When vinyl was king, DJs had to be precise and understand their music collection inside and out. Nowadays, CDJs and new software have made beatmatching, mixing, and pretty much everything easier and more accessible. On the one hand, this is great for those interested in getting started as a DJ, but the flavor and flaws from how old-school turntables and vinyl operated are getting lost in the digital age. There are certainly DJs who still spin vinyl (and actually know how to scratch), but it’s hard to deny the quality-of-life features the new tech provides, even if you’re a purist. Pioneer has long been an industry darling and completely changed the game with the release of the first-ever CDJ in ‘94. In 2001, the label introduced “Vinyl Mode,” which allowed DJs to manipulate the jog wheels like vinyl, and since then, many analog-inspired features have been introduced. Now, Pioneer is back with the PLX-CRSS12, the first-ever hybrid turntable that supports both analog playback and tonearm-free DVS control.
Inspired by the PLX-100, the PLX-CRSS12 allows you to play analog records normally, but also allows you to manipulate your records to control digital music without a tonearm. That means you can scratch without worrying about skipping while getting the authentic feeling of vinyl under your fingertips. This turntable also has a number of customizable features, such as the Magvel Clamp that can adjust the weight of the record (so you don’t need to swap slip mats), the customizable torque level, and the adjustable stopping speed.
Familiar CDJ features like hot cues, sampling, and MIDI pads are here, and it’ll work with Serato and Rekordbox. However, you’re going to need a DVS-compatible mixer to really get the most out of this thing.
The Pioneer PLX-CRSS12 is available now for pre-order starting at $1,399, and it officially comes out in late September this year.
