Audio Tecnica ATLP120’s
If you want more standard go with tech1200’s used. If you want super high torque go with the stanton st-150’s (The s tone arm)
The LP120’s look ok but I’d imagine they are going to be largely the same as the Reloop RP2000s the OP was originally looking at- i.e they will do a job but for the money they cost I still reckon second-hand Technics, Vestax, or Super OEM represent better value.
Good review on the LP120’s here: http://www.djbooth.net/index/dj-equi…-usb-turntable
This bit would put me off a bit though if I was spending that kind of money:
This is the only important information anypone needs to take from this. 
I just looked at the UK prices for the LP120- £225 per deck!! 
That is some mark-up we have to pay!
to clarify, i was talking about reloop RP2000s, not the vestax haha
Lol! I had thought you might be crazy!
The misunderstanding provoked more discussion though, so that’s still good. 
Ah that makes more sense! 
I thought the Technics and super OEM’s had 4.5kg torque?
Super OEM’s have varying amounts but are all very high- the Stanton ST/STR150’s have switchable torque up to a maximum of 4.5kg.
Technics 1200/1210 Mk2s are 1.5kg, the Vestax PDXs are 2.7kg.
Given how the 1.5kg of the Technics really is plenty (don’t forget this was seen as massive torque for a turntable), it just shows how crazy the Super OEMs are- I’m sure I heard someone say (jokingly or otherwise) that you could file your nails down on the Stanton ST150 platter on max torque!
I couldnt agree more with what Patch said about learning on 2000’s, i bought them for my 1st set, only dj at home usually get 2 hours a week on them. I got really good with the Vestax over the 2 years i had them, beat match in an instant riding the pitch. I sold them and bought 2 technics 1210mk2’s and ive had them almost 8 months now, again usually just getting an hour or 2 practice a week on them and i would say im only just gettin in the groove with them, there is a MASSIVE difference between the 2 in my opinion. I couldnt understand why i couldnt just mix as good as i could on my vestax straight away. The Vestax PDX2000mk1’s was sound to use, couldnt fault them, i wanted to go to technics as i had always wanted some, just didnt want to spend all that money on technics to find i didnt take to mixing on vinyl, as it happens its the best thing ive done and regret not just getting the technics 1st now, as id be super smooth on them now haha…
Around the turn of the century, I worked in the mail order department of one of the UK’s biggest DJ gear retailers.
This was at a time when CDJs were just becoming popular in the club scene; but the vast majority of sales were turntables, with the only two popular high-end options being Techs or Vestax.
I would get a lot of flack from my bosses, because I would always push potential buyers towards Techs, which we made WAY less profit margin on. (People never realised that when you bought a pair of 1200s for £700 retail, that barely covered the cost price).
But, in spite of this, I would still recommend them. Because I knew, also being a working DJ, that the experience of mixing was very different on the two types of deck. And, at that time, you were basically guaranteed to find Techs at any venue you played.
It’s the same reason i recommend Pioneer CDJs today. Like it or not, that’s what you’ll find in the vast majority of venues.
When it comes to turntables in 2014, though, I think differently.
Using TTs, at all, makes you something of a rare breed. I play alongside very accomplished young DJs every week who have never touched a vinyl deck in their lives.
Thankfully I’ve managed to ensure 2 of my 4 weekly gigs have Techs for me to use, but I’d say 95% of venues in my city (Newcastle) do not have a single TT in the building now.
That means, if you want to play vinyl, and you aren’t enough of a big cheese to have a tech rider, you’d better get used to either carrying your TTs with you, or just using vinyl at home for pleasure, and using CDs/USB/Laptop for gigs.
So the whole thing of being used to one type of deck or another is kind of redundant today, IMO.
I think people should buy a decent, high-end TT setup which they can get enjoyment from, but forget about any ‘standard’, because apart from certain rarified places in the world, TTs aren’t ‘standard’ anymore, full stop.
(Note: If the Serato forums are to be believed, every club in the U.S still has a pair of Techs. I can only speak as a European here, where TTs, in the main, appear to be rarer than Unicorn poop).
Great advice on here! Thanks.
What about the record wearing out on a straight tone arm like the vestax pdx’s? Is it really significant over the s-bend arms?
Cause these Vestax Pdx’s are way cheaper over here in the Netherlands.
I’ve not noticed any difference between my 1210s or my PDXs in that regard, but then I do use 44-7s on my 1210s which probably offsets any difference in the tone-arm.
I could be wrong but I would have thought variables such as what cart/needles you use and how you have the tone-arm set up would have far more bearing than the difference between S & straight arms. Hopefully someone else can elaborate further though!
Might actually go for the PDX3000MKII, have seen one for a great price!
Just a tad worried about the record wear with the straight tone arm…
But since almost all of the very expensive (modern) hifi tables around have straight arms… I don’t think straight tone arms will wear out a record that fast!
And a big plus, if I continue spinning vinyl only… I can purchase a brand new one for around 550-600 euro’s!
The 3000 is a superb deck… I say go for it!
What Needle/cartidge/stylus would you suggest?
The PDX I’m looking for already has an ‘‘ortofone concorde nightclub’’ fitted but I’ve read that this type of stylus doesn’t really fit a straight tonearm table that well?
I’m looking for minimal record wear, no scratching (besides back cue), optimal sound quality.
Did you ever learn anymore about other needles?
Glad to see this thread because I had some of the same questions in mine. Although I live in Australia it still helps.
No unfortunately I didn’t learn much more about needles…
I’m running the Ortofon Nightclub for now, works flawless and sounds great.
What I did learn is not to angle your cartridge for normal mixing!
I’m not personally a fan of Ortofon cartridges, though they are loud.
I run a pair of Shure M35S which I have to say I really like though they are quieter than Ortofon’s I think they sound a lot nicer. I’ve also played with Shure Whitelabels which again sound lovely. Also record wear with the Shure’s is a lot lower.
As for the straight vs S-arms, well straight tonearms actually track better and is why there used on the scratch orientated turntables like Vestax, and why there used on HiFi tables.
I have a pair of Technics for playing on, and my Hi Fi deck is a Pro-Ject which has a straight which is purely for listening.