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

Product Information

The Pioneer DJ PLX-500 has been designed with a wide range of DJing styles in mind. Perfect for any beginner or a seasoned professional for that matter. 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). 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. Pioneer DJ has done an OK job at distilling the essentials of what a DJ turntable is (eg pitch control, acceptable torque, adjustable tonearm), and it is fine for those who want to get started, but this is not something you’d want to take to a gig because of its relatively hollow build. Intermediate and pro DJs will want to save up and look elsewhere – the Reloop RP-7000 for example, is a better option that costs less than Pioneer DJ’s flagship PLX-1000. Of course, you can also go the used route and get a pair of Technics 1200s. The aluminum platter looks impressive thanks to the “spotted” outer flange, which is part of the classic strobe rotation control system.

With the directly driven PLX-500, Pioneer has an attractively priced turntable in its range. Its torque, synchronism, and robust chassis with solidly anchored platter provide the basis for professional application and scratching with vinyl. The sound has largely convinced me. Another argument for the PLX-500 is its integrated sound card, which sends the signal to a connected computer without additional hardware. Vinyl lovers can thus digitize their record treasures via record box. DVS operation with a record box, even an app on the iPad, is possible without additional “dongle” hardware. For me, the PLX-500 is a great turntable in its price range. Now that Technics have returned, the main selling point of the 1000 over the SL1210 is fairly simple: it comes in at a lower price point. Other than that, the formula is familiar: it’s the same basic look and feel, very similar sound and solid, durable construction. A worthy alternative to the MK7. More info/Buy Pros Pioneer..youguys seriously need to change the description of your product...I was hoping that the plx-500 would be competitive with the Stanton tables of similar price..not the case. Tonearm Type: Universal type S-shape tone arm, Gimbal-supported type bearing structure, Static balance type 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.

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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! Still, I was able to mix and beatmatch between two records.Admittedly, it was quite satisfying to know that I could still do it after all these years of DJing on a controller, and to be honest, it felt I had switched gears and was doing a different, more introspective style of DJing since there weren’t any screens around (and because I was playing some obscure minimal techno that I can’t pronounce). 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.

I want to mention that I had a lesson today also...i specifically asked my teacher if i was scratching correctly and using the right pressure..not like mashing it or anything. yeah i'm doing it right. no issues playing on his set of technics..for my hour long lesson.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. The aluminum platter looks impressive due to the “centered” outer flange, which is part of the classic strobe rotation control system.

The PLX-500 looks good at first glance– above all, it does not reveal that it is (by DJ standards ) a mid-range turntable. Visually, it does not differ significantly from the more than twice as expensive PLX-1000. Nice metal start buttons, platter speed changes, or pitch attachments are pleasing to the eye. They all look confident. Also, the tone-arm shoulder looks a little cheap, but you've gotta keep costs down somewhere, right? And, fair play, it doesn't mess with performance - if you calibrate the weight, height and anti-skipping dial to match your stylus and needle set-up, then you're golden. Here’s where it gets ugly for the PLX-500. The combination of its plastic build and motor led to problems for me when it came to scratching. I needed a lighter touch to prevent the platter from stopping while I was doing some basic scratches, andit took a while for the platter to spin at its full speed once I let go of the record. One of the key differences between the PLX-1000 and PLX-500 lies in their motor systems. The PLX-1000 boasts a high-torque direct drive system that delivers exceptional speed accuracy and rotational stability. This feature is crucial for DJs who require precise beat matching and scratching capabilities. The PLX-500, on the other hand, features a belt-drive motor, which provides a more affordable option but may sacrifice some accuracy in speed control. While both turntables perform admirably, the PLX-1000’s direct drive motor offers a clear advantage for professional use.

At first glance, maybe glimpsed in a darkened club, the PLX-500 could easily be mistaken for a classic Technics turntable. The PLX-500 is a slimmed-down version of the PLX-1000 that Pioneer introduced two years ago, and is actually a rebrand of a copy. It's made for Pioneer by the Taiwan ODM specialist Hanpin, which manufactures a huge range of cheap and cheerful turntables. Hanpin turntables are often rebranded by companies that no longer have the expertise or resources to make them in-house. I also had to be a little bit gentler when it came to speeding up the spindle and slowing down the platter edge with my fingers – the motor doesn’t seem to have as high a torque as that of the PLX-1000, which again is understandable since this is a budget model. I did some digging: the PLX-1000 can start up in 0.3 seconds, while the PLX-500 takes up to one second tofully start. It sounds like a small thing, but this makes for a noticeable difference in performance. The PLX-500 is clearly a much more humble offering than the PLX-1000 but that’s no reason to write it off. At this price point it holds its own as an alternative to the likes of the Audio-Technica AT LP140XP or Numark NTX1000. More info/Buy Pros Both the PLX-1000 and PLX-500 carry the trusted Pioneer brand name and offer reliable performance. Regardless of which model you choose, you can expect a high-quality turntable that will bring your vinyl collection to life. As we found in our review of the SL-1210 MK7, the new model lives up to the legacy of its much-loved predecessors. What more is there to say? It’s the definitive DJ turntable for a reason, and it’s still our favourite all-rounder. It’s not the cheapest model on the market and it’s easily beaten when it comes to features by models like the Reloop RP-8000, but it still sets the benchmark for solid build quality, reliability and feel. More info/Buy Pros