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

Product Information

The PLX-500 series inherits design features from the PLX-1000 professional turntable to produce the high-quality sound you expect from vinyl. The shortest possible audio routing from the stylus to the outputs reduces distortion, and the phono and line outputs mean you can connect directly to your sound system or powered speakers to enjoy warm sound. I would recommend Pioneer PLX-500 to beginner DJs who want to learn how to play, plus have the pleasure of listening to vinyl records from time to time. For people who have already decided on a DJ career, the PLX -1000 will certainly be more recommended. The drive is the mechanism that actually makes the turntable turn. First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure that drive is capable of playing the record at the correct speed (33 or 45 RPM — or in rare cases, 78 RPM). Then there’s the actual type of mechanism, which can be either a belt drive or a direct drive. Belt-driven players are the old school type still preferred by connoisseurs since they tend to be more silent. As a trade-off, you may have to replace the belt eventually if your player sees a lot of use. Direct drive turntables have a dedicated motor that spins the platter, which is sometimes audible but more convenient. The Reloop RP-8000 MK2 is the obvious choice for DJs who use digital vinyl system (DVS) software such as Serato or Traktor. It’s a clever hybrid turntable which includes controller features designed specifically for software.

Next, I wanted to try ripping some tunes, so I hooked one PLX-500 to to my laptop via USB and fired up Rekordbox, which has a vinyl recording feature. Again, no issues and it worked fine. So far, so good. My expectations are being met, which got me excited about my next test, which was spinning. DJingPioneer is renowned for its high-quality turntables, and two of its most popular models are the PLX-1000 and PLX-500. These turntables offer exceptional sound quality and performance, making them a top choice for DJs, vinyl enthusiasts, and music lovers alike. In this article, we will delve into a comprehensive comparison of the PLX-1000 and PLX-500, exploring their features, specifications, and overall performance to help you make an informed decision when choosing your ideal turntable. 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! You can, for example, listen to Beatles ‘She Loves You’ at “natural” speed (on official releases, apart from some Japanese releases, the song is accelerated by several percent, of course consciously, by George Martin’s decision from 1963). Turntables are fussy things – they rely on a tiny needle sitting in a record groove. This is why the best DJ turntables are built like tanks, weigh a ton, and often expensive. The added mass and weight make them less prone to unwanted vibrations and bumps, especially when you’re stood next to a pair of bass bins. When you cut corners to make a DJ turntable, compromises are inevitable.

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.

What the PLX-500 DJ turntable can do

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 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. 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.

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. Lastly, the metal platter underneath isn’t as dense as the PLX-1000. It doesn’t feel as solid as the flagship.Looking from above, we see the On/Off switch, the large Start/Stop button, and the three-speed selector. This offers you a choice of 33, 45, or 78 rpm. Pioneer have also kept the +8/-8 pitch fader, which works great for pitch bending (even though the motor is not as powerful as the PLX-1000). The aluminum platter looks impressive due to the “centered” outer flange, which is part of the classic strobe rotation control system. Inside we see a three phase brushless motor with electronic brake. This setup enables seamless transitioning between the three rpm settings. This not only increases the amount of control a DJ has, but also makes for much easier and more precise mixing, which is very important when starting out as a DJ. The S-Shaped Tonearm comes with a Fully Detachable Headshell. But is This Important?

Ultimately, the choice between the PLX-1000 and PLX-500 depends on your specific requirements and budget. If you are a professional DJ or an avid vinyl enthusiast seeking top-of-the-line performance, the PLX-1000’s superior build quality, direct drive motor, and audiophile-grade sound reproduction make it the ideal choice. Its precise speed control and excellent stability will elevate your DJ sets or listening experience to new heights. Price is often a determining factor when choosing between turntables. The PLX-1000 is positioned as a premium model, commanding a higher price tag than the PLX-500. However, it justifies its price with superior build quality, a direct drive motor, and enhanced sound reproduction, making it a worthy investment for professional DJs and serious vinyl enthusiasts. On the other hand, the PLX-500 offers excellent value for money, catering to those on a tighter budget or casual listeners who prioritize convenience and basic features.

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. 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.