I’ve never DJ-ed in my life, although I’ve touched a turntable or two in passing. But even though I don’t listen to much of their music, I’ve always found those who use that “instrument” to be fascinating since I have no idea how it really works. One of the more popular tools for DJs who wanted to be portable was the Vestax Handy Trax. Now a brand that has been producing gear for the modern DJ is paying tribute to that particular vinyl player.
Designer: Korg
Korg worked with the former president of Vestax, Toshide Nakama (who passed away before completion of the project) to come up with the Handrytraxx Play, a tribute to the original Vesta Handy Trax. It is able to bring what made the original a favorite among DJs together with Korg’s more modern features in a lightweight product that the musician can easily bring along wherever they need it.
Original Vestax Handytrax
The turntable comes with built-in 3-W speakers and you can choose to spin at either 33.3, 45, or 78 rpm. It is powered by AAA-sized batteries or if you can connect to an outlet, a USB-C cord. It also has a built-in looper that has variable playback speed, a crossfader with reverse mode, delay and scratch effects and several “unique and creative filters”. You can of course monitor playback through headphones and it also has a detachable control panel.
It looks like pretty much a normal vinyl turntable except that it is pretty portable and lightweight. A non-playable prototype of this gadget is expected to make an appearance at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Show where Korg will be unveiling several other products.
