The art of DJing has no official birthday, no singular point of conception; it was something we arrived at communally, instinctually, as if it was always going to be this way. Indistinct as its beginnings were, and multifarious as its forms of execution are today, there was still a single unifying aspect to the birth of an art form: the vinyl record.
Despite a dizzying variety of new, convenient and increasingly in-depth ways to mix, blend, cut, scratch, beatmatch and beyond, the vinyl record has endured as the fundamental medium for expressing your taste, vision and skill. Lossless digital audio? Beat sync? Stem separation? Sure – but what’s in your actual crate?
Whatever your genre, expectations or skill level, learning to DJ on vinyl is guaranteed to make you a better DJ. But you know this, or you wouldn’t be shopping for one of the best DJ turntables. Ultimately, and wherever you go, you’ll only ever find one answer to this question: the Technics SL-1200/SL1210.
The 1200/1210 is an industry-standard deck for a reason, and the template from which so many other DJ turntables borrow. But it’s not the only one on the market – and, depending on what you’re looking for, you might find something better-suited to your budget, setup or broader needs in my round-up.
Of course, if you’re still looking for guidance on what actually matters when picking a turntable, you’ll find all the help and advice you could ask for at the bottom, including my glossary of terms, a guide on how to choose the best DJ turntable, and a comprehensive FAQ section to dig into.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you want the gold standard DJ turntable: It's often imitated for a reason, and little has changed with the SL-1200 since it first came out in 1979, and it remains the best DJ turntable overall.
❌ Avoid if you want lots of features: The design of the SL-1200 is quite basic, so if you're looking for more features like digital functionality there are other options.
Throughout their production run from 1979 up to 2010, the original SL-1200s changed very little in terms of design and materials; a 2010 unit was remarkably similar to the original Mk2s coming off the production line in the late ’70s. When Panasonic brought production of a DJ-centric 1200 back in 2019, they had to create a new production process and effectively ‘redevelop’ a new version of the classic design.
There are a number of changes between the Mk7 and the original decks, but they’re mostly subtle and in many cases decidedly positive. While the dimensions, feel and style are all familiar, the new SL-1200s have a slightly modernised look, along with a new, more powerful motor.
Feature-wise, it’s mostly a case of ‘if it ain’t broke...’ but there are some small, welcome upgrades: the RCA and power leads are now detachable, so far-easier to replace, and the pitch fader now has a x2 mode for doubling its range. Functionally, there’s no difference between the 1200 and 1210 models here – the names are just regional.
These latest models are no-longer produced in Japan, and the build is, by all accounts, not quite up with the Mk2s, although it’s still solid. In terms of the all-important sound and feel though, these new 1200s live up to the legacy. These remain the industry standard and, if you’re buying a new DJ turntable, you can’t really go wrong here.
Best budget
✅ Buy if you want a solid setup on the cheap: The feature-set on display is incredible, and the specs even more so at this budget price.
❌ Avoid if you don’t have the budget for DJ cartridges: This doesn’t come with a cartridge or even an unloaded headshell, so you’ll need to buy those separately. Not much of a con, but maybe so for those with tight budgets.
Where a dozen budget Technics challengers have come and gone, Reloop’s stood notably strong. This turntable brand’s been making DJ decks since the 90s, and is one of the more prolific brands when it comes to getting your hands on something mixable without having to source a four-figure sum in the process.
The RP-5000 MK4 is the latest Reloop deck, and an absolute bargain of a successor turntable too. The RP-5000 MK4 is a direct-drive turntable with some iterative improvements that lift it a significant degree above its price point.
With a starting torque of around 2.5kg/cm, delivered by an upgraded brushless DC motor, it challenges the oomph of the industry-standard 1200/1210. There’s more pitch options too, with a pitch fader that’s switchable between +/-8 %, +/-16 % and +/-50 %.
It’s incredibly stable, about as adjustable as you’d hope (minus VTA customisability), and in possession of just about every feature a cash-strapped vinyl DJ could ask for – minus a complementary cartridge. Or, indeed, headshell. Still, at this price, it’s not much to ask to buy your own a little sooner.
Best for beginners
✅ Buy if you want your first DJ turntable: It's fairly standard, but solid build quality and an adjustable pitch fader make this a great option if you're after your first set of DJ turntables.
❌ Avoid if you need more functionality: This is a pretty basic set of DJ turntables so if you want lots of features then you're better off looking elsewhere.
Audio-Technica is better know in the DJ and production world for its cartridges and their studio headphones, but its sole DJ-centric turntable is no slouch either. This is a classic, mid-priced Technics-inspired deck.
There are a few factors that differentiate it from its inspiration – removable RCA leads, adjustable pitch fader – but on the whole this is a solid, if fairly standard DJ turntable.
Possibly the most appealing standout factor here is the fact it comes pre-stocked with one of Audio Technica’s AT-XP3 DJ cartridges. If you see the AT-LP140XP at a good price, there’s no reason not to go for it.
Best hybrid
✅ Buy if you want vinyl turntables with digital functionality: As a hybrid turntable with adjustable torque, the RP-8000 makes a great DJ turntable for looping and slicing samples.
❌ Avoid if you like traditional decks: The digital functionality of these turntables will likely be a turn-off for purists.
Although it works perfectly well as a traditional record player, the RP-8000 is aimed primarily at DVS users – DJs who use a ‘digital vinyl’ system that allow them to control DJ software with a hardware turntable.
The RP-8000 is essentially a hybrid between a traditional vinyl turntable and a MIDI controller. Its direct-drive motor, adjustable torque and pitch faders, and Technics-like layout put it in line with many other 1200-inspired decks on the market, but by incorporating a host of rubber buttons it can also be used to perform a number of digital tricks such as hot cueing, looping, slicing and triggering samples.
As a companion to Serato DJ or Traktor, the RP-8000 has a lot going for it, and the price is appealing too. For DJs who want to incorporate modern touches into their traditional vinyl setup, this is a great option.
Best mid-level
✅ Buy if you want an intermediate DJ turntable: Sitting in the middle of this list in terms of price and functionality, this is a great shout if you're looking for something above beginner level but not quite in the realm of the pros.
❌ Avoid if you want the best overall: These decks are based on the Technics 1200s, and with them being available new now you might find you're better off with the real deal.
In the days before Panasonic revived the Technics 1200s, Pioneer’s ‘pro’ DJ turntable looked all set to fill the gap in the market. One look at the PLX-1000s and its immediately obvious that Pioneer were aiming to closely replicate the look and design of the industry standards.
Debate raged amongst DJs about how close these came to the sound and feel, but it’s fair to say they’re in the right ballpark, with enough stability and power to make these impressive DJ decks in their own right.
Of course, now that you can pick up an actual Technics-branded 1200 new once again, the PLX-1000 is a slightly tougher sell. There are a few factors to differentiate the two though – these Pioneer decks retail for around $/£100 cheaper than their Technics counterparts, and there’s more flexibility in the pitch range too, with +/- 8%, 16% and 50% modes available.
Best high-end option
✅ Buy if you’re a card-carrying audiophile: Technics has gone above and beyond to provide an inimitably stable, noiseless direct-drive turntabling experience with this unit.
❌ Avoid if your setup isn’t top-grade: The performance-improving design touches here are excellent, but only provide marginal gains – gains you won’t appreciate if your primary output is a pair of active monitor speakers.
It’s Technics again, but this time with a new and vastly improved iteration of the SL-1200/SL-1210 that should pique the interest of the discerning digger. Robust and stable as the standard Technics SL-1200/1210s we know and love have proven to be, they aren’t anything especially special to write home about when it comes to matters of fidelity. The SL-1200GR2/SL-1210GR2 aims to address these miniscule shortcomings, reaching towards a much quieter, smoother and all-round audiophile-friendly direct-drive turntable.
The SL-1200GR2/SL-1210GR2 features a new and much-improved direct drive system, with a coreless motor that proffers a smoother platter rotation, and a renewed design for minimising vibrational transmission from motor to chassis. A new switching power supply, coupled with some active noise cancellation, practically eliminates any noisy interventions from the power circuitry.
Vibration damping is improved across the board, too, from the two-layer platter to the silicon insulators that anchor the body to your surface of choice.
Is any of this necessary for common-or-garden mix-mastery? No. Will it matter to someone who’s spent five figures on their listening room so far? Very much yes. You don’t need the SL-1200GR2/SL-1210GR2 to have a good time – but if you’re the type to be switched off by the noise potential of direct-drive turntables writ large, this might be your best option yet.
Also consider
For us, the above DJ turntables are what vinyl DJs should be spending their money on. If you didn't find what you were looking for above however, here are a couple more great options for you to consider.
How to choose a DJ turntable
It’s no small investment, setting up a vinyl-DJing workstation at home or in your studio – which is precisely why, if you’re suffering from decision paralysis, you should let the following considerations guide your thinking.
1. Budget
It’s an inescapable factor in any gear-buying decision, and often the prohibiting factor in getting what would be your ideal vinyl-DJing setup. Your budget is particularly important to consider here for the simple fact that you’re not just buying one DJ turntable; you’re buying two. And probably a DJ mixer to sit between them, too.
If money’s no object, then great! A pair of our pick for the best overall – the Technics SL-1200/SL-1210 Mk7 - will probably answer all your remaining questions just fine. If you’re a little cash-strapped, though, then you need to be ready to make some trade-offs.
2. What’s in the box?
Closely related to budget is the matter of what comes along with a given DJ turntable. There’s all sorts of box candy you can benefit from, but the key one to keep in mind is the cartridge – or lack thereof. Most pro DJ turntables will not come with a cartridge, and some do not even come with a headshell to attach a cartridge to either.
The budget-friendlier turntables on our list are a little kinder, though, as with the Audio-Technica LP140XP, which come furnished with AT-XP3 carts. Ultimately, you should be buying your own needles at some point anyway, whether as an upgrade or to make gigging out and about that little bit safer; still, if you’re wanting a plug-and-play experience as a budget-conscious beginner, you’ll want to keep an eye out for decks with carts included in the box.
3. Features
Some turntables are just more feature-packed than others – with special mention to our dearly departed Vestax, a 20th century competitor to Technics that threw everything but the kitchen sink into their ever-evolving roster of forward-looking DJ turntables (ultimately, and unfortunately, to their premature doom).
While today’s DJ turntables might not be quite as full-to-busting with occasionally-misguided innovations, there’s still a lot that can set one apart from the other. Some offer quartz-locked pitch for immovable playback precision, while others (like the Reloop RP-8000 Mk2) have advanced MIDI-control capabilities for compatibility with DVS systems, or DAW-based pitch control. Onboard USB audio outputs for ripping vinyls are common, as are built-in phono stages for easy matching-up with a line-input amplifier.
Some features that certain turntables offer clearly aren’t for everyone. If your setup involves a DJ mixer, are you likely to need a direct USB recording output? Or a built-in phono stage? If you’re after a DJ turntable to digitising records or flipping samples directly at your desk, then that answer may well switch to ‘yes’.
4. Specs
Features are one thing, but specs are another – and much more granular, too. If you’re starting out with DJing vinyl, some specs won’t matter quite as much to you as they will to a seasoned pro, but they’re still worth getting your head around while you’re in the market.
The key specs to consider relate to the direct-drive motor under the hood, in particular its power and its stability. The ideal DJ turntable has a high-torque motor for responsiveness after cueing and playing, and a high level of pitch stability to keep performances clean. A cursory glance at wow and flutter stats will tell give you a clear view as to performance stability; torque, given in kilograms per centimetre or kg/cm, is not as commonly glanced-at but can be a good bellwether for you if you’re a bona fide budding turntablist master.
5. Style
This last one is obviously not as important as the rest, but can still have a pretty major impact on our decision-making. After all, it’s impossible not to have an opinion on how something looks, and especially so if two of them are going to take up an outsized portion of your living room/listening room/studio space/bedroom.
Most DJ turntables look fairly similar to one another, all having taken cues from the OG Technics SL-1200. Some have different colour options to suit your sensibilities, like Pioneer’s black-or-white PLX series, while others use flashier on-board lights to provide some thrilling visual feedback. This writer finds such fripperies distasteful, but we’re not choosing my next DJ turntable!
FAQs
Do DJs still use turntables?
DJs so indeed still use turntables. Though vinyl is no longer the predominant musical format, having long been usurped by fundamentally higher-fidelity CD, and then digital audio files thereafter, it is still a fundamental part of DJing as a culture and a practice.
Many take pride in their dedication to vinyl DJing; to DJ with vinyl is to have an in-depth understanding of your taste and the context of that taste, to the point that you’ve consciously built a crate (let alone collection) around that taste. And it’s to have the techniques to communicate that taste, that knowledge, with care and skill. In essence: you’re not grabbing any old files off Beatport and BPM-syncing your way through a set.
For the beginner, vinyl is an excellent format for discovery and collection, and also the most tactile way to engage with mixing as an art form. All digital DJing systems ultimately hearken back to vinyl DJing techniques and setups; they’re skeuomorphic analogues to the original DJ rig, albeit with modern conveniences galore (thank you Master Tempo button).
Different as DJing with digital audio can be, there are still some fundaments shared with vinyl DJing – fundaments you can improve by vinyl DJing. And this is before we get into the hybrid world of DVS and timecode vinyls, too.
What is a DJ turntable?
A DJ turntable is a record player specifically designed for DJing. It benefits from a variety of tools and features that help DJs, including: pitch faders for adjusting the speed of tracks; cue buttons for starting and stopping the platter instantly; a light to illuminate the stylus, making placement easier; and a stroboscopic platter for visual confirmation of platter speed and stability.
Some DJ turntables are more geared towards turntablism, and may feature a straight tonearm to reduce the risk of needle-skipping – or, in the case of the Numark PT-01 Scratch, built-in features like a dedicated cut switch. Others still bridge the gap between analogue and digital, offering performance pads for better control over DVS software.
Why are Technics SL-1200 considered to be the best?
While they did – and still do – sound decent enough, the Technics SL-1200 were by no means the pinnacle of audio quality, neither were they the most feature-packed record players on the market in their day. In fact, a combination of fairly straightforward features add up to make the 1200s an ideal tool for mixing music.
The first of these is the high-torque direct drive motor that, when combined with a slip mat, allowed DJs to scratch, nudge and generally manipulate records without the player grinding to a halt. Then there’s the now-ubiquitous pitch fader, that gave DJs precise control over the playing speed of a record, making it possible to sync one track with another. Other winning features included the sturdy, grip-like feel of the platter edge – ideal for slowing records – and the s-shaped tonearm.
Perhaps most important though was the rugged build quality, which was a cut above many other record players on the market. While the 1200s aren’t entirely free of flaws – common issues include gradual oxidisation of the tonearm connections and unreliable hardwired RCA leads – a well-maintained set would provide DJs with years of use.
To some extent, as time wore on, the 1200’s dominance became a self-fulfilling prophecy; new generations of DJs learned to mix on 1200s because that's what their heroes used, and would become so used to the decks’ feel and design that anything different would likely throw them off their mix.
While the Technics 1200 series remains the definitive choice of DJ turntable, it’s not the only game in town. There have always been rivals that make a solid case for themselves by undercutting the Technics on price or offering additional features.
Technics’ parent brand Panasonic ceased production of the 1200 line in 2010, citing fall in demand and difficulty sourcing parts, and although a new Mk7 deck has been in production since 2016, in the intervening years a number of potential third-party successors have emerged.
What’s the difference between Technics SL-1200 and SL-1210?
There's no functional difference between the Technics SL-1200 and the Technics SL-1210; the different product names often denote a difference in colour – the 1200s often being silver, and the 1210s often being black (with some exceptions). The fundamental difference is the territory in which they are sold. Generally, Technics SL-1200s are designated for Japanese and US markets, with the 110V power transformer to match; Technics SL-1210s, meanwhile, are available in Europe, often with a switchable-voltage power transformer.
Are all DJ decks the same?
Search the subject of DJ turntables and you’ll stumble upon the term ‘Super OEM’, and likely a few forum posts telling you why many turntables need to be avoided. So what’s this all about? The long and short of it is that a not-inconsiderable majority of modern Technics-inspired turntables are rebadged versions of the same Super OEM range, produced by a single Taiwanese company: Hanpin.
There’s no grand conspiracy here, of course; brands often outsource parts of their production, and Hanpin happens to have the market cornered when it comes to high-quality turntable modules and mechanics. A number of turntables may have underlying similarities between them because of this.
However, that’s not to say there aren’t design variations between models. Equally, while there’s a case to be made that few turntables can match the sturdy build of the original Technics SL1200 Mk2, any forum posts telling you that all other models are a write-off are complete hyperbole. My advice is don’t worry about it too much. In fact, decks with a Super OEM heart (Pioneer’s PLX-1000 inclusive) are often high performers for their price.
Is direct-drive better than belt-drive for DJ turntables?
There are two kinds of drive system used in turntables – belt drive and direct drive. Audiophile turntables tend to opt for belt drive systems, as these distance the motor from the record itself, reducing the introduction of electronic or mechanical noise. Vibration reductions are also assisted by the flexile nature of the rubber belt turning the platter.
Quiet is good as far as turntables are concerned, but belt-drive designs are not ideal for DJ turntables. For one, they lack the torque necessary to cue and play records reliably – both for the belt stretching and slipping against the platter, and for the lower-torque motors used by belt-drive turntables.
Direct drive systems, meanwhile, see the turntable’s platter engaged directly by a motor. This means a more direct transfer of power to the platter, and more torque. Torque affects how rapidly the turntable starts up and how much pressure is needed to slow or speed up the record when mixing; the higher the torque, the better the deck will be for DJing. That said, any of the products in this round-up will provide enough power for most DJs. It’s only really high-level scratch DJs who need to worry too much about torque levels.
What difference does the tonearm make to a DJ turntable?
The tonearm is the long arm with the cartridge and stylus (needle) at its end that you put on the record, and on DJ decks they tend to be either straight or ’S’ shaped. Different shapes confer different benefits, with turntablists preferring straight tonearms that reduce the risk of skipping while back-cueing or scratching.
S-shaped tonearms tend to make it easier for the needle to get a clear and even grasp of the signal held in the groove. My advice would be to aim for S-shaped tonearms if you can, unless you're solely interested in rigorous routines; S-shaped tonearms are perfectly fine for any type of DJing, and agree with more cartridge designs too (such as the industry-standard Ortofon Concorde style of DJ cart, which is designed specifically for S- or J-shaped tonearms).
Do I need to buy a cartridge for my DJ turntable?
Many budget DJ turntables will come with a cartridge and stylus – but not all do. Most professional decks will not even come with an empty headshell to attach a cartridge to, if you’re angling for beginner-grade plug-and-play DJing or a budget setup, check what’s in the box before you buy.
At some point, whether you want to upgrade your home setup or you want to take your newfound love of analogue DJing out into the wider world, you’ll want to invest in a good set of DJ turntable cartridges for yourself anyway – and particularly so for DJing out at other venues. If a venue has house equipment, there’s no knowing how battered those house cartridges are. It's far better to have your own nice, clean and well-maintained needles on-hand.
DJ turntables all tend to use the same industry-standard locking connector for DJ cartridges or ½” headshells, which makes it very easy to install or swap out cartridges as you please.
Ortofon’s Concorde-style carts are a complete product, with the proper connector built into the chassis; other types of cartridge, like Ortofon’s OM series or Audio-Technica’s VM series, attach to a standardised headshell via two top-mounted screws, and are connected to the headshell’s connector via push-fit patch cables.
How does pitch control work?
While there are a few DJs who never adjust the pitch of their records, most do, and if you want to beatmatch and mix tracks together, your direct drive turntables have to have pitch control.
This is a fader that smoothly lowers or increases the speed of the motor, slowing down or increasing the speed the record plays at, enabling the DJ to accurately match the BPM of each record and perform smooth transitions between them.
Pitch faders offer a percentage range by which they can speed up or slow down the record – a higher percentage range means more scope to reach higher or lower BPMs, but sometimes with less accuracy within that range.
Modern pitch faders tend to be digital and more reliable. Newer varieties often allow users to change between a variety of different percentage ranges.
How do I set up my DJ turntable?
If you’ve bought a pair of DJ turntables to mix and/or scratch with, you’ll need to pair them with a decent DJ mixer. The DJ mixer is the real heart of any DJ rig, handling ins and outs for everything – including your decks, your headphone mix, and ultimately what the room hears.
A DJ mixer will have at least two channels, each with volume faders and, more often than not, EQ controls; using these, you can blend between tracks easily and effectively. Each turntable is plugged into the phono input of each channel. The master output of the mixer will go to your amplifier or active DJ speakers of choice, and a headphone port gives you access to both the master mix and a separate cue mix – which enables you to hear what you’re doing without your cueing being broadcast to the whole room.
Of course, before you start, you’ll need to set up your turntables. They tend to need calibrating before they can be used properly, and especially so if they haven’t arrived with cartridges already attached. The key parameters to adjust are tracking force and anti-skate.
Your cartridge of choice will have a recommended tracking force from the manufacturer, which can be set by placing the needle on a small scale on your platter and adjusting the tonearm’s counterweight until the number matches the recommended figure. If you don’t have a scale, you can do this in the short-term by setting the counterweight so the tonearm is roughly balanced in mid-air, setting its number wheel to 0, then advancing the counterweight until the number at the top matches the recommended tracking force.
Anti-skate is set using the dial to the side of the tonearm pivot, and can generally be set to roughly the same number as the recommended tracking force. With this, your turntables are broadly good to go, but if you can adjust the height of the tonearm from its pivot point, you may want to set this so the tonearm is horizontal when the needle is in a record groove; this sets the VTA (referring to the angle of the needle in the groove).
Glossary
Back-cueing: see Cueing.
Beatmatch: The act of matching the BPM of one song to another, by adjusting the tempo of the song or nudging the platter and spindle to align them.
Belt drive: A type of turntable, where the platter is rotated using a belt advanced by a motor. Belt-drive turntables are not typically the turntables of choice for DJs, since they provide less torque and less precision.
BPM: Stands for Beats Per Minute. The BPM of a song is essentially its tempo, which can be controlled on a DJ turntable by the pitch fader.
Cartridge: The assembly attached to the headshell at the end of the tonearm, comprising a stylus, cantilever and an array of electromagnetic pickups. The cartridge engages with a vinyl record via the stylus, and interprets the resulting vibrations as electrical signals.
Conical: A type of stylus shape, most commonly found in DJ-friendly turntable cartridges. Conical styli have a ballpoint tip, which sacrifices some higher-end fidelity for a more stable, record-safe position in the groove that’s happier with back-cueing and scratching.
Counterweight: The adjustable weighted piece at the rear end of a DJ turntable’s tonearm, used to control the force with which the needle at the other end presses into a record’s groove (see tracking force).
Crossfader: A fader on a DJ mixer, that simultaneously fades out one channel of audio and fades in another.
Cueing: Cueing is the preparation of the next song in a mix by setting up its start point using the cue mix in your headphones. With the beat matched correctly and the right cue point lined up, the next song can flow perfectly from the one currently playing. Back-cueing is a part of this process, describing the moment you pull the vinyl back to find that cue point. It’s often a rocking motion, back and forth, to find and set the right spot.
DAW: DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation, referring to computer software used for recording, arranging, producing and mixing music. DAWs can be used to record mixes or rip vinyl to digital formats, and can also be used to control MIDI for more complicated DJing arrangements.
Direct drive: A type of turntable, where the platter is directly turned by a high-torque motor. These turntables are preferred by DJs, owing to high torque that enables stopped records to pick up speed again – and also to a high level of precision in tempo adjustments and settings.
DVS: Stands for Digital Vinyl System. DVS is a clever format that uses a physical vinyl disc, imprinted with a high-frequency timecode, to control digital audio files on a computer from a conventional DJ turntable.
EQ: Stands for equalisation. DJ mixers typically have a three-band EQ stage on each channel, allowing you to cut or boost lows, mids and highs for more effective transitions or creative moments in a mix.
Fader: A sliding potentiometer used to control parameters. On a DJ turntable, you’ll find a fader that controls the speed at which the platter spins, hence the tempo and pitch of the music playing.
MIDI: MIDI is a communications protocol for audio devices, used to enable individual pieces of equipment to talk to and control one another. MIDI can carry tempo information as well as control messages, and can be used with certain DJ turntables to control pitch digitally (among other things).
Mixer: The device that receives the output of your DJ turntables, and sends output mixes to your headphones, booth monitor, and the main output speakers. At their most basic, mixers enable the fading in and out, or crossfading, of tracks between one another – but most also have per-channel EQs and a separate cue mix for auditioning tracks and cues in your headphones. Some mixers also have built-in effects, and digital control surfaces.
Nudging: The act of adjusting a vinyl record while it plays, either by pushing it along or slowing the platter, to line it back up with the other track currently playing.
Pitch: Where a sound or song sits in the wider frequency range. DJ turntables typically enable you to increase or decrease a track’s pitch via the pitch fader, which increases or decreases the speed of the platter.
Platter: The surface on which the vinyl record sits, and which spins when engaged by the direct-drive motor on a DJ turntable.
RCA: Also known as ‘phono’, RCA refers to a standard of coaxial connector used in turntables, audio and hi-fi.
Scratching: A DJing technique where a vinyl record is manually manipulated beneath the stylus, creating rhythmic ‘scratching’ sounds. Scratching is a fundamental technique to turntablism, and can also be employed creatively in conventional mix transitions.
Stylus: The needle attached to the cartridge at the end of a DJ turntable’s tonearm. It engages directly with the groove of a record, and moves sympathetically with the information held in the groove walls.
Tempo: The speed at which a track plays, defined by beats per minute (BPM). The tempo of a track on vinyl can be adjusted using the pitch fader on a DJ turntable, enabling you to beatmatch one song to the next.
Tonearm: The armature which holds the needle, and pivots inwards as needle advances in the groove of a vinyl record. DJ turntable tonearms are often S-shaped to minimise mis-tracking, or straight to minimise skipping issues.
Torque: The ‘power’ behind the platter, given in kg/cm. DJs tend to prefer turntables with higher torque, enabling the vinyl to reach full speed as soon as possible from rest.
Tracking force: The weight placed upon a vinyl record by the stylus, given in grams. Different cartridges ask for different tracking forces, which are set by adjusting the counterweight at the rear of the tonearm. DJ cartridges tend to ask for higher tracking forces, so the needle stays situated in the groove.
Turntablism: A sub-section of vinyl DJing, wherein vinyl records are manipulated or played like an instrument of their own. Through rhythmic scratching and cutting, turntablists create routines that amount to unique performances of their own.
VTA: Stands for Vertical Tracking Angle. The VTA is the angle at which the needle engages with the groove of a given record. It's set by lifting or lowering the tonearm around its pivot point – though not all DJ turntables have adjustable VTA.
How we test
We test gear in the sensible way, by actually using it. For a DJ turntable that means getting hands-on mixing with it. Whenever our review team gets their hands on a new turntable you can bet that's their first port of call with it.
We do always consider that not every DJ uses vinyl in the same way, so as well as performing in our usual style we'll also try and put ourselves in the position of others. This means trying out different styles of vinyl manipulation, and different genres of music. We try long and slow mixes, check out all of the buttons and faders the turntable has, and ensure we test every feature in-depth.
We're also looking at how it interacts with our speakers and headphones, as well as our chosen DJ mixer. If we have multiple mixers we'll try the DJ turntable with those too, all in the aid of giving us an overview of how it will perform for the end user.
Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.
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☑️ 85+ electronic drum products reviewed
MusicRadar first launched in 2007 and has been an authority on electronic drums and percussion ever since, rigorously testing the majority of key launches since day one. The site is run by a diverse team of passionate musicians who live to gig, record and jam, alongside a core group of trusted specialist freelance writers. We understands what players need, because we’re players ourselves, and we test from this perspective.
Our team have been testing music gear for 18+ years, constantly refining our methodology, delving deeper into products and drawing on our experience of what has come before to understand today’s products better than anyone.
Meet the experts
James Grimshaw is a freelance writer and music obsessive with over a decade of experience in music and audio writing. He's lent his audio-tech opinions (amongst others) to the likes of Guitar World, MusicRadar and the London Evening Standard – before which, he covered everything music and Leeds through his section-editorship of national e-magazine The State Of The Arts. When he isn't blasting esoteric noise-rock around the house, he's playing out with esoteric noise-rock bands in DIY venues across the country. James has also been DJing as a side hustle for the past couple of years.
I'm the Managing Editor of Music Technology at MusicRadar and former Editor-in-Chief of Future Music, Computer Music and Electronic Musician. I've been messing around with music tech in various forms for over two decades. I've also spent the last 10 years forgetting how to play guitar. Find me in the chillout room at raves complaining that it's past my bedtime.
Harold Heath is a UK music writer and author. A DJ since the late 80s, Harold also produced a few hundred singles and remixes and two artist albums, and worked as a performer, ghostwriter and music-technology teacher. His first book Long Relationships: My Incredible Journey From Unknown DJ to Smalltime DJ was published in 2021.
Latest updates
16/09/26: Along with a new intro, the guide has been fully audited and new products added. In addition, we've added a section on how to choose the best DJ turntable, added a full glossary of key terms, while the comprehensive FAQ section has been completely rewritten. We've also added a couple of options that are worth considering alongside our main turntable entries, included a section of why you can trust the MusicRadar team and added a 'Meet The Experts' section so you can learn a bit more about the guide's authors.
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