It has been a while since I created my Ultimate Guide to Portable Scratching and with new equipment developments and releases, it is time for an update.
In this article we take a look at the 3 main turntables currently on offer so you can see what is available and so you can do further research to help you decide which one might be right for you.
I’m covering as close to all-in-one solutions as possible and the bare minimum you need to get up and running – a portable turntable and a decent cross fader.
I’m not covering extra mods like tonearms, start stop buttons, pitch control, power packs and other extras.
Disclaimer
Please note that the portable scratch scene is largely built on a DIY / create it yourself culture and some of the turntable options shown here require the user to make warranty voiding modifications or “mods” to the portable turntable, to improve its function and overall performance for scratching.
Please note that you are responsible for all mods and any that you choose to undertake are done so entirely at your own risk.
If you do not know what you are doing, DO NOT DO IT!! Seek professional advice and help.
Ok, let’s get to the fun stuff.
Numark PT01 Scratch
Official Product page: https://www.numark.com/product/pt01-scratch
Retail Price
USD $129
GBP £99
This has become the standard turntable used in the portablism scene.
For best results for scratching, you will need to replace the included pivot style “scratch switch” with a crossfader that cuts the sound on and off in the traditional way which is more suitable for the demands of scratching.
Fader options include:
Jesse Dean Customs
JDDX2RS Numark PT-01 Scratch Fader
JDDX2RS-A Contactless Fader For Numark PT-01 Scratch
Innofader + Reck Housing
https://innofader.com/mixers.php?id=213
Videos
I demo the PT-01 Scratch out of the box in this video, using the built in scratch switch. Know that I’m bringing a fair bit of scratch experience to translate my crossfader skills to be able to create clean scratch sounds using the scratch switch.
Official Videos
Swiftstyle Video
Reloop Spin
Official product page: https://www.reloop.com/reloop-spin
Retail Price
USD $249.99
GBP £198.99
For best scratch results, you will need to upgrade the fader.
Fader Options
JDDX2R-SP Reloop Spin Contactless Fader
Official video
DJcity Videos
Swiftstyle Videos
PT01 Scratch / Reloop Spin Pre-Modified Turntables
If you don’t want to get into doing mods yourself, you can pick up already modified / upgraded setups here:
US
UK
Omni portable turntable
Finally, here is an all in one setup with no mods needed and super awesome features like ultra pitch and DVS functionality that is turning heads and is currently available to preorder. Many of my students have got their sights set on this one.
Official Product Page: http://www.headachesound.com/omnifeatures
Retail Price
Pre-Order Price until September 2019: USD $280
Regular Price: USD $332
Official Videos
Swiftstyle Videos
Other Useful Portablism Resources / Stores
Summary
Portablism equipment updates and developments happen frequently and it is always worth doing your own research to stay up to date with what is available. This article gives you a place to start and other channels to explore if you are interested in what is happening in this rapidly moving scene.
What’s your current preferred portable turntable / setup?
Which one of these would you go for?
Comment below…
Happy Scratching!
– Emma