DJs looking for versatile, sturdy turntables haven't exactly been spoilt for choice in the past. But just as CD starts to make inroads into the DJ scene, the competition in record decks has begun to hot up. Rob Green looks at the new direct-drive PDT-5000 from Vestax, and finds there's still a living to be made on the ones and twos...

Up to now, it's been difficult for DJs to take any of the Technics 1210 copies seriously. And it was in this spirit of scepticism that I approached the Vestax PDT-5000. But contrary to expectations, these turntables have an identity of their own.

The Vestax cocks a snook at Technics in terms of looks, layout and functions. And it pioneers a new approach to the idea of a direct-drive mixing turntable. Instead of just seeking to duplicate the functions of the Technics, this is a different tool for a different type of DJ. If they suit your style - take 'em, and if they don't - don't! They're unlikely to topple the 1210 from its pedestal, but in the ever-growing world of the DJ, there's room for more than one decent mixing machine. We introduce the first and only alternative....

In Session

Vestax supplied a pair of flightcased PDT-5000s for The Mix's stand at last month's Live 94 show at Earl's Court. And sandwiched between them lay a particularly tasty (and shiny) mixer. This was the Vestax PMC-46 mixing console.

Unusually, the PDT-5000s have no integral power switch. Just hook up the mains supply and the glow of the pitch meters shows you you're ready to roll. The decks are easy to get used to and very user friendly. The mixer was not quite so simple. The PMC-46 is a well-equipped piece of kit, with almost everything that the mixing DJ could ask for, but this I will discuss later.

There's also much to admire about the decks. I found they got up to speed very quickly (in 0.5 seconds to be exact). As well as this, they felt incredibly tight in the mix. If you spend a bit of extra time getting the pitch just right, you'll find that they rarely slip out of time. If they do happen to slip out slightly, a gentle brushing or flicking action will suffice, as the platter is very light. In this respect I would say the Vestax is better than the heavier Technics 1210.

As well as high torque and tight speed control, Vestax also offer you an extra 2% of speed over the 1210. This is something that I haven't seen on a record deck before, and also something I found damn useful when you have two records with very different BPMs, and you are already thrashing the other record out at top speed - you know the scenario!

As for the start and stop facilities, they're a little bit sparse. All you're offered is one button for the purpose. It works, but it's not as versatile as that of the Technics 1210. It doesn't have the tight punch of the faster-stopping 1210. Also, you are denied the option of long, slow deceleration which you have with the 1210's on/off switch. But if you're not into the tricks and trademarks of hardcore DJing and just want a clean mix, this won't be a problem.

One of the most immediately attractive aspects of the decks is the pitch meter. It gives you visual control over the speed of the record. On a Technics deck in a dark club, it's all-too easy to knock the pitch too far out. At least with the back-lit meter this is less likely. Control over pitch really seems to be Vestax's forte.

"Instead of just seeking to duplicate the functions of the Technics, this is a different tool for a different type of DJ"

Safe pair of hands

When I was using the decks at Live 94, there was a lot of vibration from footsteps and from the PA system, and the flightcase was perched on a pretty flimsy stand. In these difficult conditions, I was very surprised at how little the needle jumped. In fact, I can't remember the records skipping once while I was using them.

Only once was the turntable action less than smooth. At one point, when I was cueing up, the platter sped up dramatically when I released it, messing up the mix I was attempting. It proved to be an aberration. Maybe it was the servo motor reacting to too much pressure on the platter? This is something that will remain a mystery to me. Spooky!

We had some figures from clubland using the Vestax decks at Live 94. Justin Berkman of the Ministry of Sound loved them. He knew the mixer inside-out anyway, and soon began mixing up a storm and pulling the crowds round the Music Maker stand. Other DJs to sample the decks included Alex Hazzard, MC Ruff of the Prodigy, Matt Skinner of Birmingham's Wobble club, DJ Barney, and Mark Durham of the Fuk'dup Twins! All had fun on the PDT-5000s.

Build Quality

The construction of the PDT-5000 seems particularly robust. Indeed, in many areas it lacks the design faults of its rival. The vibration insulators are superior to any I have previously used. There are special shock absorbers in the feet, and a rubber suspension system under the tone arm. Together, they help greatly to reduce direct drive motor vibration and speaker rumble interfering with the tracking.

Another triumph for Vestax is the excellent pitch control. It's nice and chunky, smooth, very precise and, best of all, removeable. As with many of Vestax's professional DJing products, they give you the option to change the fader instantly. For instance, in the unlikely event that you are in the middle of a mix and the pitch fader happens to break, it can be unscrewed and replaced quickly and almost unnoticeably.

To help you when adjusting the pitch fader, Vestax give you a pitch meter. This is a novel idea. When playing in a dark environment, the backlit analog pitch meter helps you make subtle changes to the pitch visually, which can help dramatically. This facility is only slightly marred by the the meter's accuracy. Instead of acting as an accurate speedometer which responds to manual manipulation of the platter, it takes its cue from the position of the pitch fader. As a result it is more gimmicky than practically useful. Were the speed control to become faulty, you would be misled by the pitch meter.

The detachable platter light is something Vestax seem to be proud of, but I just can't see the benefits. A type of elongated phono plug with a beacon at the top, it plugs into a 12v surface-mounted power supply, as though this might lend itself to other uses. It just seems a cheaper version of the Technics stylus light. At least on the Technics it pops up and down smoothly, while here it simply plugs in and will be easily lost or stolen, as we discovered after a short period of demonstrations at Live 94. Oops! Good as the PDT-5000 is, this feature, along with some others, is evidence of a tendency to cut corners; not really on at this sort of price.

The rubber start and stop button is also replaceable, but in common with several of the Vestax's other plastic components, feels as though it needs to be.

One of the saving graces of the PDT-5000 is its brilliant high torque direct drive AC servo motor. The motor is reliable, very controllable and produces 1.6kg of torque. This means that at 33 1/3 rpm, the platter will reach its maximum speed in approximately 0.5 seconds. To allow precision speed control from the pitch fader, the motor is quartz controlled (as with the Technics 1210).

If you are the sort of DJ who likes to do a lot of heavy back-tracking and scratching, then you will like the new feature that Vestax have included on their tone arm. Instead of having to fish into your pocket to find a coin to weight the stylus, you have the option of adjusting the anti-skating and the stylus weight to a massive seven grams. With a heavier stylus weight on the PDT-5000, the stylus seldom or never skipped or slid, no matter how zealous I became with the scratching.

Impressions

My overall impression of the PDT-5000 is one of a good quality piece of professional equipment that requires just a little cosmetic improvement. If this was offroad motoring, the Vestax is more beach buggy than Land Rover. It seems a little plasticky and light, and less durable than the metal-armoured Technics 1210 turntable. Everyone who is used to 1210s knows they're tough, and will survive years of abuse. As to how good the Vestax decks are on the road, only time will tell.

Vestax's idea of making the parts easily changeable is innovative and will be great for professional clubs, even if it smacks of planned obsolescence. It's probably just paranoia, but spare parts are hardly cheap, and I would certainly not be pleased about shelling out an extra 70 odd quid for a new pitch control every few months. After all, at a hefty £439 pounds each, the PDT-5000s are hardly a steal.

"The vibration insulators are superior to any I have previously used"

For certain styles of DJing however, these machines have a lot to recommend them. The pitch control is very tight, the platter strong, and the tracking is also high quality. Apart from some of the niggling little features, the PDT-5000 is a very useful mixing tool and in some ways better than the Technics. A little more durability, and little less plastic on the fascia, and the price would be well justified. At present, they'll need to lose £50 or so to look like a better package. But there are certainly those who will succumb to the PDT-5000's charms.

The essentials...

Prices inc VAT: £439 (PDT-5000) £1099 (PMC-46)

More from: Vestax Europe, (Contact Details)

The PMC-46 is a four channel mixer that can accept a wide range of input sources. Each channel can accept one phono and two stereo line sources, including CD, tape, DAT or video. It's a great mixer for those who like clinical mixing, because each channel has treble and bass EQ. It actually allows you to take out the bass from one record while you're mixing, so avoiding the unpleasant clashing and phasing effects which bedevil kick drum beat mixing.

Everything is adjustable on the PMC-46. Even the crossfader can be disabled in favour of two rotary level controls. I prefer the rotary controls. They make a change to faders, and can be easier to manipulate.

In keeping with many other professional Vestax products, the crossfader is replaceable. But when crossfaders can fail as often as every few months and will set you back £73.58 a time, it's a lot to be paying regularly for home use.

The monitoring is very clear and works with the gain control. The more gain you have, the more volume you are given through the headphones, and monitoring is of course stereo.

One interesting addition to the console is a little LED on each channel, which is designed as a beat counter to help you match your BPMs better and obtain a tighter mix. It looks good, but can sometimes be misleading, and could easily be mistaken for a peak level indicator.

The auxiliary button increases the mixer's versatility. On the back panel there are send and return sockets to allow you to patch in any effects unit you like, and they can be instantly activated by the aux buttons.

A separate monitor system can be run through the sub master section, allowing ultimate control directly from the front panel. This is an invaluable addition to what is already a quality piece of mixing equipment. To me, mixers are what Vestax do best.

Only the PMC-46's price interferes with my enjoyment of this otherwise excellent piece of kit. Brace yourself.... £1,099. Despite all it offers, I'm afraid that I would have to think twice about that kind of outlay. After all, you can buy decent studio mixers for that price nowadays. On the other hand, nightclubs might be looking for something robust and reliable, without a forest of knobs which only confuses the average jock. But it's hardly a candidate as a home or 'party-pack' mixer, not unless your dad's the Duke Of Westminster.