DJ Tech DIF-7PT 7" mobile scratcher Vestax Handy Trax (2)

DJ Tech’s pre-Christmas surprise: the DIF-7PT

Coming up to NAMM, we have come to expect some surprises. A leak here or there, or perhaps a preemptive release of info ahead of the carpet bombing of press releases is becoming the norm these days. But this picture popped up in my Facebook timeline today, and it’s guaranteed to cause quite a stir for some, for the current obsession with 7″ scratch vinyl looks to be getting a turntable designed expressly for it. And the DJ Tech DIF-7PT is that portable turntable.

Anyone involved in the scratch scene will be more than aware of the repurposing of old Vestax Handy Trax and Numark PT01 portable turntables to accommodate the like of Frisk and Raiden faders, as well as the 1200 Plates Fader Crib. This is all fully supported by the slew of 7″ scratch releases following in their wake too. I have no idea why it’s taken so long for this to happen — there’s a video of me from waaaaaaaay back in early skratchworx times scratching on a Handy Trax in Real Media format somewhere, and I’ve constantly harped on about getting a portable option for scratchers.

But finally it’s all happening, and ironically right after Vestax ceases trading and Numark discontinues the PT01. So there is an established and growing gap to fill, which has seen Vestax Handy Trax start to fetch 2-3 times their original value.

JUST A SEC — HAVEN’T I SEEN THIS BEFORE?

7 inch portable scratcher turntable (1) — Remember this?

No… well yes… maybe. I’m still trying to work that detail out myself. Cast your minds back to October. Just after the DMC World finals, an image of a 7″ portable scratch turntable started to circulate. The 7 Portable Scratcher (or 7PS for short) was at the time little more than an idea and renders. And the designer has been working away at honing his idea and advancing on the original concept.

And then the DIF-7PT comes along. It would be glib of me to gloss over the similarities, because to me bar some details this is pretty much the same thing. So I asked DJ Tech about the origins of their DIF-7PT, ~~and it seems it was requested by their partner Thud Rumble to be ready for NAMM that takes place in a few weeks~~. And it would appear that it is ready, albeit in prototype form. I’ve reached out to the designer of the original 7PS to see if he has been working with Thud Rumble, or if this is nothing to do with him at all.

UPDATE 1: Something has been lost in translation, but Thud Rumble isn’t involved in the design of this project.
UPDATE 2: The designer of the 7PS isn’t involved in this either.

Obviously, the Handy Trax/PT01 principle is in play here, but concessions have been made to make it better for the task of scratching, as well as losing a few features too. The DIF-7PT has no battery power, USB, or built-in speakers, but it does have RCA and headphone output. But there is three band EQ, a rotary pitch control, and speed selector too. And it’s belt driven, but if you’ve ever used a Handy Trax, you’ll know that it’s got enough torque to remove your fingerprints. And the price? Right now it’s being floated at $300, a price that may or may not be final or even accurate.

One thing is for sure — should the DIF-7PT appear on the DJ Tech stand at NAMM, there’s likely to be a crowd around it and a veritable queue of turntablist VIPs lining up to take turns — and us too.