Experienced jocks
understand that there are 2 rules that can't be broken when executing
a perfect mix.
Rule #1 is the
Beats must match or compliment each other during the transition from
one turntable to another. Adjusting the pitch control allows fine
tuning of the tempo of the record you are trying to mix into.
But that's not all . . .
Rule #2 is that
you have to mix to a piece of music in a complimentary
key. This is where the musicianship comes in. It is easy to do
a beat perfect mix that sounds absolutely wack because the keys of
the songs just aren't compatible. For this reason, most jocks choose
to do their mixes at the drum breaks because it's much easier to
match keys.
Can most DJ's
explain this? Hell no, although we have learned through time that
these rules always hold true.
For almost 30
years, DJ's have been spinning on direct drive turntables. The
creators of the legendary SL1200 never had a clue as to what jocks
would be doing with them in the year 2002. It wasn't planned, it just
happened. A phenomenon that changed the Art of Spinning. Can
Gemini update the art? You'll have to judge for yourself, but
Gemini's new PDT-6000 gives today's creative jock a new set of tools
for the next level of performance!
The Spin
At first glance,
this turntable looked alot like it's Grandfather. The new
Gemini PDT-6000 weighs almost 33lbs., has a silver finish, and
an "S" shaped tonearm. It also has a heavy steel platter
and an adjustable pillar tonearm making it look a lot like Grand Dad.
A Closer Look
A closer look at
the pitch control area reveals something is very different here. The
PDT-6000 has 2 sliders where the pitch control normally sits. One is
marked Key Adjustment and the other is marked Pitch Adjustment. With
the push of a button the Pitch Adjustment changes between 4%, 8%, 16%
or 35%. A pushbutton on top of the Key Adjustment slider turns it on
or off. In the on position, you have ability of adjusting the key of
your record without messing with the pitch. What a great new tool for
club jocks! On top of the Pitch Adjustment slider is another
pushbutton for Master Tempo (just like CD players). So now I can
raise the BPMs and the voices will continue to sound normal (no
chipmunk voices). This is more power than I have ever been used to.
Of course, if you want to lock the speed, they gave you a quartz lock
button as well. The table plays 33, 45 and 78 rpm records.
The Power
This is
accomplished by the PDT-6000's ability to digitize the music from the
needle and process it internally. The removable headshell allows
installation of any popular cartridge and since the signal has been
processed digitally, Gemini gives you a sp/diff (IEC988-II) BNC
output on the back to plug directly into your computer or CD burner.
This made it very easy to burn (archive) some of my old vinyl. The
table also has a switched output that will deliver either line or
phono output level signals to the RCA output jacks.
Looking Further
A large LED screen
shows a digital readout of the current pitch. Push the button on the
left side of the screen and it converts to an advanced Beat Keeper
and shows the Beats Per Minute (BPM) of the record playing. Under the
display are 2 controls that the SL1200 had buried under its platter.
Braking Speed and Torque each have their own control and after you
adjust them to your own liking, you just push down on them to lock
the settings. A platter reverse pushbutton (with LED) is also
included for creating fresh new beats. or... to help maximize creativity.
So Get Me A
Record Stat!
I'm a jock; I have
been for over 30 years. I like what I like and am very hesitant of
newcomers. For the final test, I grabbed a record from my bag and
started to tinker around. Start up, Torque and Braking seamed
identical to my old table. I played with the fine adjustments and
this table felt really good. It appears that Gemini loaded a lot of
rubber in the base of this, because my PDT-6000 sample wasn't as
microphonic and played louder before feedback than I had ever
experienced before. With a felt slipmat, I had no problem back
spinning or cueing.
Next I engaged the
Master Tempo . . . . Can you say better than Sex? As I pulled the
pitch control forward the tempo got faster but the voices continued
to sound the same. I then turned off the Master control and sure
enough, I could change the tempo (pitch) and the key of the song
independently. I'm in love.
No Disrespect Here
The new Gemini
PDT-6000 is extremely cool. The feel of a classic with the newest
features to advance the art of spinning and creating music. The
Engineers and DJs at Gemini definitely did their homework and have
come out with a product that Old Grand Dad would be proud of.
Click
Here to read more!
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