For nearly two decades, a vision of myself as a budding DJ and sample maestro remained largely unfulfilled. It all began about 20 years ago when I invested in a turntable, not merely as a playback device, but as what I earnestly believed would become a cornerstone of my music-making endeavors. My aspirations were vivid: I dreamt of mastering the art of scratching, conjuring rhythmic soundscapes from vinyl, and spending countless hours sifting through dollar-bin records in dusty crates, unearthing forgotten gems perfect for sampling into my productions. Yet, reality often deviates from ambition. That turntable, rather than becoming a creative hub, settled into a more mundane existence, merely hooked up to a stereo system, serving as an occasional music player rather than a tool for sonic exploration. The dream of scratching, of manipulating sound with my hands on spinning vinyl, remained just that – a distant, almost forgotten dream, buried under the weight of other priorities and the sheer inertia of a complex setup.
Then, a few months ago, a new piece of gear entered my life: the Korg Handytraxx Play. This portable turntable, with its intriguing promise of self-contained functionality, initially followed the familiar pattern. It sat around, collecting a layer of dust that I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit lingered for longer than it should have. However, unlike its predecessor, the Handytraxx Play eventually sparked a dormant passion. Against all odds, and after more than twenty years, this compact device finally helped me embark on a journey to accomplish a goal that had eluded me for so long – I started learning to scratch. It was a surprising, almost serendipitous turn of events, breathing new life into an old aspiration.
The Handytraxx Play’s design is its undeniable strength, particularly for someone like me with limited space and even more limited time. It is a completely self-contained unit, meticulously engineered to be portable and immediately functional. Encased within a durable, suitcase-like shell, it’s a battery-powered turntable that boasts not only a built-in speaker but also a crossfader – all the essential elements for basic DJing and scratching, without needing any external components. This clever design allows it to tuck away neatly, resembling an unassuming piece of luggage, which unfortunately also makes it incredibly easy to stick out of sight and, consequently, out of mind. But this very characteristic, its discreet and compact nature, is precisely what makes it so brilliant and effective in my current lifestyle.
The convenience is unparalleled. When the creative urge strikes, whether it’s to sample a unique soundbite directly to my Roland SP-404 or to dedicate a precious few minutes to practicing my scratching techniques (a skill I readily admit I’m still very much an amateur at), the Handytraxx Play transforms from dormant luggage to active instrument in mere moments. I can effortlessly retrieve it, set it up on my desk, and immediately immerse myself in the world of vinyl manipulation. There’s no fumbling with cables, no searching for power outlets, no intricate setup process. The sheer accessibility it offers is a revelation. While I genuinely wish I had the luxury of time to enroll in proper DJ lessons and receive professional guidance, I’m finding immense satisfaction and having an absolute blast simply scratching along to various practice routines I discover on YouTube. The instant gratification and low barrier to entry are truly empowering.
Living in New York City, space is an invaluable commodity. My apartment, like many here, operates on a principle of multi-functionality. My “office” serves not only as my dedicated workspace but also as my wife’s office, our makeshift recording studio, and even our occasional guest bedroom. In such tight quarters, the Handytraxx Play’s compact design truly shines. When I need to reclaim my desk space to focus on writing, or when I’m testing out another piece of audio gear, the Handytraxx simply closes up and slides neatly between the couch in my office and the wall. It disappears, freeing up precious real estate without demanding a permanent footprint. This seamless integration into my bustling, space-constrained life is a testament to its thoughtful engineering and a significant factor in why I’ve actually started using it consistently.
Beyond its core functionality, the Handytraxx boasts several unique features, some of which prove more practical than others. One particularly clever design choice is the removable control panel. The entire module, housing the fader and effects controls, can be detached and reversed, catering equally to left-handed or right-handed scratchers. Furthermore, the fader itself can be flipped to match individual preferences. As a right-handed user, this still allowed me a valuable opportunity to experiment with different layouts, ultimately helping me discover the most comfortable and intuitive configuration for my nascent scratching style. This level of ergonomic customization is a thoughtful touch for a device aimed at learning and practice.
More intriguing are the built-in looper and effects. The integrated DJ-style filter, for instance, sounds fantastic in theory, promising creative transitions and sonic sculpting. In practice, however, its utility proved somewhat limited, often feeling clunky and less intuitive than desired. While it can technically be used to transition smoothly between a loop captured from one record and the playback of a new record, the execution lacks the finesse one might hope for. There’s also a dub-style delay effect, which I must commend for its genuinely nice sound quality. It adds a rich, atmospheric depth to the audio, perfect for creative flourishes. My only significant critique here is the absence of a tap tempo function. Relying solely on turning a knob and hoping for a rhythmically accurate delay can be frustrating, especially when trying to sync with a beat. Thankfully, the button to engage the delay is conveniently located within easy reach of the fader, allowing for quick, on-the-fly echo application to your scratching. However, it’s worth noting that the delay also affects any recorded loops, which can sometimes be an unintended consequence.
While portability is a significant selling point, and Korg even positions the Handytraxx Play as a device you can “drag around to record stores to go crate digging,” there are a few mildly annoying practicalities to keep in mind for such adventures. Firstly, the latches designed to secure the unit closed are, frankly, awful. Perhaps it’s an issue specific to my unit, but they constantly get stuck, resisting both opening and closing. I’ve experienced them popping off completely when trying to open the case, and securing the lid requires them to be perfectly aligned, which is often a frustrating and time-consuming endeavor. (Korg has yet to respond to my inquiries regarding this issue.) Another design flaw is a small, but significant, gap located at the bottom between the lid and the base of the unit. This might seem like a minor detail until you pick up the Handytraxx, and the slipmat – an essential component for smooth scratching – comes flying out through that slit, often at the most inconvenient times. These issues undermine the advertised rugged portability, making me hesitant to take it out of the house.
Truth be told, I’m not planning on taking the Handytraxx out for serious crate digging expeditions. For my personal use case, these flaws are minor irritations, as the device primarily stays at home, moving only between rooms as needed, and needs to be easily stored when not in use. The fact that it can be powered by six AA batteries, offering an impressive runtime of up to 11 hours, is incredibly handy for practicing in my office, the kitchen, or even the living room without being tethered to an outlet. It even allows for the whimsical urge to listen to vinyl in my backyard, should the mood strike. However, it’s important to manage expectations regarding audio quality. The built-in speakers are, to put it mildly, nothing to write home about. You wouldn’t realistically use them for critical music listening. While it does offer a headphone jack and RCA outputs for connecting to external systems, even with these, as a standalone record player, the Handytraxx is merely mediocre, especially considering its $500 price tag. Its true value lies not in audiophile playback, but in its unique features for scratching and sampling.
I initially anticipated that the integrated looper would be the Handytraxx Play’s killer feature, envisioning it as the perfect tool for quickly grabbing a drum break or a short instrumental passage to practice my scratching over. In reality, it turned out to be one of the most frustratingly designed loopers I’ve ever encountered. There are generally two logical and intuitive methods for operating a looper: either you press a button to initiate recording the moment it’s pressed, and then press it again to stop; or, you press and hold a button to record, and release it to stop. These are industry standards for a reason – they’re predictable and easy to grasp. Never, in my entire life as a musician and gear enthusiast, have I come across a looper where you arm it by holding down a button, but it only begins recording once you release that button, and then requires another press to stop. Once you finally unravel and understand this bizarre operational quirk, capturing a smooth, perfectly timed loop becomes achievable. However, it took me days of trial and error, of repeatedly wondering why every single loop I attempted was just a fraction of a second off, why it always kicked in slightly later than I expected. This unintuitive design significantly hampered my initial experience and added an unnecessary layer of frustration to what should have been a straightforward creative tool.
Despite these various minor issues and peculiar design choices, they largely fade into the background when I fire up a loop in Ableton Live and simply begin to scratch. The no-fuss nature of its core scratching features makes it incredibly easy to just dive in and enjoy the process. The fader, a critical component for any scratch DJ, feels remarkably good, offering a smooth and responsive action that is crucial for executing precise cuts. While the needle does have a tendency to jump every so often, particularly if I’m being a bit too aggressive or clumsy with my technique, as a novice, this hasn’t significantly hampered my learning or enjoyment. It’s an occasional annoyance rather than a constant impediment.
To enhance my practice, I did end up purchasing a “Practice Yo! Cuts” 7-inch vinyl record, which has proven to be an invaluable investment. These specialized records are designed with various scratch-friendly sounds, beats, and vocal samples, making them ideal for honing techniques without fear of damaging cherished records. I highly recommend using a 7-inch record on the Handytraxx. While it is capable of playing standard 12-inch vinyl, the unit’s smaller platter can lead to some unevenness and make precise control more challenging for scratching. It turns out that finding an appropriate record specifically for scratching is considerably harder than I initially expected. Even though I possess a sizable collection of dollar-bin 45s from my early digging days, I certainly didn’t want to risk ruining my vintage copy of the iconic “McDonald’s Menu Song” by subjecting it to the rigors of my beginner scratching attempts. The dedicated scratch vinyl truly makes a difference.
Reflecting on my initial foray into the world of turntablism all those years ago, I definitely made a fundamental mistake by purchasing a regular turntable with the ambition of learning to scratch. That traditional setup was inherently rooted in place, demanding a dedicated space and the additional investment in a separate mixer – presenting a myriad of hurdles that ultimately proved too high for a casual beginner. As a novice, I am now firmly convinced that a portable, self-contained unit like the Korg Handytraxx Play is unequivocally the superior path to take if you’re just getting started and testing the waters of scratching. Its all-in-one design drastically lowers the barrier to entry, making the act of learning accessible and enjoyable.
While the Handytraxx Play has proven to be surprisingly perfect for my specific needs – enabling me to finally pursue a decades-old dream in a convenient, space-saving manner – I would hesitate to universally suggest that everyone rush out and buy one. Its significant price tag of $499.99 is a considerable investment, and as I’ve detailed, it comes with its fair share of quirks and design imperfections. If my primary goal were solely to acquire a device for learning to scratch, I would almost certainly opt for a more budget-friendly alternative. The Reloop Spin, for instance, is priced at $349.99, the Stanton STX at $249, and the Numark PT01 is an even more accessible $169. While these alternatives typically lack some of the Handytraxx’s more advanced features, they may not be as aesthetically polished, and I cannot personally vouch for their specific build quality or fader feel, they appear to be better suited for someone simply looking to test the waters of scratching without a substantial financial commitment. The Korg Handytraxx Play, with its higher price point and unique blend of features, will likely be more appealing to a specific niche: individuals who are seeking a slightly more upscale “portablism” experience and who may have already mastered the absolute basics of scratching, appreciating its distinctive design and integrated capabilities despite its cost.
Photography by Terrence O’Brien / The Verge
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