Pioneer PLX-500 Turntable Review

Are you looking to start as a DJ or just want a turntable for some casual record listening in your living room or home office? In this review, we got the chance to test out the Pioneer PLX-500. This turntable is not a brand-new model; it’s been out since 2016.

The Pioneer PLX-500 is available in two colours: Black or Silver. The Pioneer PLX-500 is the budget-friendly option from the brand costing £350 which fits very much in that mid-range budget.

The key features of the Pioneer PLX-500 include:

• Servo-typer direct drive
• 3-Phase, brushless DC motor
• Electronic Brake
• Rotation Speed: 33⅓, 45, 78 rpm
• Universal type S-shape tone arm

The Pioneer PLX-500 won’t take up much room on your desk either coming in at 17.72×6.26×14.46in (WxHxD). The Weight of this turntable is lightweight coming in at 23.59lb

Unboxing

Pioneer keeps things simple with the PLX-500 apart from the actual turntable you will also find a slipmat, Dust cover, Power cord, USB cable, Adapter for EP records, Balance & Shell Weights, Operating instructions, Audio adaptor cable- 1x stereo pin plug (female) and 1 stereo mini-plug (male) and the entire system (head shell+ stylus).

So, it’s very much a plug-and-play turntable without the need for any additional accessories. This was surprising as this turntable is intended for the DJ market. Now the provided cartridge will be fine for listening to your favourite records at home. However, for those looking to start as a DJ, I would recommend you get a more dedicated stylus such as the Shure M44-7.

Design

The Pioneer PLX-500 on first impression looks professional and you would never know it’s just a mid-range turntable. If you compare it to the more expensive options from Pioneer, it’s very similar to that of the PLX-1000.

The PLX-500 comes with platter speed changes and nice metal start buttons that give it that professional feel.  As mentioned, this turntable is lightweight coming in at just under 24lb the reason for this could be down to the plastic casing and the tonearm would be different compared to more expensive models.

The aluminium platter looks very impressive thanks to the outer flange which is part of the classic strobe rotation control system. You need to watch the platter when manually correcting the rotation, electronics are responsible for everything here, precisely setting 33,45 or even 78 rpm buttons. In, addition, revolutions can be changed in the range +/- 8% (using the slider). This is more for the DJs in the room but go for it and have a little play. The tonearm is S-shaped and belongs to the 9-inch category. The headshell is fitted with screws allowing the possibility of replacing it for various types of cartridges.

The base of the column is equipped with a large ring which can conveniently adjust its height. It’s quite a unique offering, especially at this price point. Then there is the classic, rotating counterweight used to adjust the needle pressure and a useful knob with a scale provided for anti-skating.

Cartridge

The PLX-500 comes with a corrective preamplifier for MM cartridges installed a simple analogue-to-digital converter (16bit) and a USB output. This allows you to download music from vinyl to your computer. I suspect this cartridge is the Audio-Technica AT-91 which was designed for Pioneer.

Audio Quality

I connected this turntable to the Majority D100 Bookshelf speakers am currently reviewing. We did not change the factory-fitted cartridge, but you change it if you wish to something like the Shure M44-7 if you wanted.

The PLX-500 is a direct drive turntable what I mean by that is the motor is positioned under the platter and immediately drives it, rotates the platter. The reason for this because a lot of technological progress has been made in this area.

Start the music and you get a rich sound that is stable but devoid of depth and space. I found the experience pleasant, but it could have been a lot better. I think replacing the cartridge should improve the sound. If you were to install the Shure M44-7 cartridge for example, and you get a completely different sound it’s more dynamic with better detail. It offers a powerful sound with a good bass foundation.

Now If you’re a DJ at the start of your journey the Audio-Technica AT-91 cartridge will do the job when scratching. To help you on your quest to be the next Fatboy Slim Pioneer has also provided you with Rekordbox this is software that allows you to play files on your computer and use the PLX-500 as a scratch pad for them sounds cool right?

Verdict

The Pioneer PLX-500 is perfect for someone looking to learn to become a DJ or simply you might just want to chill at home listening to vinyl records this turntable is for you. If you are someone who has already decided on being a DJ this might not cut the mustard, and you might want to consider the PLX-1000.

That said the Pioneer PLX-500 is a stylish piece of equipment that will fit perfectly in many living rooms for casual listeners. It features a direct drive system, built-in phono preamplifier and USB output for downloading vinyl to your computer. The factor-fitted cartridge will offer a rich sound but will lack depth. The solution is simply upgrading to a better cartridge can improve the audio performance. Now you might be thinking it looks the part, and you would be right but the sound from the stock cartridge will not please audiophiles.

That aside, the PLX-500 offers the shortest possible audio routing from the stylus to the outputs reducing distortion. For that beginner DJ, the PLX-500 allows you to mix and scratch your vinyl records or even combine the turntable with a compatible DJ Mixer to play and perform with your digital files.

I also really liked the sleeve stand inside the dust cover allowing you to put your record covers on display while you’re just chilling at home listening to some great tunes. It’s only a little touch but I like it.

Overall, if you’re looking for a turntable this Christmas and have a budget of just £350 then the Pioneer PLX-500 makes sense. I found the PLX-500 very good and responds brilliantly with a slight upgrade. This turntable provides you with enough equipment to get you up and running paired with considerable performance potential within it.

Product Rating    

Overall ranking: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0 – 5 stars

The Pioneer PLX-500 Turntable is available via Argos for £350

 

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