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Review 1 of 12
Price Paid:
$129.00
from Ubid Summary:
It seems that everyone wants to be scratch DJ these days, which requires a certain type and grade of equipment (not to mentions lots of skill). But not every DJ needs to scratch, and not everyone buying a DJ turntable needs to scratch, either.
I've used this turntable in a home stereo and it has performed admirably and flawlessly in that capacity. For its price it far outperforms similar so-called hi-fi turntables made by Sony, Pioneer, Aiwa, etc. While nobody will mistake it for a higher-end Rega or Linn, it beats the pants off of most piles of plastic that you can get for less than $200.
It's a remarkably quiet turntable, especially for a direct drive. And it tracks like a champ on all but the most warped LPs. Soundwise, it's pretty neutral, with decent, but not spectacular dynamics.
The turntable itself is pretty heavy duty, with enough plastic to remind you it's no $400 'table. The motor is powerful and the stop brake is pretty damn fast. However, one should note that the motor will cause a slight hum in more sensitive, less shielded cartridges. I mounted a Grado Green, and it would hum a bit especially on the inner grooves. It wasn't particularly noticeable, but I still replaced it with a more shielded Stanton
DJ cart.
I've also used this 'table for light-duty DJ work. It's a fine performer for doing straight-up part or dance DJ work, where all you need to do is segue songs and do a little beat matching. Back-queing is easy and the needle stays planted in the groove. The brake makes it simple to find the start of the song (or the beat) and get the record cued up quickly.
The biggest defecit for me is the lack of quartz-lock. In general the XL500 holds its speed really well, but I typically have to adjust it a little right when I power it up for the first time. Then I usually don't have to touch the speed for hours of play. The strobe comes in hand for this, making proper speed setting a snap -- just try that on your plastic belt-drive Sony.
Overall, this is a great turntable for someone looking to get back into vinyl with their home stereo, or DJs doing basic mixing duties with little scratching or turntablism. It beats just about every 'table in its price class, whether they're home or DJ 'tables. Strengths:
A fine basic home turntable or DJ turntable for basic mixing (not heavy scratching). Has a heavy duty, strong motor, good brake. Tracks well, needle stays planted. Weaknesses:
Lack of quartz-lock, some plasticky parts. Not the best choice for heavy scratching and turntablism -- but very few turntables are really good for that. Similar Products Used:
Onkyo turntable, Technics 1200s, Project 1.2
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