Pioneer PLC-590

[337alant]

Picked up a very nice Pioneer PLC-590 the other day and couldn't wait to get it home to hear how it sounds
The PLC-590 is another classic Jap Quartz locked DD turntable form the 80s, built on a die cast aluminium chassis it feels solid and well made, it comes with an aluminium armboard which is attached with 4 bolts so its easy to interchange arms if you make more arm boards

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5592/14847503581_8c20c49e3a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oC2kx4)Pioneer PLC-590 (https://flic.kr/p/oC2kx4) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

I initially fitted it with an Rega OL251 as the armboard supplied had a cut out at 222mm straight off the arm deck sounded good, I have 2 x Ortofon Kontrapunkt B carts so the same cart and phono stage was used, a comparison was made with the same tracks on my Garrard 401 12" Jelco 750L

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5574/14841114944_0575389fea_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oBsAq9)IMG_0006 (https://flic.kr/p/oBsAq9) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

The sound was not as transperant and dynamic as my Garrard 401 so I looked at the armboard which was bolted down to the top plate so I put spacers in there so it is suspended from the top plate, I also looked at the platter which had quite a ring to it so I added dynamat damping sheet to it, this cleaned the sound up better but still not in the 401 league.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5584/14820499536_5cccfee8bb_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ozCWb5)IMG_0010 (https://flic.kr/p/ozCWb5) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

So I decided to fit my Audiomods arm and that was a nice step up in performance the deck was sounding much better now and starting to give the 401 a run for its money

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3845/14849828395_24f8fba127_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oCefC4)Audiomods 1 (https://flic.kr/p/oCefC4) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5566/14843116842_592ae63350_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oBCRvC)IMG_0025 (https://flic.kr/p/oBCRvC) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

Now I have a SME 3009 but no arm board to try it in, I ordered some 6mm Aluminium plate which came yesterday so I set out making an armbord for the SME in the workshop

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5558/14663301897_f98d928ec6_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okKfMX)SME 7 (https://flic.kr/p/okKfMX) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3904/14663215628_77e65c4909_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okJP9y)SME 6 (https://flic.kr/p/okJP9y) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5577/14663152730_bf5a4f8b6a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okJus7)SME 5 (https://flic.kr/p/okJus7) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

So then I started to fit the SME but noted that 2 of the tone arm wires had parted at the SME connector when I tried to repair them the wires just fell to pieces (nightmare) so I had to do a rewire, fortunately I had some wire in that I bought a while back, I also took this opportunity to get rid of the SME connector and fitted a 5pin Cardas plug on a made up adapter plate.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3908/14850233382_ccc1a7786a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oCgk1A)SME 8 (https://flic.kr/p/oCgk1A) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3914/14663302567_a5c7838924_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okKfZv)SME 4 (https://flic.kr/p/okKfZv) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

So finally got round to fitting the SME 3009 and WOW what an immediate all-round improvement this arm just sounds so transparent and vibrant with a lovely mid range
Im loving this turntable now and its a keeper for sure

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3921/14663302777_078d55095a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okKg48)SME 3 (https://flic.kr/p/okKg48) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5593/14663214319_5d495b280a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/okJNKZ)SME 1 (https://flic.kr/p/okJNKZ) by 337alant (https://www.flickr.com/people/69508926@N05/), on Flickr



There is still loads of tweeks I want to do to this deck over the coming months, similar to the 1210 removing the Transformer from the deck better regulation and a recap are all on the cards

Alan

[belloire]

lovely deck.i had one but sold it to somebody on here as i wasn't using it.

some nice work on the armboard there, did you make a new piece for underneath too?

[brian2957]

Absolutely beautiful turntable and fantastic workmanship Alan :)

[337alant]

Belloire
No it wasn't supplied with the lower mounting board which in the manual looks like plywood? all I have used is spacers on the bolts so the arm board just floats a few mills above the top plate. I have some ply and will make one just to see if it sounds and different

Alan

[belloire]

yeah, just a piece of wood of some sort.

not sure if it affects sound, or was just for lining the arm up easier

[vinyljunky]

the turntable we seen at nebo4 i have to say it looked and sounded superb.Alan this turntable is a work of art i'm tempted to look out for one to mod:stalks:

[Macca]

Yes the pictures don't actually do it justice. It is one gorgeous deck. If Lexus made turntables they would come up with something like this for the flagship.

[mido]

:stalks:

Beautiful Turntable!

Alan, I tried to PM you, but your inbox is full.

[337alant]

Thanks mido, mail box now cleared sorry about that

Alan

[Fulci]

Do you think the SME 3009 is actually better than the Audiomods or just a better fit and match to the Pioneer?

[walpurgis]

Do you think the SME 3009 is actually better than the Audiomods or just a better fit and match to the Pioneer?

I'm biased and dislike Rega arms and Rega derived arms, so I'd go with the SME, which may have its own character and colourations, but my judgement, going by the few I've owned is that its faults are generally benign and do not outweigh its pleasantness.

To be honest (in my view). The Audiomods arm is living proof, that the Rega arms require so much works to improve them, that you basically have to throw just about all of the original structure away to get a decent sound. Now, that's a qualified criticism, because at the new price there is no real competition for Rega arms.

[Jason P]

That is one beautiful turntable. Want!

[337alant]

I'm biased and dislike Rega arms and Rega derived arms, so I'd go with the SME, which may have its own character and colourations, but my judgement, going by the few I've owned is that its faults are generally benign and do not outweigh its pleasantness.

To be honest (in my view). The Audiomods arm is living proof, that the Rega arms require so much works to improve them, that you basically have to throw just about all of the original structure away to get a decent sound. Now, that's a qualified criticism, because at the new price there is no real competition for Rega arms.

Geoff
I agree and the SME arm is still fitted to the deck it sounds superb and looks asthetically better than the Rega


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/16187650139_e4cf7645e3_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qErWqc)IMG_2242 (https://flic.kr/p/qErWqc) by Alan Towell (https://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/), on Flickr


Alan

[Audio Al]

Thats lovely Alan :eyebrows:
If Carlsberg made TT's :)

[Floyddroid]

Thats lovely Alan :eyebrows:
If Carlsberg made TT's :)

I totally agree. I would love one.i have had the pleasure of listening to this turntable and it sounds as good as it looks.

[337alant]

Thanks Al & Steve
Its funny how we were all brainwashed by the 70s-80s HIFI press into believing the only way forward was a Linn LP12, but now after 30 years we learn that those "nasty" Japanese DD drive turntables were actually very very good :scratch::rolleyes::eyebrows:

Alan

[Ammonite Audio]

Let's not forget that, apart from some true gems such as this Pioneer and my own Kenwood KD-990, there was actually a great deal of Japanese dross about at that time. Let's also not forget that these were not exactly 'budget' buys when new; also that the Japanese companies did not generally sell their really high-end stuff here in the UK (Exclusive P3, anyone?). As a former LP12 owner, I do believe that there is a reason why Linn dominated the 80s audiophile record player market; and that reason is not that that we were conned or brainwashed - the old fruit box did play music rather well. Many of the direct drive decks of the time did not. Some of the more recent ones still do not;)

That PLC590 really is a lovely looking thing.

[RobbieGong]

As has been said, nice deck Alan - looks the part. Now you've nailed the mids (where the music is) with the 3009, I think you'll be grinny like a Cheshire cat once you've externalised the transformer and so. I also believe an Ebony armboard would suit this deck both sonically and aesthetically big time ! :)

[Macca]

I do believe that there is a reason why Linn dominated the 80s audiophile record player market; and that reason is not that that we were conned or brainwashed - the old fruit box did play music rather well. .

Agreed, it did. But we were told that the Jap competition was all rubbish when it wasn't.

[Marco]

Let's not forget that, apart from some true gems such as this Pioneer and my own Kenwood KD-990, there was actually a great deal of Japanese dross about at that time.


Indeed, but the point is, how many more, hitherto undiscovered, Jap T/T gems might there be (or have been, back in the day), if as Macca said, we'd not been rather ignorantly told by the (Linn/Naim obsessed media), that the Jap competition was *ALL* rubbish:


But we were told that the Jap competition was all rubbish when it wasn't.

...so that's precisely (and indisputably) where the brainwashing occurred, as Alan correctly stated.

No-one's saying that the old fruit box didn't sound good (if you like that kind of thing), but you'd needed to have been either blind, or as biased as the press were, and a sympathiser of their views, not to have noticed, and therefore acknowledged, the blatant 'brainwashing' [read as bias towards British hi-fi, and Linn and Naim in particular] that had taken place back then.

Jeez, to experience that brainwashing, all you had to do was walk into pretty much any dealership and talk about some form of equipment (not just T/Ts) that wasn't British! Essentially, if you weren't 'programmed' into embracing the 'accepted norm', and thus your views/tastes weren't aligned with those of the dealer, you were given rather short shrift!


Let's also not forget that these were not exactly 'budget' buys when new; also that the Japanese companies did not generally sell their really high-end stuff here in the UK (Exclusive P3, anyone?).


Indeed, but there was plenty of other "not exactly budget" kit recommended in the magazines back then (especially from the States), but for some reason Jap kit (especially T/Ts and speakers) was often panned, just for the sake of it (excluding the stuff, of course, that deserved to be panned). It was really only the tape decks, especially those from Nakamichi, which got a favourable mention.


Many of the direct drive decks of the time did not. Some of the more recent ones still do not;)


Ha - I simply can't think what it could be that you're referring to! :D

Marco.

[Jimbo]

Beautiful work Alan and a great combination with the SME 3009 tonearm.

[337alant]

As a former Linn Sondek owner (so not Biased) I agree they were / are a good turntable and I agree there was / is a lot of dross in the DD market (USB TT:eek:) but I think if you add them up there was also a lot of very good ones as well, and I had nerer heard of any of them except the beautiful Exclusive P3a (OMG ;)) until a few years ago.
When I bought my Garrard 401 I stopped using my LP12, I sold it last year along with my Gyro deck and Rega P3


https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5600/15494416345_47a899b31d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pBbWap)LP12-3 (https://flic.kr/p/pBbWap) by Alan Towell (https://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/), on Flickr


https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15420466085_5277d4345c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/puDVjV)IMG_1521 (https://flic.kr/p/puDVjV) by Alan Towell (https://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

[Marco]

Nice pics, Alan :)

I'm not biased either, as I've owned three different LP12s in my time, and have heard countless others in various contexts and environments, so I know fully what the capabilities and limitations are of the old fruitster.

As ever, in audio, there is no 'perfect' anything, and that includes Jap direct-drive T/Ts, but there are unquestionably specific areas of their sonic and technical prowess that simply outperform those of virtually any belt-drive turntable, including the LP12 - but that was never allowed to be properly acknowledged or demonstrated, as a result of the biased and blinkered agendas of the 1970s/80s British hi-fi press (backed up by certain dealers).

Thank goodness now for forums, such as this, where people are able to express their legitimate views about the equipment that they use or have heard, and tell the truth about things.

Because had that been the case (and the Internet existed) 'back in the day', and had the better of the Jap D/D T/Ts been directly compared, at dealerships throughout the country, against the then favoured LP12s, Regas and Michells, you can be certain that there would be a damn sight more Pioneer PL-71s, PLC-590s and Technics SL-1200s being used now by British audiophiles, together with a wider and more accepted recognition that there is life beyond the rubber band!! ;)

Marco.

[struth]

As a former Linn Sondek owner (so not Biased) I agree they were / are a good turntable and I agree there was / is a lot of dross in the DD market (USB TT:eek:) but I think if you add them up there was also a lot of very good ones as well, and I had nerer heard of any of them except the beautiful Exclusive P3a (OMG ;)) until a few years ago.
When I bought my Garrard 401 I stopped using my LP12, I sold it last year along with my Gyro deck and Rega P3


https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5600/15494416345_47a899b31d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pBbWap)LP12-3 (https://flic.kr/p/pBbWap) by Alan Towell (https://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/), on Flickr


https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15420466085_5277d4345c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/puDVjV)IMG_1521 (https://flic.kr/p/puDVjV) by Alan Towell (https://www.flickr.com/photos/69508926@N05/), on Flickr

Like the mix of black grey silver and gold touches.. Very pleasing on the eye(michell)

[337alant]

Marco very well said and I agree entirely

Grant yes the Gyro was a beautifull turntable and one I had lustered after for years, I was sad to let it go but I decided to keep only 4 of the 7 turntables I had and I made the decission to sell all the belt driven ones
I kept my Technics 1200/Micro sieki ma202, Pioneer PLC-590 / SME3009, Garrard 401/ 12" Jelco 750L and Lenco GL75 all DD or Idler and my decission was based on sound quality and convenience of use, not cost.

Alan