Steve's next turntable journey Pioneer PL-71

Well it arrived today - handy having taken the day off.

Got it going in short time.
Used the Technics headshell as the one that came with it looked like the cheapo I had with my first decks back in the 70's and in fact the 33 PTG is too wide for them - I know a Sumiko headshell would be a worthwhile upgrade but firstly how does it look?

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/23...600x600Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/42...600x600Q85.jpg

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How does it sound?
Well divine in all truth - no other word for it. It is everything Richard aka Gromit (who was round at my place a while back) said it would be.
He is so much better at writing down what the lugs are hearing - guess it's being a pro musician...

It's so musical and rhythmic - makes you want to tap your feet and listen and listen. Even Mrs Speedy said the same thing.



Anyway.

Next to clean it up and re-cap it. Get that Sumiko headshell - can't see my getting a SPU anytime soon though...
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=60672

The more I look at that arm, the more like a Rega R200 it looks - and that latter arm was always supremely musical to listen to (can't wait until I can afford to get mine re-wired)..

The lateral balance weight should face downwards I think, although it's appearance guiding this comment - Rega used to fit some thick sleeving on the rod and all but jam the weight up against it to minimise vibration...

Enjoy.............................. Regarding caps, does the deck malfunction? I appreciate its age, but Japanese components at the time were rather longer lasting as I recall. Obviously, RD and possibly gromit wil have done this already, but if it aint wrong, don't balls it up is my motto after decades of doing just that!!!!! :D


P.S. The AT cartridges don't seem to "drive" the headshell (I'm getting little to no "handling noise" with my Dual 701/OC9 surprisingly) and arm like many lower compliance cartridges do, so the shell you're using should be ample for now I reckon.

Looks gorgeous. I'm old enough to remember lusting after one in Lindair on Tottenham Court Road (close to Laskys). I also remember looking at the Technics SL-120/1200 brochure that came in my dad's Scientific American around that time. I never would have believed that I would own one some 37 years later.

Looking great, Steve - nice one!

The wood finish on the PL-71 adds a touch of class, and like Dave says, the arm is so like an R-200 (Lustre) it's unreal. The latter, IMO, is one of the reasons why the PL-71 sounds so musical. I don't even think Richard (Gromit) realises how influential the tonearm is in its overall sound...

You just can't judge a Techy with a bloody (modern) Rega arm! Listen to one with a Jelco or SME and it's a different ball game ;)

We'll have to have a D/D bake-off sometime so I can get to hear what all the fuss is about with the Pioneer :)

Marco.

I have plans for my SL150, getting a SoundSupport Rega cut plate for it with three extra holes for the Kenwood arm and usefully for the R200 too. The Kenwood's chuck assembly may not work with the recessed Techie plate (similar size and style to the 1200 plate but with four fixing screws in a different place), but the R200 should be fine as-is.

A question. The R200 has a plastic spacer which may be better with the Technics metal arm plate possibly. Audio Origami (Jonny) made a metal spacer for the R200 he re-furbished which looked really good IMO. Any thoughts guys?

Well, it's got the SL-1210 and the Parallel air arm licked for cohesion.
This is both my DIY version and a real Terminator BTW.
I think there is more tweaking to be done with the air arm.

Need to lower the air rate and dampen that blade more - perhaps a silicone sealant bead on it?

The SL-1210 / air arm does bass deeper but the PL-71 is a more musical bass.

Quite an achievement when you look at it.
The mat is stiff plastic with only a few contact rings but it just works.

Not tried a thick felt or rubber mat - somehow I feel it in my bones that it won't be so good - might be wrong though.

Missus likes the wood too.

I wonder how Terminator would be on the Pioneer.

If you want to lower the air pressure to absolute min then you need to use ally angle and saddle that is highly polished, I use my pump on the min setting with this. Big difference in air pressure.

I currently wet and dry'd the saddle / manifold to 1200 grade - could polish.

Had a look under the PL-71 hood - all very clean apart from a light spiders web.

Gave the moving parts a clean up.
Caps look like any other modern electrolytic.
It might even benefit from a signal and power wire recable to some better spec and the power diodes are, well, not in modern Hexfred league I am sure but this is not an amp in the signal path so will leave as is since it is working so well.

More listening on some varied stuff has revealed what a good all rounder this is. It just likes all sorts of vinyl. Stuff that has irritated me a little before or sounded a bit thin sounds flippin' marvellous.

I know Gromit and co. did a bake off - LP12, PL-71, SL-1210 which is written up...

It's a top quality deck, Steve, and would disgrace most so-called 'hi-end' modern T/Ts - use it and enjoy it accordingly! :smoking:

Some people still appear to be slaves to their 'fruitbox' prejudices and fail to 'get' just how good turntables like this are compared to most of the bollocks made nowadays at any kind of an affordable level.

Yes, I believe that Gromit did do a D/D bake-off but if I remember correctly the Techy was either an unmodified one, or one which had only been lightly modified, so not really conclusive in terms of ascertaining its inferiority to the PL-71 or otherwise.

I'd like to do a D/D bake-off using my own 'fully-optimised' version to represent the Techy with also Scoobs' DP-80 and Mike's DP-3000 Denons. Would you like to take part and bring your PL-71 along to represent Pioneer? :)

I simply must hear one of these PL-71s, because if it outperforms my 1210 (given what I've done to it), it'll outperform any 1200 or 1210.

The truth must be discovered...

Marco.

I'd be up for that depending on where.
Yes think the SL-1210 in that bake was standard - arms and the rest make a hell of a difference.

I've just been listening on the Stax and compared some mats.

On the phones I prefer the thick rubber mat to the Pioneer hard plasticy one.
Deeper bass and nice balance. Could be wrong on the amp and speakers but I doubt it.

Also looked at the manual for it. The lateral balance should be 20-24mm out and centre of gravity is set by it's height. Trying it low now. The overhang shuold be 14.5mm - that's exactly what the OL Rega arm set up card I used has given it...