“If” I upgraded my TT to the 1980’s

I was searching for a couple of valve amps in my loft and I think I just came across a PL12D and 3 PL112s, I thought I still had a 112 somewhere, but believed I'd sold my last PL12D, they've been up there since the nineties which is why I've forgotten about them, now to make some room and get them down and ready to find new homes, if I can get a photo of them in situ I'll post it up, no sign of the valve amps or a couple of Garrard decks that should be up there somewhere, nor the box of long box CDs either.

 

I know the feeling. Back in the mid-1980's, I had a 1st generation Sony CD player. It started acting up so I sent it to a regional Sony factory repair center. I sent it in it's original box with all it's original packing material. On the way back to me, it was destroyed by UPS. Although I had insured it when I sent it to Sony for it's value of $1500., Sony neglected to insure it for it's trip back to me. UPS automatically covered it with their base $100. insurance, so they paid me that. I replaced it with a couple generations newer Sony CD player, which cost me $635. and had many more features. The Sony repair center threw up their hands and wouldn't do anything for me. An attorney friend of mine owed me a favor and filed a small claims lawsuit for me. Within a week or so, a Vice President at Sony's U.S. corporate office in New Jersey phoned me and ask me what I wanted to settle it. I told him that I had already replaced the CD player and how much I paid for it. He offered to pay me that amount, but I told him that UPS had given me $100. so if they just paid me the $535. difference, I would be happy even though I had paid quite a bit more for my original Sony CD player. Well, Sony posted a check to me overnight.
A few years ago I was buying quite a few old 1950's rock 'n' roll 78's through eBay. As they were quite fragile, I was always on edge while waiting for them to arrive by post. Most arrived undamaged but a few didn't. I think I aged a couple of years worrying about them. I ended up with most of what I wanted, so I stopped buying old 78's by mail and was quite healthier by doing that.
You always take a chance when you have something posted, insured or not.

 

The main advantage of a linear tracking turntable is that is the way the master records were cut. Outside of cheaper home record cutting machines, which use what resembles a regular straight tone arm, professional record cutting lathes are linear. Even the add-on Presto cutting jigs were linear. For a turntable, the worst possible tone arm is the straight type , like on Stanton STR-8 series turntables. The next worst is the straight shaft tone arms.
As far as turntables with a "gummy rubber wheel" rubbing on the edge of the platter, that's what Garrard 301's and 401's use. Even today, many use them for reference turntables. The advantage of those "gummy rubber" wheels is , like belt driven, a smoother start-up. Maintained correctly, there shouldn't be a problem with speed stability, especially if they are powered by an AC synchronous motor. I have nothing against direct drive, but they are a bit abrupt starting up.

 

Just curious, are you saying an 'abrupt srart up' is a negative thing? And if so - how so?
Thanks.

 

Good service from Sony. Sometimes work, play & distance make you take the shipping risk. It’s usually gonna end in tears.

 

Here's a stack of Pioneers buried in my loft, the box contains a 112, plus some other finds, just need to work out how to get them out now.




Marantz

Sony

B & O, the stylus has under 5 hours on it, was wondering what had happened to it.

 

Let me know if you need hand freeing up some space.

 

There are a fair few more decks up there, back in the 1990s everyone was getting rid of them and I was obviously rescuing a lot more than I could re-home, I definitely need to clear enough space to get them out so I can get them running and sold, just in those photos are several hundred Pounds worth though the B & O stylus is worth more on it's own than any of the decks, I really wish I'd kept it sealed and unused.

 

Either SOTA sapphire or VPI

 

While none of this is untrue, there are still some who enjoy this kind of distraction, maybe enjoy learning as they go and do not enter every job needing victory. For some, it's just plain fun.

 

True. but also think of rebuilding a Garrard Record changer like you do trying to do a frame up restoration of a Jaguar Automobile, MG, or Triumph Automobile of like era in your garage. Both are retro cool, quirky, have charms, but also both are guaranteed to introduce new words in your vocabulary, none of them to do with love. Garrard is to British Record changer what Lucas is to every British Car and Motorcycle owner, especially Plessey era Garrard. You have been forewarned. Plan on getting intimate with the mechanical aspect real fast.

 

That's a lot of turntables to "forget"!

 

At various times in the mid eighties shops where I worked sold around 35 Regas a month (which wasn't always enough to satisfy the demand) a mix of Planar 2s and Planar 3s. Over a 15 year period this is the list of problems encountered:

1 cartridge tag broken - my fault. The only time I've broken a cartridge tag. Rega had a bag out into our store the afternoon of the following day.

3 cartridge tags broken by one owner!! The only other time that I dipped into that Rega cartridge tag bag.

One owner lost a ball bearing.....

One owner managed to shatter the bearing housing on a RB300. Rega rebuilt it free of charge!

One resistor blew on the motor circuit board.

 

What are you actually looking for soundwise. Sprung turntables have a certain sound but not that many true sprung designs. The Pioneer PL12 can easily be bettered though it was a great affordable deck in it's day. I'm told the earlier version are better than the uber selling PL12D which is likely what you have. I would say modern turntables will give better sound bar a few classic models (that aren't cheap). The old DDs that are favoured and actually sound good were very expensive high end models in their day (which brits ignored in favour of the LP12). Also have you a budget in mind? If you want suspended and can afford it I will suggest the Michell Gyrodec. If you want operational convenience try a technics SL1200GR. Should easily see off the old Pioneer. Two rather different sounding suggestions.

 

The Pioneer PL-12D together with the remarkably similar looking Trio (Kenwood) KD-1033 and Sansui SR-222 Mk II are the turntables that I can recall being recommended just below the Rega Planars in the UK press. My memories of the PL-12D that a friend owned and that passed through the shops, was that it was a good sounding and well built turntable - to better it now is obviously going to cost money.

If you want to find out how much better turntables can be and how much it would cost to give you a worthwhile improvement, then you could take your turntable along to a dealer and have a listen, there are better turntables available.

In the meantime, if every time you hear music played on your Pioneer you smile.....