Make beats with vinyl? Then you need a good record player in your life. These are the best turntables for sampling, from cheap and portable to the industry standard.
5 of the Best Turntables for Sampling
The Best Turntables for Sampling
There’s just something special about sampling off vinyl. There are a lot of reasons why old school hip-hop records sound so good. A big part of it is, of course, the mixing and mastering on the funk, jazz and soul records producers sampled. Then there’s the sonic fingerprint that the samplers themselves imparted. But one piece of the puzzle that often gets forgotten is the fact that the sampling was usually done from vinyl via a record player. This workflow added warmth courtesy not only the vinyl, but the record player and its needle too. Taken together, it all adds up to a beautiful sound that you can’t get ripping off YouTube.
With this in mind, I thought that today we’d take a look at five of the best turntables for sampling. Some of these put the focus on portability, while others are meant to sit in your studio. Whichever way you go, working with a record player is sure to give you a vibe. All of these have pitch control too, allowing you to fine-tune the audio before you even commit to the sampler. And don’t forget to upgrade your cartridge.
The Best Turntables for Sampling: Numark PT01 Scratch
Hardcore crate diggers have their own portable turntables that they take with them on record hunts. Not every shop has a listening station, after all. If you have your own record player, you know exactly what you’re buying. Numark’s PT01 Scratch is an affordable way to get that portability without sacrificing features.
Here’s what you get: a belt-drive turntable with its own fader and speakers, 10% pitch adjustment so you can hear what the sample might sound like pitched down or up, line in, RCAs and headphone out, battery operation when you ned it, and a USB connection for straight digitizing too.
While the PT01 is primarily aimed at scratch fanatics, there’s nothing stopping you from sampling off it too.
The Best Turntables for Sampling: KORG handytraxx play
Another entry in the portable turntable category, KORG’s handytraxx series of record players is the result of a collaboration with Toshihide Nakama, one of the creative minds behind the original Vestax Handy Trax. Although there are three units in KORG’s lineup, I’m recommending the play model as it’s the most affordable.
It may be wallet-friendly, but the handytraxx play is certainly not light on features. Check it: the belt-drive turntable includes its own phono preamp and integrated speaker plus crossfader. You can play at 33 1/3, 45 and even 78 RPMs, so old jazz and blues records are within reach. There’s also a pitch control. Incredibly, the handytraxx throws in effects, including three different filter types, a digital delay, and a looper.
If you’re feeling fancy, check out the handytraxx tube. As the name suggests, it’s got a built-in Nutube vacuum tube plus tone control for better sound quality.
The Best Turntables for Sampling: Audio-Technica AT-LP140XP
Now we’re into the classic DJ-style realm of turntables. Audio-Technica is a brand best known for its cartridges but now it makes a variety of audio equipment, including record players.
The AT-LP140XP model, available in both black and silver, takes inspiration from Technics’ classic SL-1200 series. Direct drive, the AT-LP140XP has a strong motor plus vibration dampening for a clean sound, assisted by the S-shaped tonearm. Pitch control is robust, with settings for 8%, 16% and even 24% plus and minus adjustments. It includes an Audio-Technica AT-XP3 pickup and AT-HS6 headshell.
If you want the classic styling and reliability but can’t afford Technics, Audio-Technica makes a great alternative.
The Best Turntables for Sampling: Reloop RP-7000 MK2
Staying with the DJ styling, my next recommendation for the best turntables for sampling is Reloop’s RP-7000 MK2. Again available in both silver and black (the colors of the classic SL-1200 and SL-1210, of course), these direct drive turntables are just at home in your studio for sampling or in the club for DJing. (Hey, there’s no reason you can’t do both.)
They also have the features that you want: S-shaped tonearm, torque and brake adjust dials, speeds from 33 1/3 up to 78 RPM, and pitch control with plus/minus 8%, 16% and even 50% adjustment! From doom to chipmunk, whatever you need. It’ll even play in reverse!
Note that these record players don’t include cartridges, so you’ll need to add that cost to your projected budget.
The Best Turntables for Sampling: Technics SL-1200MK7/SL-1210MK7
Of course, if you have the means, it has to be Technics. This is how the producers of old did it, after all. Take a look at photos from the Golden Age of hip-hop and there’s always at least one Technics turntable there in the lab next to the MPC or ASR-10. It’s a classic.
Technics doesn’t make the original SL-1200MK2 or SL-1210MK2 models anymore. Now it’s up to MK7. This is an evolution of the model, keeping all the best bits and adding more. It’s got the die-cast aluminum housing and amazing torque, but now with adjustable starting and braking torque. The company has also added a +/-16% pitch mode to the standard 8%. It plays in reverse, too.
If you’re serious about sampling, DJing, or both, it really has to be Technics, doesn’t it?
The Best Turntables for Sampling: Sampler Suggestions
Lastly, if you need a sampler to go with your turntable, here are a few suggestions.
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