DJ Turntables
Making music with DJ turntables is the heart and soul of the craft. Quality decks need to be resistant to wear, tear, and vibration, while still providing high-quality sound with minimal effort. They also need to be easy to transport and easy to route audio from.
What kind of specs are typical in DJ turntables?While there are no set standards for what you should look for in turntables, there are still some key features to consider. Choosing between these options is typically a matter of considering the intended purpose of the table. The available features can also help you determine which turntable would suit your needs.
- Direct Drive Turntable: If you plan on scratching, youll want a direct drive turntable setup. The design of these have completely eliminated the turning belt, allowing for flashy techniques while still maintaining RPM.
- Audio Outputs: If you want to use your own mixer, or any mixer for that matter, youll need some high-quality audio outputs. On good turntables, these are normally 1/4-inch outputs.
- Software Support: Though you may spin vinyl exclusively, it can always be helpful to have software support. There may be songs on your computer that you dont have on vinyl that you would like to play. Check if the turntables support programs like Scratch. Most Numark, Technics, and Reloop decks do.
- Torque: For DJing, you need tables with high torque. High torque allows the platter to spin back to a normal speed quickly and without much distortion. With low torque, mixing songs quickly would be nearly impossible.
- Cushioning: The decks should have plenty of rubber padding or other types of cushioning to keep vibrations from affecting the sound.
- Portability: The size and weight of a turntable will determine how easy it can be to transport. This is important to consider if you are a professional who brings equipment to many venues.
There are many turntables built for both newcomers and experts in the field. There are also a few that are great to learn from. The industry standards come from three companies:
- Numark: Numark turntables are accessible for beginners. They generally have a basic set of features and are also fairly reliable. Numark even makes portable, suitcase-style turntables.
- Technics: Technics turntables are reliable, tend to last a long time, and produce great sound.
- Reloop: If youre looking for higher-end tables, then Reloop has some great options. Both direct drive turntables and belt-driven options can be found.