I owned these decks some time ago for stepping up my game doing online radio shows. I've never come across such a solid deck before apart from the classic Technics 1210's. But what the Technics lack of, Vestax improves upon. These turntables may of been designed for competition scratching but they are also perfect for mixing up them tunes. They give such a possible feel and feedback using the high torque motor's. I've noticed these going dirt cheap online these days and will probably buy again soon. All the added feature of straight tone arm to stop skipping and unwanted noise, giving the needle a tighter hold onto the vinyl when playing. Digital display is a nice feature, which actually becomes useful when mixing. The pitch control is very precise and feels solid when adjusting. Added bonus of the ultra pitch is good but rarely used by myself personally. The reverse button was handy to use on them quick fade overs when you was in a spot of bother. Also the stop button can be handy if you use your imagination. Buy decent Concorde needles and you be laughing. Many people seem to have the plastic trimming on the platter.. i had the metal version which improves the looks so much.The turntable light's are missing when bought but these are easily found online,which to me was no biggy. The only down sides i would say is the on and off switch should really be located at the back like most turntables. As it spoils the looks having it in sight i thought anyway. Other down side for some people can be the strong motor that drives these decks. If your use to cheaper brands and you buy this. You will realize how much more you fight the platter when mixing. Some of the turntables provide assistance of a dial to adjust the pitch bend instead of adjusting by hand on the platter. The serious of the matter, you will love or hate these... Technics fan will probably stay clear.... but for the price difference its hard to say no..

I used technics for about 11 years had 5 different pairs 2 that broke now i use vestax and they are pure class thats why Qbert always uses them

I've used Technics 1210 and 1200 turntables for about 6 years, and now I'm with Vestax, and believe me, these babies are the way forward! Even more so if you're a scratch DJ like me, as you can hit them with a hammer and they don't jump.

Vestax PDX-2000 - for over 2 decades a big black panasonic shadow loomed over the dj-ing world, then one day everything changed, that was the day vestax were unleashed and now everything is diferent!

The 1st time i say a pair of these was watching mix master mike, i was young then, at 1st i was wondering why he 'held up the night' by unplugging a pair of technics and setting some vestax up, 10 minutes later my jaw dropped, i couldnt believe my eyes, and i wasnt the only one..

What makes these decks so special is the tone arm and the pitch, it makes things that were once litteraly impossible possIble, you'd have to be a rhino to make the needle jump on this turntable, and if you like beatmatching challenges you can try putting gabba into house due to the ulta-pitch which is a very big deal what it allows you to do.

So why doesnt everyone want one?

Well there are a few drawbacks, the designers of this extraordinary deck gave it more of everything, and some times more is too much, a long time technics owner i can put my hand on my heart and say the platter has too much torque which is a problem, as im sure your all aware not all vinyls are perfectly flat and when the 'heavier' side touches the vestax platter you've got a problem, especially if its a battle weapon, if you have this problem go look on the internet for something called 'flying carpets' they will help.

And the other is pedigree and durability, when you buy a pair of technics the only thing thats prone to break is the little pilot light, replacing a pilot light will set you back around say..five quid, and it will likely only be once every half a decade (if you look after them properly...) now the vestax as before mentioned has too much tourqe, not only that but it is a bit plasticy, plastic being not as strong as its metal technics counterpart and the part of the turntable that will take most of the ware is prone to accidents.

Still if your into hardcore scratching and you have hands that can move faster than a speeding train, you will need a pair of vestax, though you can scratch perfectly well on technics they will not hold the groove as well for veteran scratch masters.

I had Technics before and the Vestax PDX-2000 are just as good if not better than Technics. I love the overall feel of them. Every time I use them, my mixing comes so smoothly...I STRONGLY recommend these tables!

I've had my vestax for just over a year now and although i love 'em to bits they are proving a little bit unreliable. the biggest problem being the clicky platters. They start to develop play in them (especially on the deck that you scratch the most on). Most of my mates who dj have gone down the vestax route and they all have had to send them back to have this problem fixed as it does affect the performance noticably (the worst case of this was you could hear the platter grind against the case as it span). apperently vestax have sorted this out now because my turntable were sent back to have a 'vestax modification' done to them and so far have been ok. i've also had a power switch break aswell, but that's minor.My mate's had technics for about 5 years and never had any problems.

apart from those few niggles, these turntables are awesome. i don't know how i lived without the ultra pitch, and i have to do something really stupid to make the needle skip. add to this the amazing torque these decks have got and you've got a classic turntable.

one thing i have noticed is vestax feel different to technics (especially when beat-matching) and it takes me a while to get used to technics when i go on them - i seem to be constantly pitch chasing the records and can't settle at the right pitch, the vestax are easier to mix on (in my opinion). this could cause trouble when playing out cos 95% of clubs will have technics in them. i'd like to see more clubs with vestax in.

It just feels wrong.

I used to have tech. sl 1200 for 14 years
pdx 2000 blow them away on every level

After using technics for a while then having a go on my mates pdx 2000's i instantly decided to get a pair of these. With the pitch control being so huge you can virtually mix any two tracks from any style of music together. Near instant start and stop on the deck is superb, with the added option of changing the speed at which this happens, and the exellent reverse mode makes for great variation in mixing. Plus they look superb!! What more can i say? GO AND GET SOME!!!!

These decks are just the best thing since sliced bread. It provides super high torque, amazing tracking, high sound quality, superb accuracy and extra functions that are actually useful. Performance wise they seems to have taken all the little imperfections of a technics like the need for antiskate, pitch innacuracy around the zero point and the limited pitch range and added all the functions I can really ever see a DJ using on a turntable. My favourite inclusion by far is the ultra pitch which allows plus or minus 50 percent either way, but unlike other competitors you don't lose any accuracy, as you've got the extra "ultra pitch" slider which moves the mid point of the main slider plus or minus 40% so you're still operating with the same level of accuracy at all times. Being a drum & bass Dj this allows me more flexibility to throw in older and slower tracks which is a gripe of mine with every other deck. Then there's the tonearm and what a difference it makes, you can run around the room holding the deck or scratch with the decks at and angle and still no skips. Adjustable brakes and startup allow for wind downs without turning off the motor and you've also got revers play too for the tricks. I could go on all day singing its praises. In my view it destroys any competitor hands down and I'd personally like to see it replace technics in every club to take the possibilities of Djing to a new level!

Technic's turntable - you gotta love 'em. Quick starting, reliable, sleek and not just a little bit sexy.
Everyone I've ever met through my DJ'ing addiction has either got them, is saving for them or wants them. Every club system worth its salt has at least two sitting in the booth and it even has its own Mixing championship and clothing line.
Its been like this ever since I became hooked on vinyl about 14 years ago. There has NEVER been a contender to the kingdom built up around what will always remain a groundbreaking design and engineering classic.

Until now.

When Vestax released the PDX2000 turntable it prompted the usual debates started whenever a manufacturer launches a new high end direct drive turntable, can it match the technics?
Each and every time the new pretender to the throne falls well short, sometimes not in terms of performance but always in terms of impact. But this time it was different, people where curious, even the 'if its not technics Im not using it' types (amongst which I used to count myself).

Now I had owned and loved a pair of 1210's for about seven years at this point and we had been through a lot, I had a buyer lined up and had just got together enough money to replace them with shiny new ones. And here I was comtemplating switching allegences!
After a lot of soul searching and unbelievable inner turmoil I decided to give the VESTAX a try, that was over a year ago and I can say without doubt it was a blinding decision.

Why?

For starters the look, very superficial I know but these look like the serious bit of kit they are. Compare them to technics, no competition. A bloke on the street could confuse Soundlab DLP3's with a black Technics deck, what is he going to confuse these with?

Now stick a pair of Blueberry Stanton I-tracks in and they sound better than they look, Vestax claim there is little or no distortion created by the casing, there not lying, even with a poor quality amp and speakers on these the sound is crystal and that is coming in from the front end, the needle on the record and whats immediately involved at that stage(i.e. the deck).

While we on the casing these are extremely durable, mine get knocks all the time and theres not a scratch on them, not the slightest scar, even from when a friend decided to see if they would survive a stair fall(okay they where flighted up at the time but still! :) ).

Both the pitch faders(theres two on each deck) are smooth and extremely precise and the quartz lock is spot on, I have never had a record come of pitch, ever.

The Anti skating arm has never skipped or skated the needle out of the out of the groove even when the rooms been shaking with Bass.

The reverse function which allows the record to be played backwards is perhaps the one thing offered in the functionality which I feel is prehaps unnessacery but then I never use it, the rest of the extras this kit has are great, adjustable start and stop facility allowing you to perform power offs and power ups without risking the power jumps you risk on standard decks, as well as fiendishly complex paced mixes. Aiding the standard +/- 10 pitch fader is the +/- 50 pitch fader and if you thought you'd never use that you'd be very mistaken.

I guess the point I am trying to get accross is that this product is in a different class. One that unfortunately(?) puts it above all else(well unless I can get the money up for the 8000's!), my mixing style has changed using the extra's on here, but thats advancement not regression(dont worry I can still nail it on imferior machines).

I've been honest, I loved my 1210's to bits and still do but it was time to look to the future and I am glad I did.