The Best DJ Turntable for Beginners
Given the ongoing microchip crisis, vinyl is regaining popularity not just for its physical appeal and nostalgic feel, but also due to the lack of standalone DJ players in the market. Some DJ beginners feel they need to earn their stripes because they are taking the more challenging route of learning to mix with vinyl.
There's also a sort of barrier limiting access to certain music releases. Sometimes, the only chance to play a hot track is if you own it on vinyl and know how to properly spin it.
Whatever the reason for acquiring a turntable, when you choose vinyl, you're investing not only financially but also a lot of time and effort into your practice sessions.
Additionally, you'll need to seek out good solutions for organizing your records, as they require a bit more attention than their digital counterparts. You'll need to keep them clean if you want to avoid crackles, pops, and other unpleasant noises while mixing. As you progress and get gigs, you'll also need suitable vinyl bags or boxes to transport your records, and those can weigh over 10 kg when fully loaded.
However, if you take on all this effort and learn beatmatching on vinyl, we can promise you it's one of the most satisfying feelings a DJ can experience. Whether you hate it or love it, mixing with vinyl is still very stylish and usually grabs the audience's attention.
Spinning with turntables is also a challenge for ears and hands. Thus, choosing the right turntable can influence the overall learning curve, although practice has a much greater impact. However, make sure you're buying a turntable designed for DJs and not just for playback, and that you're primarily spending on features you'll actually use.
The Motor
Fortunately, there's a wide selection of direct drive turntables available today, because as you might already know, turntables with belt drive are intended for Hi-Fi users and thus should generally not be used for DJ purposes.
One of the most important aspects of direct-drive turntables is torque, as it's mainly responsible for how much force you need to accelerate or decelerate playback, such as during scratching and backspinning.
Bigger Is Better?
Not necessarily, but you should never settle for less than 1.5 kg/cm. Anything below that will likely result in playback slipping or jumping when you touch the platter or the record. So, the golden standard lies between 1.5 and 4.5 kg/cm.
Scratch DJs generally benefit from the upper end of the range, because as they move the record back and forth, the platter rotation should remain constant. For example, the Technics SL-1200 MK2, which has been the industry standard for decades, has a torque of 1.5 kg/cm. However, some scratch DJs find the Pioneer PLX-1000 with a higher torque (4.5 kg/cm) more suitable for their workflow.
Build Quality and Isolation
This is one of the points most DJs worry about, and with good reason, because if too many vibrations come from the speakers or from dancing and walking people, it can lead to unwanted feedback in the low and mid-range frequencies and even cause the needle to skip.
Most DJ turntables offer at least some form of isolation against these inconveniences, usually some rubber on the base or under the platter, which works quite well in home environments, but if you plan to use them at loud events and places with constant vibrations, you should really consider some form of additional isolation, such as the Luke ASB-1. This applies to all entry-level turntables and even some higher-end models like the Pioneer PLX-1000 or the Technics SL-1210 MK7.
Cartridge and Needle
Pro-Ject Pick it S2 C DJ cartridge and
needle
When you're buying a turntable, keep in mind that in some cases, you might need to pay a bit more for the cartridge. Some turntables (usually the cheaper ones) come with some kind of entry-level Hi-Fi cartridge that's just about sufficient for starters. However, in the long run, you might want to invest in a specialized DJ cartridge that handles backspins, cue-ing, or scratching.
```Design and Specifications
In most DJ turntables, you'll find many similarities, both in terms of design and technical specifications, as the vast majority of DJ turntables with direct drive (except for Technics and a few others) are manufactured by Hanpin, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer (founded in 1965) specializing in DJ equipment and Hi-Fi.
The company has several platforms for building turntables, and sometimes it makes minor design changes before selling them under a specific brand. The internal workings usually remain the same, with most turntables equipped with a direct drive motor of >1.0 kg/cm, >1.6 kg/cm, >2.2 kg/cm, or >4.5 kg/cm (Super OEM).
Hanpin turntables are very reliable, as the company has decades of experience in turntable manufacturing, and many respected DJ brands like Pioneer DJ, Omnitronic, etc., use their platforms.
Technics continues to follow its own path and hasn't changed much in terms of design and internals from the original MK2, although the MK7 differs slightly from earlier models (read more below).
Entry Level (€200-€350)
Its initial torque (>1.0 kg/cm) is a bit unusual from a DJ's perspective, but we can still recommend it because it's a very affordable option if you're curious about DJing with vinyl or just want to mix casually.
It might require a bit more patience to get used to handling the platter, but it has an elegant design, similar to the Technics SL-1200, comes with a cartridge, and doesn't require a significant investment, so you won't regret it if you find out that DJing with vinyl isn't your thing.
It can also be a good starting point for an analog
and digital setup, because mixing one track from the turntable and the other from a DJ player allows you to do
beatmatching with the jogwheel, so you don't have to rely solely on the platter.
Thanks to its USB
port, it can also be used for digitizing records and has a built-in phono preamp.
With a slight extra expense, you get some cool DJ advantages, such as high-torque, rubber-damped feet and a more stable aluminum die-cast platter. The Gemini TT-4000 offers excellent value for money and comes with an elegant black finish.
As for build quality, it's one of the lightest direct drive turntables on the market at just 6.35 kg, making it easier to transport for gigs. At the same time, you might need to handle it with care as it's not made of as durable materials as some of its more expensive counterparts.
For home use, it can be a great device to master the art of spinning records. In terms of value for money, it's a safe choice.
The PLX-500 is certainly not a turntable for professional use, as it's entirely made of plastic, and although it's quite heavy, it easily picks up vibrations, and even slight chassis touches can lead to feedback.
However, this shouldn't deter you if you're looking for a nice turntable for home use. The PLX-500 offers a pleasant torque of 1.6 kg/cm, very similar to that of the Technics SL-1200. It's not the best choice for scratching (for that, there's the Gemini TT-4000 or the Omnitronic DD-5220L at a similar price), but it handles backspins, cueing, and nudges very well, and the pitch fader is nicely responsive, making it a great beginner turntable for learning beatmatching with vinyl or for DVS applications.
Included in the package are a headshell, a phono cartridge, and a dust cover. Thanks to the USB port, vinyls can be digitized, so the device offers good value for money, as long as you avoid live applications.
Mid-Range (€350-€500)
For a moderate price, the DD-5220L has some serious features. It has a solid metal chassis, an initial torque of 4.5 kg/cm, a variable pitch range up to 50%, a reverse function, adjustable start and braking speed for the platter, shock-absorbing and adjustable feet. Although not as well isolated as the SL-1200, if properly positioned with external isolation, it can handle live applications.
It has a switchable Line/Phono output and is internally grounded, so you avoid the additional hassle of connecting it to a mixer.
It's a wonderful all-purpose turntable that can also meet all needs in the long run. Scratch DJs will especially appreciate it for the adjustable start/braking speeds, the two start/stop buttons, convenient in battle mode, and of course, for the high torque.
Included in the package is a headshell, but no cartridge. So you'll need to upgrade or replace the headshell with a DJ cartridge like Concorde.
It has the same specifications as the Omnitronic DD-5220L, the only difference being the color and branding. Both turntables are based on the same platform and have very good ratings from our users.
High-end Price Range (>650€)
The introduction of the PLX-1000 in 2014 was an opportunistic response to Technics as the world's leading DJ turntable manufacturer discontinued production of the SL-1200/SL-1210 between 2010 and 2019. While the PLX-1000 is still a Hanpin turntable based on the Super-OEM platform, it has been carefully adjusted by Pioneer to align with its own CDJ product range and optimize it perfectly for club use.
It's one of the few turntables (besides Technics) that are actually found in some DJ setups in clubs, and although it's not as well isolated as the old-school Technics, it can handle the task on a good platform. Scratch DJs particularly like it for its high torque, and it also offers a variable pitch range. It's clearly intended for DJ use as it doesn't have a built-in phono preamp, the standard pitch range is the same as the Technics (±8%), and although it has much higher torque, the platter feels very similar.
If you're solely interested in technical specs and don't care too much about brand or design, you might achieve similar results with the aforementioned Omnitronic DD-5220L or the SYNQ X-TRM1. However, if brand reputation matters to you and you want something a bit higher-end in your setup, the PLX-1000 is a reliable option, and let's face it, Pioneer DJ has done a great job over the past decades and has become synonymous with highly reliable DJ equipment, so the name itself can instill a bit more confidence.
Technics SL-1210 MK7 | SL-1200 MK7
If you've made it this far, we assume you already know quite a bit about the king of DJ turntables, the Technics SL-1200 and SL-1210 (1200 for the silver version, 1210 for the black one). However, you might wonder if it's as good as the first-generation Technics (models built from 1979 to 2010, from MK2 to M5G), or if you can get by with something more budget-friendly.
Upon its release, the MK7 received some criticism as it's indeed not built as robustly as the older models. The housing is made of aluminum, but it's slightly lighter, the rubber damping covers only a smaller area underneath, and the buttons and target light just don't feel as good as on the previous models.
While most complaints are valid, from a marketing perspective, it's evident that materials and labor cost more than they did a few decades ago, so we'd probably have to pay the price of the Grand Class models for a turntable that has a similar quality to the MK2.
Considering the redundancy of turntables in clubs and the growing number of hobby DJs who don't require the same tank-like build quality, it becomes understandable that they've built a premium turntable for home use and club applications, which perfectly echoes the feel of previous generations, rather than constructing a super rugged device that withstands the most demanding environments.
However, it's still a Technics, and it's an absolute pleasure to play records on it, as it probably has the most precise pitch fader among all current turntables, and the platter handling is at least as good as that of the MK2, it even has a slightly higher torque of 1.8 kg/cm.
Since its release, it's been the turntable for DMC Championships, so no matter what kind of DJ you are, if you're after that perfect Technics feel, it's undoubtedly the best you can get under 1000€.
Currently, the M7L version is also available in some limited editions, which is a perfect way to spruce up the DJ setup.
Technics SL-1200 GR | SL-1210 GR
While primarily designed for hi-fi use, the Technics Grand Class series comes closest to the original SL-1200/1210 MK2 model.
They feature a redesigned direct-drive motor that eliminates the phenomenon of the so-called "Cogging" which occurs in older models and can affect smooth playback. It's worth noting that it's highly unlikely for this phenomenon to be perceptible to a listener on a turntable unless they're an extremely audiophile person.
Anyone looking for a new Technics turntable and wanting to have the best of the best, with a massive rubber isolation at the base that also withstands club environments, this might be the only option.
However, it's not necessarily a turntable solely for DJs. It's marketed as an audiophile turntable that retains most of the features DJs love. Nevertheless, DJs will have to make some compromises as the feet tend to wobble slightly.
This feature is good for isolation as it absorbs some vibrations, but during intense scratch sessions or back-cueing, it can make the whole device wobble, so DJs won't benefit from it. This isn't a big issue since you can replace the feet with original MK2 feet or other suitable and DJ-friendly feet, but it's still not the perfect solution for use.
If budget isn't a concern, if you need something that performs well even in the wildest settings, if you want to feel absolutely confident with a brand-new Technics turntable, and if you can find a few spare feet, the 1200 and 1210 GR are your absolute favorites.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing your first pair of DJ turntables can be confusing. Since it's mostly a matter of "feeling," it's hard to make a decision just by reading the specs. To make the perfect decision, you need at least a few hours of practice with each device. So we advise you to buy something that fits within your budget and not worry too much about the technical background, but just make sure it's a turntable with direct drive and has adequate torque.
The hours you put into practice have a much greater impact on your mixing skills than the equipment you use, and this rule can generally be applied to almost any DJ gear.
Just make sure not to waste all your time on endless research and reading too many pros and cons. Instead, choose based on your budget and your own impressions of a product and start mixing!