Pioneer DJ
PLX-500
A direct-drive turntable in the classic DJ layout — the way into a vinyl setup.
Pioneer DJ is a brand of AlphaTheta Corporation — the company's name since 2020, formerly Pioneer DJ Corporation. Newer devices from the same manufacturer appear under the name AlphaTheta.
- Price range
- €200 to €350
- Drive
- Servo motor direct drive
- Pitch range
- ±8 %
- Starting torque
- 1.6 kg·cm or more
- Weight
- 10.7 kg
- Fits these ways
- Vinyl setup
Who it is for
Anyone who deliberately wants to learn on records and is building two turntables plus a mixer.
In its favour
- Direct drive, DJ layout
- Cartridge included
- USB output for digitising
Against it
- You need two of these plus a mixer
- Unnecessary for digital DJing — see the buying guide
Technical specifications
Taken word for word from the manufacturer’s manual, with the page number in the PDF — not measured by us.
| Spec | Manufacturer figure | PDF page |
|---|---|---|
| Drive | Servo motor direct drive | 50 |
| Speeds | 33 1/3 rpm, 45 rpm, 78 rpm | 50 |
| Pitch range | ±8 % | 50 |
| Start-up time | 1 second or less (at 33 1/3 rpm) | 50 |
| Starting torque | 1.6 kg·cm or more | 50 |
| Wow and flutter | 0.15 % or less WRMS | 50 |
| Tonearm | Universal S-shaped tone arm | 50 |
| Output voltage | PHONO 2.5 mV, LINE 150 mV (at 1 kHz) | 50 |
| Dimensions | 450 × 158.5 × 367.5 mm (W × H × D) | 50 |
| Weight | 10.7 kg | 50 |
Source: PLX-500 — Bedienungsanleitung (Plattenspieler) · AlphaTheta CorporationManufacturer page
Price range within the category
Turntables at DJLearn range from €100 to €200 to over €600. This product sits at €200 to €350. That is the middle of the category.
Price range checked 09/2026Manufacturer page
Also available atAmazonAd
Where it says “Ad” we earn a commission if you buy through the link — on the other routes we earn nothing. Either way you pay the same price, and it changes nothing about our recommendation. How we handle this
“Vinyl setup” setup with the PLX-500
Price range of the setup: about €800 to €1,700
- 2 × TurntablesPioneer DJ PLX-500This device
- MixersReloop RMX-10 BT€100 to €200
- 2 × CartridgesOrtofon Concorde MKII Mixup to €100
- HeadphonesSennheiser HD 25€100 to €200
- 2 × SpeakersKRK ROKIT 5 G5€100 to €200
Frequently asked questions about Turntables
Compare directly
Devices in the same category and the same price class — the ones you actually hesitate between. Each comparison puts both side by side and crowns no winner.
Goes with it
Alternatives in this category
You picked your gear — now what?
The learning path takes you from the first cable to your first set: 12 phases, step by step, free. It works with any device — including the one you already own.