Pioneer DJ PLX-500-K Direct Drive DJ Turntable, Black

Product Information

The Pioneer DJ series made its debut on the turntable market relatively recently but immediately won recognition and a place on shelves with the PLX-1000 model. In 2016 the company presented a new, cheaper turntable marked as PLX -500. With this turntable Pioneer is trying to conquer two groups of recipients – one group is DJs, especially the beginners, and the other group is casual record listeners.

The gorgeously warm quality that vinyl records bring is on full display with the PLX-500. The overall soundscape is handled with grace and care. The lower end has been very slightly muted, with the full midrange being pushed to the front of the mix. It is pretty simple. However, for the price, there is no better vinyl player currently on the market in terms of the quality of sound! The column base is equipped with a large ring with which (after releasing the latch) we can conveniently adjust its height. This is one of the best solutions of this type and quite unique in this price range (it is not easy to find VTA regulations here at all). Lastly, the metal platter underneath isn’t as dense as the PLX-1000. It doesn’t feel as solid as the flagship. Comparing these two is a pretty delicate task since we’re talking about two DJ turntables that fall into the pretty much same category regarding price, size, and features. Certainly, there are some differences which we’ll discover as we go.DJ turntables are delicate and mostly used by true DJing enthusiasts. The first forms of DJing were performed on two turntables and vinyl, and the tradition has remained to this day. The tone-arm shoulder looks a little low-cost, however you’ve obtained ta maintain expenses down somewhere? And also, justice, it doesn’t mess with efficiency – if you calibrate the weight, height and also anti-skipping dial to match your stylus as well as needle set up, after that you’re golden.

If we compare their sizes, we’ll notice that the PLX-500 is just a tiny bit taller and wider, which is invisible to the naked eye. In fact, the turntable in question is a down-sized version of the Pioneer PLX-1000, which still holds a reputation on the market. So far I mostly talked about the build quality, appearance, and technical specs that comprise the two turntables – Audio-Technica AT LP120 and Pioneer PLX-500. But let’s look at all the things you could do with them, i.e. what controls they offer. Pitch Control Setting the Pioneer up is reasonably straightforward and should not prove too challenging, especially if you have access to a stylus force gauge. Once up and running, the Pioneer does a fair amount right – but not everything. Listening to Biffy Clyro's Only Revolutions, the PLX-500 has some traditional direct drive attributes. The sound has a rhythmically engaging and propulsive quality and as you might expect, pitch stability is pretty much absolute.Although you would be hard-pressed to tell the PLX-1000 and the PLX-500 apart from just looking at them, however, once you get them in hand, the differences become more apparent. Unlike the PLX-1000 (which has a full metal body), the Pioneer DJ PLX-500 has a mostly high-grade plastic shell. Although the platter and the tonearm are made from metal. No. The Pioneer PLX-500 Dj turntable has a built-in phono pre-amp, so you won’t have the need for an external pre-amp. Is The Pioneer PLX-500 Good For Scratching?

The higher the torque, the faster it will play a song. Also, the higher it is, the more resistance it will provide when you manipulate the vinyl with your fingers. You should always make sure that it doesn’t go below >1 kg/cm. Controls & Features Watching the platter was a necessity when manually correcting the rotation, electronics are responsible for everything here, precisely setting 33, 45, and even 78 rpm (buttons), additionally, the rotation can be changed at the pace of +/- 8% (using the slider).This is a good option because the alternative would be a belt-drive turntable, which is not the best choice for a DJ. The difference is that direct drive means that the engine is placed right beneath the platter and rotates it directly. The aluminum platter looks impressive thanks to the “spotted” outer flange, which is part of the classic strobe rotation control system. In other words, the Pioneer PLX-500 is suitable for scratching thanks to its high torque. Do You Need Speakers With A Turntable? DJs have enormous music libraries that they use to create their mixes. Surely they won’t flip records every time they want to play another song. Plus, it’s 2022, so using DJ software is not heresy anymore. It appears like a PLX-1000 (as well as a result a Technics), but it does not inherit all the muscle of its (₤ 500+) huge brother.

As I said at the beginning of this article, these two turntables are so similar that only small differences can make you choose one over the other. They fall in a similar price range, although the PLX-500 can be a bit more expensive depending on where you buy it from. Connectivity is pretty important to people because you want to be sure that everything will work properly once you buy it. The most important question is: “Does the turntable have a USB connection?” The launch of Pioneer’s high-end PLX-1000 DJ turntable in 2015 caused a few ‘oohs’ and also ‘ahhhs’, and also fitted perfectly into that space left by the demise of the mighty Technics 1210. The only thing that I might give to the Pioneer turntable as a clear advantage is perhaps the build quality, which seems to be sturdier. However, this might be my subjective opinion. It would be best if you get a feel of them using your own hands and eyes.

The S-shaped arm is static-balanced, meaning the user can also adjust the tonearm’s height and weight thanks to the counterweight and anti-skating dial. But remember to dis-engage the anti-skating if you are going to be scratch DJ’ing. It’s what’s on the inside that matters, so let’s take a look at the “brains” underneath the rugged design. The Pioneer PLX-500 is a direct drive turntable, just like the Audio-Technica AT LP120 USB. The singles, or often called 7s because they have a 7-inch diameter, spin at 33 RPM. Songs with the last speed are rarely (if ever) used in DJing since they mostly contain old jazz songs, and they play at 78 RPM.