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Vinyl records have returned with a bang in recent years and, rather than just hanging on the walls of your local coffee shop, people are using vinyl as a creative tool once again! That’s why Numark’s new PT01 Scratch is worth checking out – an affordable turntable made for music creation.

Design

When it comes to turntables, looks can be a real hit or miss. Thankfully this one is a hit. There is no shortage of classic, modern or unique designs and the PT01 Scratch aims for an attractive and rugged look. It looks classy, dressed in all black with red accents on the fader base and cartridge, while the brushed metal look on top contrasts nicely against the matte black back and sides. Controls, fader, built-in speaker and tonearm are all neatly spaced. Built for portability and affordability, they’ve kept things small and light – while the all-plastic build keeps the price low, it also keeps the weight at a mere 4.3lbs.

A protective cover is included and miscellaneous parts are easy to replace. At under $200 we don’t expect indestructible, but it’s nice to see Numark making an effort to keep this little guy durable and travel-friendly. With no shortage of connections and features, it’s still small enough to fit in a backpack with just enough room leftover for your records.

Features

The PT01 Scratch has been redesigned from the ground up with music creation and performance in mind. Numark’s exclusive Adjustable Scratch Switch sits boldly up front separated from the other controls – a feature lacking from the previous model. Across the top, we are given controls for pitch (+ or – 10%), tone and audio, along with our RPM options (33, 45 or 78). A 45 RPM adapter is included and the tonearm is pre-balanced to make the most of any record you have on hand.

Sitting above that you’ll find a small built-in speaker for on the go performances. The PT01 Scratch is fully fitted with any connection port needed to take your scratching to the next level, with a 1/8” stereo input (allowing you to connect an external audio source), stereo line out, and dual headphone outputs. On top of all this, Numark have added a built-in USB interface for recording and have included a download code for EZ Vinyl conversion software.

Performance

Although this is a belt-driven turntable, Numark has in no way skipped on performance. Ready to use straight out of the box, the controls are spaced and laid out nicely, and the fader is smooth and fully-adjustable for both left and right-handed users. The built-in speaker is nothing spectacular but is certainly a nice addition at this price point, and is more than usable for practicing without plugging into external monitors. Designed with travel in mind the PT01 Scratch includes a grip mat and is both AC and battery powered.

Great for on the go practice, although I wouldn’t recommend running this little guy solely from batteries (six of them) for the entire gig. The Scratch’s compact build sits nicely on top of a desk or lap, meaning any budding record scratching enthusiast can pick it up with ease and jump straight into creating and recording their own sounds.

The Rumble:

Is it perfect? Certainly not. The materials used are pretty basic, and the design isn’t going to be for everyone. But ultimately the PT01 Scratch is a great buy for the price, and will be hard to beat in the sub-$200 market.