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.