2016.
Other product news includes…
Automotive / Connected Car
Known for its Infotainment and driver-base solution systems, Panasonic continues to partner with car manufacturers to improve the driver experience. The company announced their ONE Connect platform that will enable drivers to receive information audibly and visually such as vehicle alerts, service reminders and updates on ones flight. This will be seen in the 2017 Acura super car and the car will also feature the ELS premium sound system that was designed with the help of Grammy Award Winner Elliot Scheiner.
TVs
Panasonic unveiled their version of a 4K OLED UHD Smart TV (CZ950) with a 65” screen, Studio Master processor, THX sound, High Dynamic Range, and ULTRA HD certified. If you want a Blu-Ray player to go with it, they have a 4K Ultra HD one coming out soon.
SMART CITY
Panasonic announced CITY NOW, a smart city planning and integration program, that focuses on four sectors — the smart home, infrastructure, city monitoring and smart buildings. The company announced their partnership with the City of Denver to make the city and airport a smarter city of live, travel and work.
Smart Home
Julie Bauer, President Panasonic consumer electronics & CMO Panasonic corp. North America unveiled ORA, an adaptable software solution for the home; the platform ties all of their DIY smart home devices together. Bauer said that an average household contains more than 100+ endpoints that have the ability to be connected to a software platform that delivers customized experiences. ORA ties all of Panasonic’s DIY home system together. The company is partnering with Honeywell to include some of their smart home products in their expanded line.
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