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Could the next Pioneer DJ PLX-1100 turntable look like this?

Mark Settle·
TurntablesBlog

PLX-1100 turntable prototype mockup

Pioneer DJ’s future roadmap is slowly unfolding before our eyes. We’ve seen the DJM-S9 unveiled, and a teased and much speculated rekordbox has been seen out in the wild. So thoughts turn to if rekordbox will get DVS abilities and how that might pan out in hardware form. Well DJ Daylate from Type 4 has clearly been inspired by what he’s seen, and has come up with this idea for how an updated PLX-1000 (called the PLX-1100 but equally be a PLX-2000) could work with rekordbox.

NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT EVERYONE WILL WANT ONE

“They’re the wrong way round!” quipped our Dan when he saw the image. And for a great many people he’s correct, for this is a turntablist’s wet dream of a deck and not especially practical for everyone else. But it does lift a lot of what is good on CDJs and add them into the turntable workspace. And yes, there’s a sync button too, but given the rest of the features, it would be silly to leave it off.

At first glance, the screen is in the wrong place. But once the needle is in the groove, the screen space is clear. And having a screen with a waveform on the turntable makes so much sense, and goes a long way to eliminating the unfairly named Serato Face phenomenon.

The buttons around the platter are for note based pitch changes, but I imagine most of you would prefer those to be for hot cues. Right next to those is a pitch bend toggle, previously instigated by Vestax, something that has become a firm favourite with scratch DJs.

There are USB inputs on the top, as well as browse controls so that your focus can remain on the decks and screens, rather than leaning over to your laptop all the time.

For the record, DJ Daylate’s PLX-1100 is pure mockup, not even speculation, and in no way real. Consider that a disclaimer.

SHARING IDEAS

Huge thanks to DJ Daylate for sending this our way. I know that there are a lot of ideas out there in the community that people are sitting on because they think they’re worth money. But unless they’re truly groundbreaking, and you’re prepared to protect them with a patent, they’re not worth what you think they are. Manufacturers will decline them saying they’ve got something like it already in the works, or just dismiss the idea out of hand. But you can be sure that at some point, the same idea or a derivative will appear.

So we urge you to share your ideas with the community, because if people see them, then there’s a chance they’ll get made. And if we can post them on DJWORX with direct attribution back to the source, then they can be discussed and kicked around to make the idea better, or kicked to the kerb because nobody actually wants it thus making it commercially unviable.

Next level technics prototype turntable
This will never happen. But we can dream right?

WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A TURNTABLE?

DJ Daylate’s mockup poses some ideal discussion points:

  • What do you think of the mockup? Perfect turntable? A good start? Or in need of some work?
  • How would you make it better?
  • Do you think the Pioneer DJ have plans for DVS?
  • Should Pioneer or some other company bite the bullet and make something like this?
  • How much would you realistically pay?
  • What’s the top price you’d pay for any turntable?

Also, what’s the betting that this mockup does the rounds of social media without attribution, and goes from mockup to rumour to OMG FACT in a matter of days? ;)