What To Avoid When Buying Vinyl DJ Turntables
Buying turntables can be a nerve wracking experience for any beginner DJ. You have so many choices when it comes to the types of turntables but you may ask yourself what is the right one for me and which ones should I avoid?
Before you make any costly mistakes it’s best to do research, as always. Luckily for you, this post will tell you some of the things you’ll want to avoid when buying turntables.
There are many manufacturers of turntables such as Technics, Stanton, Numark, Denon and over a dozen others. Each of these companies produce quality turntables at affordable prices. If your DJ gear budget isn’t enough to make the large purchase on quality turntables such as the Technics 1210′s, you can still find a great set of turntables from these companies.
Just remember to look out for these main factors to avoid buying the wrong turntable:
1. Do not buy belt driven turntables
2. Try to buy from trusted brands
3. Your turntable must come with a pitch slider
4. Avoid USB turntables
Belt driven turntables suck – for DJing at least. Unless you are an audiophile that’s really anal about the smallest amount of noise coming from your motor, you will want to go with direct drive turntables. Direct Drive turntables have a motor directly attached to the platter which means you won’t have to deal with any of the hassles like when a belt breaks in the middle of your set using belt driven turntables.
There’s a reason why brands like Technics, Stanton and Numark are some of the most recognized when dealing with DJ gear: because they are reliable. Okay, sometimes they release gear that isn’t all thats cracked up to be but these are the guys that’s been making turntables for quite some time. With these major brands, you can guarantee that they know what they’re doing so you don’t have to worry about buying.
I’m not even sure if this is a requirement but you’d be surprised at how some people completely miss the point of DJing. You need to buy turntables with a pitch slider. If a DJ bought a turntable without a pitch slider, they’re doing all kinds of #FAIL. The pitch slider allows you to speed up and slow down the record – this is key when beat matching your records. If you bought a turntable without a pitch slider you most likely picked up one that was made simply for listening and not DJing.
Finally, without a doubt, USB turntables are absolute garbage. I don’t care how easy they are to set up, they’re made for old people that want to rip their Doo Wop albums. USB turntables have no place in DJing as of yet so just avoid them at all costs.
A word of the wise
If possible, test out the turntable before you make any purchase to see how it handles. Many retail stores will allow you to play around with floor model turntables – use this time to check out the features, price and overall feel before you hand over the cash.
Side note: Don’t be a douche and break the floor model stylus’
If you are buying from a local DJ or a person that no longer wants their gear, try to contact them and ask the history of the pieces. If they were in heavy club rotation with abusive DJs you can bet that they’re not all that great. On the other hand, if they’ve been caring about their gear you can often find some very nice pieces of equipment for very cheap.
Before you buy from anyone locally through Craigslist or other ads ask for them to set up the turntables so you can test them out. Play around with every aspect of the table: motor strength, pitch slider, tone arm and more. If they pass your own little test of quality go ahead and pick them up.
Final tips for buying turntables and avoiding nasty purchases
1. Always check the warranty
2. Consider the resale value if DJing isn’t right for you
3. Look for a set of quality turntables that will last a very long time
Although I told you what to avoid when buying turntables, there are a few things you should look for.
If you are buying a new set of turntables, make sure they come with a warranty in case something goes wrong with them or you receive them broken. There’s no sense in having some sort of “pride” and not return your purchase, it’s your money.
Certain turntables last a long time while also holding their value. Turntables like the Technics 1210′s will often be resold at nearly the same price they were bought for. You may not find DJing is right for you so at least making sure you cover your ass when reselling them will ease the pain a little bit.
Lastly, don’t skimp out by buying low quality turntables. Good sets of turntables will last you many years and return the money you’ve invested in them over and over. You won’t have to worry about replacing parts or them dying on you which you often find in cheap turntables – think before you buy.
One more note…
If you use some of these tips you’ll avoid getting burned. Always do a bit of research into what DJ gear you are buying before you end up wasting anything on low quality gear.
Give turntables a test run, check to make sure they are solid and generally avoid belt driven and USB turntables.
You don’t need to know everything about a turntable before your purchase one, just some of the things you should avoid. Over time you’ll pick up on what you think is the best bang for your buck. In the meantime, as a beginner DJ, start with the best and work your way from there.
Happy buying
