Technics is back. The famous audio brand, which vanished four years ago when parent company Panasonic discontinued its multi-million-selling range of DJ turntables, is making a comeback with the arrival of two high-resolution audio systems, due in the shops in December.

And Technics is certainly aiming high this time: the Reference Class R1 system is expected to have a price well north of £20,000, and comprises the SU-R1 network music player/preamplifier, the SE-R1 stereo power amplifier, and the floorstanding SB-R1 speakers.

Selling for rather less, but still expected to be in the premium audio sector with a system price-tag of around £2000+, is the C700 Series range of components: this will comprise the ST-C700 network audio player, the SL-C700 CD player, the SU-C700 integrated amplifier and bookshelf/standmount SB-C700 speakers.

The new systems are the result of well over a year of development by the engineering team in Osaka, which was brought together following discussions during the summer of 2013.

The project is led by Michiko Ogawa, a former Technics engineer and a well-known jazz pianist in Japan: launching the new models at IFA in Germany today, she explained that the new models are based on a concept of the ‘Technics Definitive Sound’, which itself is rooted in three principles drawn from decades of Technics audio development.

‘Accurate Digital Technology’ ensures signal transmission with precise phase and gain characteristics, and ideal power conversion, ‘Noiseless Signal Technology’ involves a thorough reduction of noise to realise equipment ideal for digital audio, while ‘Emotive Acoustic Technology’ is all about a clear sound image and spacious soundstage with an ultra-wide bandwidth and high dynamic range.

Introducing the new slogan for the Technics brand – Rediscover Music – Ogawa explained that ‘We grow up repeatedly discovering and being moved by new types of music. However as we get older we get distracted by all the things going on in our lives and perhaps misplace the pure love of music.

‘Through the new Technics products we are striving to offer listeners the feeling of ‘rediscovering music’, by helping them to have such uniquely emotionally-engaging experiences – ones that we seem to have lost.’