Yes to the beers and to the volume knob twisting clockwise! As far as the TVOM stylus I ordered, I wanted to try a light tracker that would be super inexpensive, so I ordered the 4766-D7T, an EVG conical that tracks at 1.5-3g and that costs less than $20USD. We'll see how it does, and from there I can always grab a genuine N35X or some other alternative. TVOM offers another even-lighter tracker that costs $32, another option in the universe of potential styli for these carts. The real sc35c devotees bust the cartridge from the plastic shell and bury it in a paradox pulse aluminum body, which allows the use of numerous Shure and aftermarket styli. If I really love this cartridge, I'll find another copy and try that out too. As I continue to listen to this cart, 3 hours in now, it's very pleasing to me. I think it will be worth exploring. I cannot believe they were selling this thing as a cheapo DJ cart for $40. I'm thankful I stumbled on the "underground" online praise for it and for Reichert praising it. It was a cart that I never would have considered otherwise.
Yeah I've seen the Paradox aluminium cartridge bodies, probably wouldn't trust myself with a sharp blade ripping the plastic apart though! Did you order the lighter tracking stylus because you still have reservations about the heavier tracking weight of the original stylus or are you looking for something different soundwise (maybe a bit more refinement?)
Sorry for the later reply. I ordered the lighter tracking stylus to check it out, with the idea that if it sounded as good (or better) the lighter tracking couldn't hurt. As it turned out, the lighter tracking stylus (EVG) was WAY overly bright in the sc35c. I gave it a couple hours to settle in, and then tried it again the next day and just hated it. Shrill! When I reinstalled the OEM heavy tracker, the cartridge sang. I listened to it for several hours today and it's magnificent to my ears and on my gear. It's going to remain in stock form at 4.5g for the time being. Malden suggested a couple of other stylus options from JICO, a .6 conical that should approximate the old "white label" heavy tracking conical that was OEM on this cart in the old days, along with a light tracking conical, the model number of which I cannot remember right now. I'm not worried about the heavy tracking. In fact, I've considered doing a one-year, 365-play test, wherein I will play some particular LP that I enjoy and can assess for degradation at the normal listening level, every day to start the day, using the sc35c. I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble, but it would be interesting to add anecdotal data from such an experiment every time a relevant thread comes up here.
I've just retrieved my SC35c original stylus from my upstairs drawer, I shall give this a go in the next few days.
Ok I've had an hour or two with the full SC35c with original stylus today - Overall I love the excellent bass and smoothness but without being too critical (and I must stress in my system), I think I will swap back to the N35x stylus for a little bit of extra refinement. The Shure 'flavour' is all there but it isn't as 'full on' as the heavier tracking needle. I might investigate a Jico stylus that H8LKC/Malden suggests at a later date....Hopefully this might add that extra bit of treble sparkle to the already superb full fat bass!
got one of these this week, but it has a few issues... mfg date April 2018. the tone ar arm has the slightest hint of play in the bearings. wasn't too worried about that since it's so slight and seems like an easy fix. annoying though. but the platter seems to be an issue. I reseated it several times with no luck. also laid it flat upside down on a few different surfaces and it definitely rocks very slightly when I press down it. this is a return right? definitely not happy with the platter, just wanted a second opinion before I go ahead and replace it.
Absolutely! While the bearings can be adjusted, a wobbly platter is totally unacceptable as it makes it as if all your LP's are warped. Not good.
thanks all. just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. wish me better luck on the replacement... sweet Cerebus avatar aroney .
Sorry that you have to go through this! It's a sweet little table as long as you get one that doesn't have problems.
That video looks exactly like others I've seen of warped-platter Audio Technica ATLP120 and '1240's...which makes sense once you realize it's pretty much the same turntable, manufactured by the same company.
Hard to tell if the above comment is serious…I'm left wondering what would be different about a video of a warped platter on another type of turntable?
It's the exact same platter. It's the same table internally with a Pioneer case around it. And based on the video, it has the same iffy quality control as other Hanpin turntables.
Oh please. I'm just pointing out how the Pioneer gets a pass, while every other Hanpin turntable does not. It's not trolling. My guess is that it's the result of the Stereophile review. If that review had instead been about the Onkyo or AT version of the same 'table, there would instead be a huge thread covering that model, and no one would have a word to say about the Pioneer.
No, the reason is not (only) the Stereophile review. It's the experience of several real life owners that have or had the PLX-1000 and know this table is in another level. Many of them participated in this thread and have no more patience for another post saying it's the same as any Hanpin table. It's simply a false statement that owners and ex-owners feel the need to correct over and over again so false information won't be disseminated preventing people from buying a good deck. Had I given credit to this kind of misunderstanding I would never had bought a table that is making me very happy since January paired with a cartridge that costs more than the table itself and a phono stage over four times more expensive with no significant audible shortcomings. I said ex-owners: yes, this is not the greatest turntable in the world and won't be the last turntable in the life of many people, but even many of the ones who upgraded for something better years ago still come around here to repeat this is not a table in the same level of the Hanpins you have out there. You have in this very forum MoFi Ultradeck and Acoustic Signature owners that know how good the PLX-1000 they had or still have is and often come back to say that and recommend the deck for people that might be interested. I hope I'll have a more expensive table in the future, and I'll be then one of these guys with greatest gear that still would recommend the PLX-1000 for anyone that doesn't have more than $1500 for a turntable. Even if the PLX-1000 comes from the same factory, it's very different from lower quality Hanpins and this is simply a fact. It's not the same table with a different brand name on it. If you put it side by side with an AT you will know what I mean immediately. Quality control could be better though. But for things like these you have warranty. Swap the platter and you'll be OK. Having to say that all over again had gotten boring months ago. Blame the justified lack of patience of some of us for thinking you are a troll. People had enough.
This hobby provokes a lot fixed ideas that are rarely swayed and it may be fashionable to criticise Chinese production, Hanpin in particular. It seems to me that the word 'audiophile' sometimes goes hand-in-hand with a superiority complex. However.... - My brother in law has an AT1240 & a friend the PLX1000 - both are free of any detectable 'quality' shortcomings & both sound pretty good for the price paid. - I've owned a number of Regas, never with quality issues but there seem to be increasing numbers of complaints these days. - I did have quality issues with both an LP12 & a Clearaudio table - supposedly superior European engineering. - There are current threads highlighting platter issues with an SL1200GR. - The new Grado Prestige 2's had quite a lot of defects early on & mine has a hairline crack (but that doesn't seem to affect performance). Better to be open minded and actually listen...
I've listened. I've owned Hanpin turntables. Apart from a rattly tonearm on one of them, I don't have any regrets. The -only- point I'm trying to make is that it's funny how, out of all the Hanpin turntables out there, it's this Pioneer model that gets afforded special status. Other companies (Denon, Onkyo, AT) have also released "high quality" Hanpin models, but no one seems to rave about them. So my guess is the Stereophile review made people think the Pioneer is something truly unique...when in reality it's just another Hanpin design, with all the QC issues that come along with it. If you get one without a wobbly platter I bet it's a great turntable. But the exact same thing would also be true with the Onkyo or the AT120. If you really think Pioneer had a special design time that created their table from the ground up, and it's a 100% original design, well....I guess I would ask you to show me the evidence for it!
A quick and easy search of these forums will show that these ideas aren't original, its a tired premise, and its boring. Move on.
The PLX1000 has more damping applied under the platter than other Hanpin TTs I believe. More mysterious how that warp got through QC. Only thing that is common to all Hanpin super OEM is the basic drive system and control electronics. Important thing is Pioneer is better sounding due to the differences. Compared with some other cheaper Hanpin product the Pioneer is seriously heavy and not plastic with a steel plate in the base. Also feet design offers more isolation.
Well it also has one more critical component in common: the same tonearm. I used to own a Denon DP-500M. It was another 'upmarket' Hanpin, just like the Pioneer: heavy platter (and not warped!), heavier plinth, decent build quality. But it seemed like everyone hated it or dismissed it as an overpriced Hanpin piece of crap. That's why I find the whole thing with Pioneer funny: it's basically the same situation, but in this case Pioneer got a positive mention in Stereophile and it made all the difference.
