I'm hoping that the 17 gram auxiliary weight from KAB fits. If it does, I'll be able to set up my Zu DL-103 correctly. As much as I like my Ortofon 2m Bronze, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Zu will be better. It's been so long since I had it on there that I can't remember. The setup wasn't optimal, and my system is different now anyway.
I use the Zu Denon 103r without the auxiliary KAB weight and it sounds wonderful. Though I did add the KAB fluid damper to good effect.
Worked like a charm. And I do prefer the Zu over the Ortofon. Actually, I wish there were a cartridge that combined the best aspects of both.
Pioneer have no engineering left it's all Hanpin engineering. Check out the Technics thread. For the new model they had to get help from elderly ex engineers of an outside company, one of which heads it at the age of 90. They did most of the work on the arm and trained the Technics staff in analogue techniques.
The PLX-1000's tonearm is unlike others from Hanpin and seems to be a copy of the SL-1200 arm but with an anti-resonant rubber compound inside. For example a few of us were able to install the KAB fluid damper, which will not work with the Hanpin Super OEMs as they don't have a place to mount the paddle. Pioneer may well have had Hanpin develop the arm for them but it's not like the arms on, for example, the Stanton ST.150 or ATLP1240.
Hifi Guy, please post a photo of the aux weight in your system. I am interested in this as my Denon mono and Zu 103r cause the counter weight to sit far from the pivot.
This TT is available for under £500 in UK. Any views from those who have compared with alternatives from Rega or Project at close to the price. Have more recent examples improved bearing adjustment? Looking for affordable interim deck while I audition, contemplate purchase, and order an Orbe or SME 15. Would become a second (office) deck. By then the standard SL1200G might be available at a discount!
I can compare mine to the Project Xpression II (a few years old I know but the model is basically the same. Even if there's now a "carbon" model, mine had a carbon fibre arm. They also have a "DC" model but the motor is still AC). There really is no comparison my PLX-1000 is a zillion times better table than the Project. First of all, it doesn't have the constant resonant motor noise of the Project. Its speed is more stable (and I had a Speed Box to improve my Project). My bearings were fine out of the box, but those who had the loose bearings that happened on the early runs reported that this was easily fixed with a screwdriver. My anti-skate works fine. My only real criticism of the PLX-1000 is the tonearm height is too high. It's designed out of the box for a range of cartridge heights from 19-26mm, whereas as all my cartridges range from 16-18.5mm high! I remedied this by putting the slipsheet under the rubber mat to raise it. I also have one of the old SL1200 MKII 6mm rubber mats (the PLX-1000 comes with the MKV-style 3mm mat). I have no experience with Regas but I always hesitated due to their tonearm being fixed at 14mm high and having to add spacers for cartridges. I also love that I can easily swap cartridges on my PLX-1000 due to the removable headshell, which couldn't be done on the Rega or on either of my Projects (I had a Debut III before the Xpression II). So yes, for your intended purpose as a second deck, I'd say the PLX-1000 would be splendid. I doubt the SL1200G will ever be discounted to the £500 level.
Pioneer has said that the new PLX-500 is a Hanpin OEM design but with some specific Pioneer improvements. Pioneer was not reluctant in the least to discuss the Hanpin lineage. Therefore, I am led to believe that the PLX-1000 is not a Hanpin design. Pioneer never associated Hanpin with the PLX-1000 as they did with the PLX-500.
Would the PLX-1000 be a natural upgrade step from an ATLP120? I have the 120 with an Ortofon Blue and modded to remove the amp - but the anti skate sucks and the cue arm just drop the tonearm when lowering - no resistance left in it.
I think so. A friend of mine is buying one after checking mine out. He says its way better than a Technics SL-1200- and he's owned two. Me? I'm not sure but I still love mine after a year and a half of very heavy use.
I'm still shocked how good the PLX-1000 is. It's responded quite well to tweaks and upgrades: Audio Technica ATOC9ML/II low output MC cartridge Jelco headshell with upgraded wiring KAB tonearm damper George Merrill GEM Dandy RCC platter mat I'm running this into a Luxman E-200 phono stage. I have no desire to change turntables, although I've thought of upgrading the feet on the Pioneer. Everything I've done has made a marked improvement over stock.
I believe You. The files I have heard from various PLX-1000 are very good IMO. I have also measured W&F on one, it was very low.
Like how low? I've always listened for the "big issue" with the Pioneer and for the life of me, I can't hear it.
PLX 1000 wow and flutter » I don't know if it really was just a typo as that thread says or an early run of the Pioneer had worse wow-and-flutter (I heard two early examples with plenty of flutter) but, whatever the problem was, it certainly seems to have been corrected.
If anyone can post a wow & flutter test tone (3000 or 3150Hz) recorded with the PLX-1000, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Who's fighting? This thread has been dormant for a month. I think everyone knows now that the early specs from Pioneer were a mistake or the turntable was updated, which is all good news for anyone who hasn't bought one yet. Someone who isn't on this forum asked me to make some measurements for them and so I asked for a test tone.
