Pioneer PLC-590

[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) 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


LP12-3 by Alan Towell, on Flickr


IMG_1521 by Alan Towell, 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) 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


LP12-3 by Alan Towell, on Flickr


IMG_1521 by Alan Towell, 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