Price Paid:  $300.00 from www.qualityelectroni

Summary:
The DENON DP-DJ151 is an excellent turntable made by the reputable DENON ELECTRONICS COMPANY. I will compare it to the DJ industry standard TECHNICS SL-1200 M3D turntable since I own both. Performance wise, the turntables are identical. The torque is the exact same for both turntables, and so is the breaking. The DP-DJ151 uses a DC motor while the SL 1200 uses an AC motor. The sound quality is the same from both turntables also. The DP-DJ151 enjoys a few advantages over the SL 1200. (1) it has 3 brake speeds to choose from, the SL 1200 only has one break speed. (2) The DP-DJ151 also has a digital out so you can just hook it up directly to your computer etc., making digital recording a simper task. With the digital audio output, the DP-DJ151 also can function on line outputs (since its output is digital)or phono. This makes the turntable more flexible when connecting it to mixers and such and can come in handy. It also does not need a ground wire like the SL 1200 uses, just one less thing to worry about when hooking it up to your mixer/power source. The ground wire is a thin wire on the SL 1200 that can easily break off or get damaged if you're not careful with it. (3) the DP-DJ151 is dual voltage (115V and 210V), so you can use it in North America or in Europe, while the North American SL 1200 is single voltage and would require a adapter for use in Europe. (4) Both the DP-DJ151 and SL 1200 have equally solid and accurate pitch adjustments, but the DP-DJ151 enjoys a greater range, plus or minus 12% for the DP-DJ151 compared to 8% for the SL 1200. However the Technics SL 1200 also has one advantage over the DP-DJ151. As far as build quality goes, the SL-1200 has a slight advantage. Although at $100 more than the DP-DJ151, the SL-1200 should be of better build quality. The DP-DJ151 is built very well, but where the DP-DJ151 uses quality plastics, the SL-1200 uses virtually indestructable aluminum. I can see why the SL-1200 can last for 20 plus years, it is built like a tank. I am confident that the DP-DJ151 can last just as long, but only time will tell. The DP-DJ151 weighs in at 26lbs, while the SL-1200 weighs in at 32lbs, they seem to weigh pretty much the same when I pick them up, both are heavy. The SL-1200 feels like the better built turntable. For example when you knock on it, it exudes a higher quality thump sound than the DP-DJ151 does. It uses virtually no plastic, so it also feels a bit higher quality to the touch versus the DP-DJ151, which uses hard plastic buttons and hard plastic surrounding the tonearm. The plastic on the DP-DJ151 is of good quality though. The SL-1200 also has a slightly heavier platter, but I do not see any advantage in a slightly heavier platter as far as performance goes other than the ability to absorb vibration slightly better. The heavier platter also feels a little bit better to the touch than the lighter platter on the DP-DJ151. Contrary to one of the reviews for this product on this webpage, the platter on the SL-1200 and the DP-DJ151 are of the same thickness. Also, there is no hum at all when I connect the DP-DJ151 to my audio equipment. If you hook up the turntable correctly, there will be no hum of any kind. Also, the tonearm is the same as on the SL-1200. The platter is not skimpy at all, being only slightly lighter than the SL-1200's. The only complaint I have about the DP-DJ151 is that the Key Adjust feature is useless because it exudes an undeniably annoying double beat effect when activated. I have no idea why they put the key adjust feature on the DP-DJ151 when it sounds so bad. Even though the key adjust feature works horribly, the DP-DJ151 is still a fantastic turntable. It gives you the performance of a Technics SL-1200 M3D for around $100 cheaper. It also enjoys a few significant advantages over the SL-1200, with only a slight disadvantage in build quality. I recommend the DP-DJ151 for DJ's or audiophiles who want to save money over the SL-1200.

Strengths:
*Dual Voltage *3 brake speeds *Great build quality *No ground wire needed *SL-1200 performance for $100 cheaper *Digital Output *Better pitch range than the SL-1200 (plus or minus 12% vs. plus or minus 8%) *Superb value

Weaknesses:
Key Adjust feature is worthless, exudes a double beat effect when activated. Denon needs to either make it work flawlessly or not include it at all on the DP-DJ151. If this turntable were of the same build quality as the SL-1200, it undeniably would be a better turntable.

Similar Products Used:
*Technics SL-1200 M3D

Price Paid:  $315.00 from audiolines.com

Summary:
I'm sorry to say that I wasn't particularly impressed with this turntable. I was, for some reason, expecting more from the name Denon. It's a decent unit for the causual user, but the serious audio enthusiast would be well advised to look elsewhere. Overall build quality is very good, all the controls have a nice feel, and it's a very solid unit. The tonearm stands a cut above anything that Gemini and a couple others are offering, that's for sure, although obviously from the same vendor, as is the too-light, too-thin, unevenly balanced platter. That's one of my complaints. The other is noise. When using the direct-out, there is a very noticeable hum with the power on. I thought I would try the line-level outputs to see if that helped. That did decrease the hum somewhat, but the phono stage is very noisy compared to the almost dead-silent phono stage of my preamp. The pitch slider tracks accurately and instantly, and the back-lit buttons make it easy to operate in a dim environment. The turntable has plenty of torque, plus a variable brake speed, which can be handy at times. Ever notice how all turntables seem to look alike? That's because they are. Putting together a turntable is kinda like ordering in a Chinese restaurant... motor from column A, platter from column B, tonearm from column C, and so on. So what you get is not a "design" from a particular manufacturer, but their particular choices from what's available from vendors, which they assemble and brand as their own. Denon chose a great motor, halfway decent arm, and a flyweight, entry-level platter. Two out of three ain't bad. But then, consider that an appropriately massive platter isn't going to stop on a dime, and you see why the choice was made. It's a DJ turntable, not an audiophile turntable. This really isn't a bad unit at all, it's just a lot less than I expected from Denon as far as sheer audio quality goes. I would recommend it for a DJ or a causual vinyl listener.

Strengths:
Better tonearm than most, overall build quality is very good. Has many useful features, some not found on other tables.

Weaknesses:
Phono output hums, line-level output hisses. Skimpy platter doesn't do much for the specs, which are a little below par.

Similar Products Used:
Sony, Dual, Techincs.

Price Paid:  $300.00

Summary:
Received 2 defective units in a row. Gave up. First unit worked part of the time, but poorly. Problem was measured S/N on line out was less than 50db specified. preamp gain was very low, lots of digital noise at 333kHz and 20MHz in line output, preamp and digital outputs dissappeared randomly, turntable turn off caused random increase in TT speed to >100rpm (had to shut off machine to recover). Second machine had no output from cartridge at digital or line out. Just noise from preamp and digital leakthru to line out. Gave up. Looks to be the same table as Technics SL1200, Stanton also lists one that appears to be the same.

Strengths:
Physically seems good. Nice quick start and stop. Would like a little grip to the mat. Great idea to have digital output. Seems ideal for archiving.

Weaknesses:
POORLY SPECIFIED. Stated SN>50db not qualified, and abysmally low. No self respecting preamp design would list less than 70-80db S/N re: 2.5 to 10mV input w/o A weighting. Normal peramp specs absent: input max mV, RIAA accuracy, cartridge load in R and C, preamp gain at 1kHz, preamp distortion, preamp output V. Digital output specs very thin or absent. Wow & flutter specs minimal. Lots of digital feedthrough at 333kHz and 20MHz into line output. Quality control questionable, although customer service states they've had very few problems with this unit

Price Paid:  $350.00 from long time ago

Summary:
Basically this is made for people who want to try something different and not use the normal.

Strengths:
The Torque is strong and the digital outs are pretty handy but I would rather go with Technics or Vestax because an 8+/- or 10 pitch adjustment is better than DENON''s 16+/- adjustment. Maybe if DENON made a later model they could make this adjustable.

Weaknesses:
The Key Adjust isn''t exactly perfect. After moving it a little bit it doesn''t change the pitch and not the tempo but it only causes a delayed trainwreck effect. This doesn''t come in handy when mixing. One more thing... DENON has the worst service ever. I needed to get my tonearm fixed and they lost my turntable and also claimed not to have ever received it. It took me 6 months to end up getting it. Those jerks!

Similar Products Used:
Save up and buy Technics!

Price Paid:  $650.00 from Long and McQuade

Summary:
Well these decks as I see it were desinged for the Beatmixing DJ (not the turntablist).I how ever don't touch the platter I use the pitch to control the beai matching not my hands on the vinyl For me these are the end of the line. Use these tables about 6hours daily with no
Complaints. As a Dj of ten+ years i recomend these to anyone who wants a Change for the better...

Strengths:
The Digital out is great fo recording vynil to PC,Dat or Minidisc.The start up is the exzact same as technics SL1200mk2(I think denon actually uses beaks motors aswell)the torque is second to none.The break function is extremely useful.+/-12 pitch control very acurate.
great look design and feel..

Weaknesses:
The key adjust is not at the pinacalle of technology yet.When used it emitted a flangeing double beat effect
Not yet perfected...? I guess???

Similar Products Used:
this will be the 12th pair of decks I have owned 8 of those technics SL1200MK2s. Others where vestax PDX-2000.