As we mentioned a couple of months ago, fabled audio equipment company Technics brought back the iconic SL-1200 for its 50th anniversary– among the most famous and coveted turntables ever made, the SL-1200 marked an era in hip-hop and electronic music and remains popular to this day. The announcement was met with widespread enthusiasm and joy- the downside? Only 1200 of these extra-special limited edition units were made. Some are still available, but they’ll cost you a fortune. That’s where we and our friends from Reverb come in. With input and recommendations from production expert Fess Grandiose, we’ve compiled a list of the best budget alternatives to Technics Turntables!
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Pioneer PLX-1000
“The PLX-1000 has a more user-friendly layout comparable to old Technics models, with quick tempo control on the player’s right side, start/stop buttons on the left, and an illuminated high-torque platter. The player offers a wide range of tempo changes, ranging from plus or minus 50% with a reset button, making it ideal for vinyl remixing. This is something not seen on standard vinyl turntables. Additionally, The RCA jacks feature gold-plated machine-cut parts for low impedance and excellent sound quality output, making this a favorite for professional club use.” – Fess Grandiose (Reverb Expert)
Reloop RP-7000 MkII
“The Reloop is an excellent, inexpensive alternative to the Technics turntable. This turntable is resistant to vibrations caused by heavy bass in DJ booths, and its shock-absorbing feet aid in the isolation of external vibrations. The RP-7000 MK2 has a wide pitch range, ranging from plus or minus 50% speed. This improves the ability to perform really creative vinyl manipulations that can usually only be done with CDJs or a digital vinyl simulation program like Serato.” – Fess Grandiose (Reverb Expert)
Now that you have the best options among turntables, no you would need a mixer before you can start DJing. Some great budget-friendly mixers available include:
Pioneer DJM-S3
“Capable of handling vinyl and digital records, the Pioneer DJM-S3 has a smooth and responsive Magdel crossfader that’s built for scratching. Plus, it connects to Serato DJ software, allowing you to play all of the music on your laptop.” – Fess Grandiose (Reverb Expert)
Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol Z2
“For those that prefer Traktor DJ software, this one’s for you. Native Instruments allows you to trigger Traktor’s effects and make use of the software’s built-in sampler at the touch of a button.” – Fess Grandiose (Reverb Expert)
For those looking for ease of use, DJ Controllers have a number of advantages over turntables: As an all-in-one system, they’re more portable, and built for the modern DJ thanks to easy laptop connectivity. Not to mention the combined cost of the turntables and mixers many DJs use adds up to a single controller, making them a great entry point for those looking to hone their craft. Don’t let the initial price fool you- you’re getting plenty of bang for your buck.
CONTROLLERS:
Pioneer DDJ-SR2
“With the Pioneer DDJ-SR2, you get two CDJ-style decks along with 16 drum pads that can be programmed to trigger samples and effects. DJs can also take advantage of the built-in microphone input.” – Fess Grandiose (Reverb Expert)
Pioneer XDJ-XZ
“This is one of Pioneer’s flagship controllers. With the XDJ-XZ, you get two full-sized CDJ control decks and a four-channel DJM-style mixer, which grants you access to all of the popular effects that became well known through Pioneer’s DJM mixer series. This is like having two CDJs and a DJM-900 mixer combined in one. It also works with Rekordbox software and can work as a complete standalone unit. You can even play your music library off of a USB flash drive. You don’t even need a laptop!” – Fess Grandiose (Reverb Expert)
Enjoyed our list of the best budget alternatives to Technics Turntables? Check out our other article with Reverb, “How to pick the right synth: Reverb expert interview”, and be sure to go to the Reverb website for all of your music gear needs.
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Image credit: Pioneer
