It's been a year since Gemini announced the CDT-05 Professional Hybrid Turntable, and it's finally arrived with a sleek new design, bringing users functionality they've been coveting since the dawn of the digital DJ age.

The Least You Need to Know
In a nutshell, the CDT-05 is an all-in-one turntable and CD player. You can pop in a CD and control it using the vinyl control disc installed on the platter, or you can put on the CDT-05's custom slipmat and spin vinyl. As if that wasn't enough, this amazing new device has independent RCA outputs on the back, which will allow you to plug the CDT-05 into two channels of your mixer and mix between the turntable and CD modes independently.

Seamless Digital Performance
Just pop a CD into the slot-loading bay, hit play, and the 3.3kg/cm of torque immediately kicks in and you're off and spinning. The vinyl control disc, which is used to control and scratch CDs, is a genuine piece of vinyl and handles just as well as a real turntable, if not better. Scratch routines on the CDT-05 are a breeze and can become quite addicting, especially when you know that the record will never skip because there's no cartridge involved.

Vinyl Handling at its Best
To switch to vinyl mode, simply toggle the switch located in the front, throw on the slipmat, and hit play. The CDT-05 features a straight-tonearm system, which promises impeccable tracking and prevents skipping. You are also given a variable pitch range of up to 50%, a feature that can also control CD Playback. In addition to switching between CD and Turntable mode, the front-located switch is also capable of putting the unit in MIX mode, which will allow users to use the CD Player and Turntable function simultaneously.

Feature Rich CD Performance
As if the vinyl control disc wasn't enough to catch the eyes of vinyl purists the world over, the CDT-05 delivers the same features we've come to expect from a professional CD Player. For DJs who like to work loops into their mix, the CDT-05 has a seamless loop feature that includes B-Edit and Relooping, which works perfectly on the fly. You can memorize up to 3 cue points using the memory banks conveniently located to the left of the platter. The CDT-05 also features 3 on-board effects including Echo, Filter, and Flanger, the parameters of which can be manipulated through the "track skip" knob.

The Verdict is In
The CDT-05 is a winner, delivering the perfect balance between analog and digital performance. Packed with features that will satisfy digital DJs and vinyl junkies alike, the CDT-05 is simply a must have and positions itself well for the pockets of eager buyers with a price tag of $799.95!

CDM-500:

With the demand for all-in-one DJ solutions on the rise, Gemini has answered the markets call with a unit that is ideal for mobile or permanent installations: the CDM-500 Professional DJ Station.

The Least You Need to Know
The CDM-500 is an integrated DJ system combining two tray-loading CD players and a one 2-channel stereo mixer. Its compact size and weight make for a very portable system, easy enough for mobile jocks to carry to the gig or for a simple club installation setup. With its feature rich functionality, the CDM-500 does not disappoint.

Leaving No Stone Unturned
Each CD deck on the CDM-500 comes with the works. The bright blue LCD screen and backlit buttons make this unit perfect for even the darkest club settings. The CDM-500 even has seamless loop capability with a reloop feature, for expanded mixing possibilities. A series of direct selection keys allows the user to choose their desired track with a single push of a button and with the variable pitch slider, DJs can adequately mix tunes with a range of +/- 12%. All in all, the CDM-500 seems to hit every mark as a great CD player, covering everything right down to the soft-touch rubber jog wheel. However, it doesn't stop there...

The Perfect Mix
The CDM-500's mixer features 3-band EQ controls per channel as well as gain control, rotary master level, mic level, and cue level, and a 6-bar VU meter. The crossfader is extremely smooth for easy transitions between tunes, and also comes with a Fader Start feature, which will automatically start a cued up track when the fader is moved to the corresponding CD deck. In addition to all this, there are input switches located on the top that will switch from the CD players to Phono/Line Convertible outputs located on the back. This way, if the user wants to plug in an additional turntable or CD player, they can do so very easily.

The Verdict is In Overall, the CDM-500 proves itself as an ideal all-in-one DJing solution. Its rich feature set and compact design make it perfect for a wide range of applications. Whether mixing at home, in the club, or at a party, the CDM-500 delivers optimum functionality in a unit that is perfect for permanent installations and mobile DJ rigs.