Yes, that’s exactly what I’m thinking. Adjustments will still need to be made, but some of the work is done for you, and then I can use the Pioneer headshell for another cartridge at a later date, maybe try a low output MC cart.
Still loving this table years later, Daniel! Great recommendation I think it's fine. I did get an AT-HS10 headshell at some point, I had an older AT cart, and when I got a new cart, I put it on the AT-HS10 headshell, to make swapping carts better. I basically use my new nice cart/stylus on new or pricy records, and use my old cart with the Pioneer headshell that came with the table on older noisier records or when I'm more casually listening. Plus AT carts are super easy to swap out new styli, which is how I ended up trying the shibata. I didn't research tonearm resonance or anything like that. I previously had an ATlp120 turntable that those headshells and carts worked well with, and the PLX1000 is basically a better version of that table. I can't say I've noticed any difference in headshell performance or sound between the Pioneer with the table vs the AT. In terms of mounting a cart or having it pre-mounted, whatever you're comfortable with. I'm not technical at all but I've installed a few carts. Needs reading glasses and some small tools for those little wires, but it's not terrible. And getting the little screws just loose enough to align it takes a little time of back and forth, but that wasn't too hard either. Just go slow so you don't accidentally snag the stylus on anything. And finally, get a small bubble level. I bought a little "azimuth" gauge that I can barely see if everything is straight up, but using the bubble level, especially on the flat AT-HS10 headshell, let's me know that the tonearm is level and that the headshell isn't twisted to the left or the right. That got me really really close and everything sounds great. Oh! and get a cheap tracking force scale, makes setting the tonearm at 2.0 super quick.
I don't have a PLX-1000, but I just checked its manual, and checking my own 540ML/H set for Technics on the Technics gauge, which is made for 52mm, the screws are about 2mm back from the arm lift. So, it will be simple for the PLX-1000 and the 540ML/H version - just be sure the cart is squared and the screws are right in line with the arm lift, also right in the center of the length of the slots in that AT headshell. That will be really close if not perfect for the PLX-1000. And it will be a great match on the PLX-1000!
It's important to note that the tonearm on the PLX-1000 is 2mm shorter than that of a Technics SL-1200 (and its brethren). That's why Pîoneer specifies 54mm from the headhsell washer instead of the 52mm for Technics. So punkmusick is right; if you buy an AT cartridge pre-mounted, you need to loosen the screws and slide it by exactly 2mm away from the connecting end of the headshell, then make sure the stylus is centered between the sides of the headshell (and not just the cartridge body because sometimes the stylus isn't perfectly parallel to the sides of the cartridge body). Afterwards, tighten the screws and enjoy! If you want to try a Baerwald (aka Löfgren A) alignment, you need to pick up a longer headshell such the Zupreme from LPGear. I have my Shure/Jico carts mounted on these and prefer Baerwald to the Pioneer 54mm alignment. They're very close but I find the Baerwald sounds just a tiny bit cleaner to my ears (but I admit that it may be expectation bias). This tonearm length difference and the height required (19-26mm) are the only criticisms I have of my PLX-1000, which I've been enjoying now for several years. I have to have the tonearm height adjustment nearly bottomed out and a thicker mat installed because all my cartridges are 15-16mm high. I could use an even thicker mat but then the spindle isn't long enough.
Excellent match, I currently am using the VM540ML on a PLX 1000 and it sounds splendid! That phono stage (LP110) is also good and should bring out the best in that AT cart, this should be a fun pairing! Enjoy!
So I got my PLX1000 set up. First impressions are very favorable. Definitely more massive than I was expecting I guess, kinda makes my Uturn feel like a toy, although it has served me well. I got the cartridge set up, and almost seems too easy. Quick attachment since I got it with the headshell attached. Set the arm weight to 2, and then tried a few records. Sounded great, no IGD or other issues so far. I have a tracking force gauge but battery is dead, will fix it tomorrow. I used the Stevenson protractor and it seems to be aligned, will double check again. maybe I got lucky with alignment and a few more records will probably tell me more. But so far it’s sounding great!
What mats are people using with the Audio Technica VM95 carts or similar? I fitted a VM95SH yesterday and ended up using a GEM Dandy (3mm) (upside down directly on the platter) with a 6mm rubber Technics mat on top of it to get the arm level for the rake angle to approach correct (arm height set at 1). What alternatives could be tried? My other cart is a Nagaoka MP150 which looks level at the lowest arm setting using the 6mm Technics mat on its own. Thoughts please?
I'm using the VM95ML on my PLX-1000. I've also tried the VM95SH & VM95C with good results. I also use the GEM Dandy mat, but mine is on top of the stock Pioneer mat (4mm). I'm using a 4mm headshell spacer with the 10 gram LP Gear Zupreme headshell. I resisted using headshell spacers for awhile, but I was running out of spindle stacking mats! It might seem a little clumsy going through all these steps, but it does sound very nice.
Thanks for your comments 33 much appreciated. I wanted to try a shibata stylus and wow I can't believe how much extra focus and lower noise floor there is with the new cart. How do you find your microline stylus? How did it differ from the shibata tip??
The MicroLine is more neutral, the Shibata is warmer and a bit smoother. The MicroLine handles IGD even better than the Shibata does. The MicroLine doesn't collect as many dust bunnies as the Shibata does. I'm still confused why the Shibata gets dirtier than the MicroLine, same records and the tables are right next to each other. I could live with either mounted on the PLX-1000.
Where would I set the arm height adjustment on the PLX when using an AT-VM95sh? i am just using a Herbies Way Excellent mat 3mm. AT-VM95SHVM95 series Shibata stereo cartridge thanks!
Don't be too surprised if you have to stack platter mats and/or use a headshell spacer to get correct VTA with the VM95's on the PLX-1000. I've had to do both, it can be a bit of a PITA if you don't already have the parts around, but it's worth the effort.
Well, more than three months later, I picked up the PLX-1000 from the second replacement of "everything but the tone arm" (I think he exaggerated—the motor and main board for sure, but maybe a power board if that's separate). So far it seems fine, I need to set it up again (make sure the cartridge is aligned, etc.). To recap, the turntable worked fine new. Didn't turn it on again from a few months, and found it was fried. Took it in, they replaced the motor and main board. It worked almost fine, but seemed to performing sub-par (just-visible speed oscillation, was slow to stop, oscillating a bit). The shop was a little reluctant, but apparently Panasonic told them to go ahead and replace everything again, but the parts backorder was brutal, so 3.3 months to get it back. I'm glad I took a video and posted a description of the oddities, because I wasn't sure anything had changed, and was thinking I might have been too paranoid in taking it back the second time, but it's clearly much better, looking back. So, if it hold up, I'll be very happy with the purchase, if not I'll have to junk it and get something better, but those seem to sum up the polarizing experiences with it, no?
Everything was going fine, till I tried to set the tonearm height. I can't set it low enough for the tonearm to be horizontal. I didn't see anything in the service manual about setting the height, but recall coming across a comment in the Pioneer literature that said the height is adjusted at the factory (13mm, IIRC—I suppose that's the tonearm height above the platter, maybe at the "0" setting), and of course that's to be further adjusted by the user. But even at the lowest setting, the tonearm is too high. I don't know for sure that the service center changed it, but when I got it back the first time the lifter no longer raised the stylus high enough to clear the record, and I mentioned that. The lifter bar has its own adjustment, but it seemed unlikely that changed, the tonearm seemed to be set lower than before. However, it's not clear that there is an internal adjustment other than the user height adjustment, looking at the service manual. The service center is not a short roundtrip, I'll probably open it up and take a look. Anyone been through this before?
L I’d leave it alone. This is how this is. It’s the same for Technics SL-1200 models. I wish they would go lower but it seems those types of tonearms were designed at a time when cartridges were usually taller. If you want to get the arm level, get some delrin or acrylic headshell spacers on eBay, or get a thicker platter mat.
OK, thanks, appreciate the input. I was just going through a forum thread on setting up the PLX-1000, and a couple of people mentioned the same, it doesn't go low enough to get to horizontal. This despite seeing youtube videos where sets it that way. The PLX-1000 manual doesn't say to set it this way, it says to adjust it acorrding to the cartridge height, and in that case my setting would be zero. I did think of adding a platter mat (I have one here I never used—in the '80s, I bought an NAD integrated amp and a pair of speakers, the guy kept going on about the improvement of this Platter Matter mat, but I was skeptical it would work on my B&O turntable and wasn't biting. After I paid for the goods, he gave it to me anyway. It didn't work with the B&O so has been on the record shelf in the box since ). But, I took a closer look and it was clear that the cartridge would not be at a good angle if I was able to make the tonearm horizontal anyway.
Yeah, I believe it’s ideal for the tonearm/bottom of the headshell to be parallel to the record so it’s worth the extra bit of effort to get it there. Some like to play with the tonearm height to dial in the stylus rake angle to 92°, but to me it’s not worth it. To move the rake angle 1° will take around +/- 4mm of tonearm height adjustment. To me, if a nicely-made cartridge is already within say 1° of the desired 92° rake angle (which would be excellent for any cartridge), it’s still better to have the tonearm level especially since there is no standard rake angle when cutting the original lacquer. If the the stylus rake of the cartridge is way off, (more than +/- 3°-4°) better to return it or get a headshell shim made to compensate for the stylus rake angle and keep the tonearm level. But now we’re getting into real geekery, and not always necessary to do to get great sound.
I would just add another mat, and then see if you notice any improvement or not. I have an ATVM740ml, and at the lowest setting, with the stock mat, it's horzontal. But I have to get it at the very lowest!
From the manual, my cartridge should also be set to the lowest setting. But it's at least 3 mm off. It ends up I don't still have that Platter Matter, or can't find it, so I just now ordered a 3 mm replacement mat on 'zon (oddly, it's titled a "slipmat", then described twice as non-slip, lol). This after enquiring with Pioneer support, where the first person said to take it back to the shop. I asked if there is actually an adjustment, because I don't want a 5th and 6th roundtrip for repair if they can't do anything. A manager came back and said, "if you're really fussed about getting it fixed, we would certainly cover that by warranty, but there's nothing I can tell you to arm you with any secret detail"...OK, I didn't think I was asking for secrets, but it looks like the service manual doesn't show any adjustment. He said he also has a 3 mm drop, using a cartridge that effectively is the same height as mine, but the catch is he's using the slipmat alone, so 2 of his 3 mm drop is due to that. He's a DJ and assumed first off I was using it for that too, and I was being overly concerned with specs. I told him I bought it to transfer a rare album (my band) and was being "fussed" (he also described it as "stressed") because the whole purpose is to get as good of a transfer as I can. I bought this based on its specs, I only expect it to meet them. But somehow, I guess he still assumed I was a DJ and thought I wasn't using the regular mat. As long as the motor or control board doesn't fry again, I think I'll be happy with it. So I'm sad to say I would probably go another direction if I have to do it again. That seems to be the thing about this turntable—quite a sturdy bargain when everything's right, but if not...
Kind of disappointing exchanges with the PioneerDJ service manager. In the final exchange, he said, Yes, I understand that this is a normal setting, however the manual does not describe the level nature of the tonearm relative to height of the turntable platter itself as being measured with or without the rubber mat. If that corrects the height difference, I would suggest that is a suitable option. First, the manual says to assemble the turntable with the mat, and set the tonearm height with the stylus on the record. And I had already made that clear after he asked about the mat previously. I don't know why he'd consider that the tonearm might be properly set up with an lp setting on the metal platter, and that would just make the error off by another 3 mm anyway. I don't think it's worth another visit to the service center, because it doesn't appear to be adjustable. I bought another mat, which gets it pretty close (I think under a third of an mm) if I crank the ring to its minimum travel (below the 0 tick mark). Haven't had time to check if it's an improvement in sound.
I've read this four times. So what's the problem now? Getting the cart parallel to the record isn't meant to be done within a micron of absolute level. If the second mat gets you within a third of a mm and you're still unhappy with the performance, it's time to give it up. You live near LA, find someone experienced in needledrops of rare records and let them do it. The PLX1000 is a very good TT for the money, but the kind of precision you're trying to get, without even checking if it made an audible difference, and you haven't even gotten to the trouble spots of getting the audio digitized which will have 100 other possible spots for potential issues with the audio quality. I understand the importance of getting your band's album transferred digitally, but I think by now I'd just find someone who already knows how to do it and has the right equipment, and pay that person like $500 to do the best job possible.
