Buyer's overview
DJ turntables: 12 devices at a glance
The key difference is the drive: a direct drive pulls away instantly and holds the tempo when you touch the record — a belt drive does not. For beatmatching, and certainly for scratching, that is where everything is decided. Above that it comes down to torque and build. And whichever model you pick: you need two, plus a cartridge each and a mixer.
€100 to €2002 devices
Reloop
RP-1000 MK2
€100 to €200
A belt-driven turntable for a first contact with vinyl — below the direct-drive decks.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants to find out whether vinyl is their thing before spending twice as much.
Numark
PT01 Scratch
€100 to €200
A portable turntable with a built-in crossfader — built for scratching, not for mixing.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants to practise scratching without owning a full vinyl setup.
€200 to €3504 devices
Pioneer DJ
PLX-500
€200 to €350
A direct-drive turntable in the classic DJ layout — the way into a vinyl setup.
- Drive
- Servo motor direct drive
- Pitch range
- ±8 %
- Starting torque
- 1.6 kg·cm or more
No longer sold newReloop
RP-4000 MK2
€200 to €350
A Reloop with direct drive and decent torque — no longer available new, second-hand the entry point below the RP-7000.
Ideal for: Anyone starting with vinyl who doesn't want to pay club prices straight away.
Audio-Technica
AT-LP120XUSB
€200 to €350
Direct drive with a built-in preamp and USB — works with any mixer and any computer.
- Drive
- Direct drive
- Pitch range
- 8 % or 16 % (selectable)
- Starting torque
- > 1.0 kgf.cm
Reloop
RP-2000 MK4
€200 to €350
An entry-level turntable with a quartz-controlled direct drive — the cartridge comes fitted.
Ideal for: Anyone starting on vinyl who would rather not think about cartridges and headshells as well.
€350 to €6003 devices
RecommendedReloop
RP-7000 MK2
€350 to €600
A turntable with a strong direct drive and metal chassis — for scratching and long sessions.
- Drive
- Quartz-controlled upper torque direct drive
- Pitch range
- +/- 8 %, +/- 16 %, +/- 50 %
- Starting torque
- adjustable, 2800 - 4500 gf/cm
Audio-Technica
AT-LP140XP
€350 to €600
Direct drive in the classic cut — the DJ variant above the LP120X.
Ideal for: Anyone working regularly with vinyl who does not want to pay club prices yet.
No longer sold newNumark
NTX1000
€350 to €600
Direct drive in the classic shape — no longer available new, second-hand the cheaper alternative to PLX and SL-1200.
Ideal for: Anyone who wants a club-capable deck without paying the brand-classic premium.
over €6003 devices
Technics
SL-1200MK7
over €600
The reissue of the turntable that shaped DJing: direct drive, metal chassis, spare parts available individually.
- Drive
- Direct drive
- Pitch range
- ±8, ±16 %
- Starting torque
- 1.8 kg-cm (1.56 lbs-in)
Pioneer DJ
PLX-1000
over €600
Pioneer DJ's answer to the Technics: strong direct drive, heavy chassis, club-ready.
- Drive
- Servo type direct drive
- Pitch range
- ±8 %, ±16 %, ±50 %
- Starting torque
- 4.5 kg·cm or more
Reloop
RP-8000 MK2
over €600
A turntable with performance pads — vinyl and Serato functions on the same unit.
Ideal for: Anyone playing vinyl who does not want to give up the pad functions of the digital world.
Turntables: specs compared
The key values from the manufacturer manuals side by side. Every value appears with its PDF page on the product page; a dash means there is no clear value in the manual.
| Device | Drive | Pitch range | Starting torque | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLX-500Pioneer DJ | Servo motor direct drive | ±8 % | 1.6 kg·cm or more | 10.7 kg |
| RP-7000 MK2Reloop | Quartz-controlled upper torque direct drive | +/- 8 %, +/- 16 %, +/- 50 % | adjustable, 2800 - 4500 gf/cm | 11.7 kg |
| SL-1200MK7Technics | Direct drive | ±8, ±16 % | 1.8 kg-cm (1.56 lbs-in) | approx. 9.6 kg |
| PLX-1000Pioneer DJ | Servo type direct drive | ±8 %, ±16 %, ±50 % | 4.5 kg·cm or more | 13.1 kg |
| AT-LP120XUSBAudio-Technica | Direct drive | 8 % or 16 % (selectable) | > 1.0 kgf.cm | 8 kg (without dust cover) |
Manual not yet evaluated: RP-4000 MK2, RP-2000 MK4, RP-1000 MK2, PT01 Scratch, AT-LP140XP, RP-8000 MK2, NTX1000.
Frequently asked questions
The questions people actually ask before buying — answered from what we can back up. Daily prices are deliberately not part of it.
- Direct drive or belt drive?
- Direct drive. The motor sits right under the platter, starts instantly and holds the tempo when you touch the record. A belt gives way — unpleasant for beatmatching and disqualifying for scratching. This is the one point where you should not save money on a turntable.
- Do I need two turntables?
- To mix, yes — with one you can play records but not transition. On top of that come a mixer and one cartridge per deck. A vinyl setup is therefore not a single purchase but four or five items, and that is exactly where most budget plans come apart.
- Why is there no concrete figure here?
- Because we track price classes, not daily prices. What a unit costs today depends on the dealer, the exchange rate and the week; what does not change is the class it plays in. A figure that is wrong a week later does not help you plan.
- Can I play digital music on turntables?
- Yes — with a digital vinyl system. You put timecode records on, an interface translates their signal, and the software plays your files. The movement stays the same, the record box does not. For that you additionally need the interface and software that supports DVS.
Other categories
Everything together, filterable by setup and budget, is in the catalogue. Why we recommend what we recommend is in the buying guide. To the equipment catalogueTo the buying guide
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.