Pioneer DJ PLX-1000 Turntable

General

For any genuine vinyl purist, there is only one gold standard, and that's the myth and the legend that is the SL-1200. Unfortunately, they're no longer in production, so to fill the gaping void, Pioneer step up with the PLX-1000. Make no mistake, this is no direct copy or even emulation of the OG SL-1200: this is a mighty turntable in its own right and boasts an ultra-neat layout that's been wiped clean of any over-fussy controls and features - just like its hero. On top of that, Pioneer have taken on SL-user feedback to produce an audiophile-grade neo-icon.

The Pioneer PLX-1000: As Close as it Gets

The Pioneer PLX-1000 comes as close as it gets to the original while throwing in some welcome tweaks and upgrades. So, the RCA output has been finished with gold-plated contacts and you won't find anything as frivolous as a USB or ethernet port or anything as messy as an output fitted with a phono/line switch. In short, this turntable has been exclusively designed to be teamed up with a DJ mixer. While the SL-1200 offered -8% and +8% pitch adjustments, the PLX-1000 can be tweaked at +/-16% and +/-50%. In addition, the pitch has been split into three different ranges, supporting drastic shifts as well subtle transitions.

Innovative Tone Arm

The curved S-shaped tone arm has been selected to ensure that the needle sits directly above the groove for the smoothest possible thread and minimal noise, and the tone arm itself has been finished with internal rubber to reduce 'crying'. The platter movement is controlled via a powerful three-phase motor with a starting toque of no less than 4.5kg/cm and can achieve the selected playback speed (33.3 or 45 RPM) in just 0.3 of a second.

Stability & Damping

An important point when it comes to turntables is their vibrational sensitivity; a problem which Pioneer have cleverly solved by resting the heavy metal upper platter on highly absorbent material, which in turn, rests on a sturdy, solid baseplate. The result is a far less sensitive turntable that's more than able to handle the inevitable vibrational transfer in the booth when playing live sets.

A Neo-Icon

In terms of setup, this turntable is built to spin vinyl and do nothing but spin vinyl, whether as part of a traditional dual system, hooked up to a good quality mixer (maybe another member of the Pioneer legacy), or as part of a digital system with the help of timecode vinyl, a capable digital mixer like the DJM-900SRT, and a copy of Serato DJ. However you set it up, the PLX-1000 will reward you with a pure and satisfying, old-school feel backed up by modern quality.

Tips or comments about this product

• Please note: This product includes the turntable only. Any other products seen in the images serve illustrative purposes only and are not included.
• A cartridge is not included.
• Spare parts for this turntable can be found here! See the download tab on this page for a list of available spare parts.