I bought it for the DD, ease of use, swappable head shells, based on reviews in forums and the Reichert and Guttenberg articles about it. It replaced a Marantz TT-15, which was an outstanding machine but which I don't miss now that I've gotten accustomed to the PLX-1000. My example sounds and looks fabulous. It is quiet, solid, steady and I've had a ton of fun changing pre-mounted carts based on whim. The tonearm bearings and function are beyond reproach. Aside from a small (.5mm) wobble in the cast platter, which I admittedly don't love, the machine has been outstanding.
If it replaced a TT 15 that says a lot of the SQ. And me coming from a 50 year old turntable, I doubt I’d notice a slight wobble. Though the old Sansui has been spectacular this far, throwing a big and deep soundstage that even my digital front end couldn’t match.
I don't remember, I changed a lot of things at about the same time. But I do remember turning the PLX on and immediately smiling because of the absence of hum.
I love it so much I wanna get a second one for my upstairs album room. That's perhaps the biggest downside of this TT, the fact that you keep buying and buying Lps when you know you have no place to store them. But that's another issue altogether.
It's dead quiet with MM but there is some background audio hum being picked up from the transformer with MC (hardly noticeable in practice) and a slight short buzz when pressing the on/off switch. This may only apply to 240V models. There is obviously no shielding on the transformer mounted on the main control board on left side of deck. Probably why Technics are using switch mode supplies in the new models. For top class MC cartridges I would certainly opt for the Technics GR or Mo-Fi models as a minimum.
Actually it can be more challenging to shield against noise with a SMP, as opposed to a linear PS, due to the RF noise generated by the high frequency switching voltages. I work for a audio company and we changed over to SMP's from linear power supplies due the the increasingly stringent Energy Efficiency standby power consumption regulations being adopted around the World. It is near impossible to meet the standby power consumption limits with a linear power supply. I am guessing this is why Technics went to a SMP.
I’ve gone down the power supply rabbit hole to squeeze that extra 10% out of my gear. Looking back I could’ve gotten more from a new cartridge or the PLX.
Does anyone use their PLX-1000 with a Jolida JD9? Any carts you can recommend that pair well with them? Looking into the Denon DL 103. Any recommendations on headshells? Sorry if this has been asked already. Wasn't able to find answers through a search.
This doesn't directly answer your questions but I have yet to try a cartridge on my PLX-1000 that doesn't sing, even the basic and inexpensive conicals that I often enjoy. My unit came with what seem to be perfectly adjusted arm bearings and everything from a Pickering XV-15, to Shure sc35c, to m97xe with various styli, to simple conicals like the AT3600L and AT91 sound excellent to me on this machine. I'm not an arm resonance expert, so don't know how well adapted this tonearm is for the DL103, but as a fan of conicals and someone aware of the cult-status of that cartridge, I cannot imagine it wouldn't be delightful on the PLX-1000.
It would really be nice to know what the effective mass of the PLX-1000 arm is. I've contacted Pioneer support via email to ask, but they just repeated the weight ranges of "compatible" cartridges straight from the owner's manual. I've spent time searching the web for any information on the arm's mass, but came up empty handed. I would venture that the PLX-1000 arm with it's rubber liner would have a bit more effective mass than similar Hanpins, which many estimate to be around 12 grams. As far as headshells go, I like the LP Gear Zupreme on my PLX. LP Gear Zupreme Headshell If you do mount a DL-103 on your PLX, I hope you'll post your thoughts on the combo here.
Curious where that estimation comes from. Reloop 7000 mk2 states 30 grams effective mass and IIRC they are the only Hanpin based deck stating the effective mass. Now, is this with or without headshell - it's hard to tell. Seems pretty high anyway.
Frankly given that the 103 is known to suit higher mass arms it would not be suited to the PLX arm as standard. May be OK with weight added to the headshell if you can balance it out with the additional counterweight. Personally I would go with a cartridge of medium compliance that is more universal in application (+ elliptical tip).
I don't recall where I saw those numbers, but do remember that they were all "estimates". Interesting numbers from the Reloop, 30 grams does seem high.
Technics 1200mk2 effective mass is 12 grams, with headshell. Those estimations are probably based on the wrong assumption that "if it looks like Technics then it is (almost) a Technics". You don't get a Technics buying a Pioneer, face it, no matter how sweet the latter sounds to your ears.
I just measured. The PLX-1000 arm is 2mm shorter hence the need to use 54mm instead of the Technics' 52mm. Both arms have the same height, the Pioneer's arm is not 2mm higher. That would make no sense for the PLX-1000 manual to say zero VTA would be good for 19mm high cartridges while the SL-1210GR says zero VTA is good for 17mm cartridges. However, it makes, because the Pioneer headshell holds the cartridge 2mm higher than the Technics' headshell. Which means that people finding it hard to set VTA in the PLX-1000 could use a flatter headshell instead of thicker mats.
Using a spirit level instead of paying attention to Pioneers figures I've managed to align the arm correctly for various cartridge and headshell combinations using the supplied mat.
I also like those acrylic VTA blocks for this job. Sit it next to the headshell and level the top of the cartridge. Tonearm VTA & Cartridge Azimuth Alignment Ruler Headshell Alignment Block 850258008217 | eBay Hi-Fi Tonearm VTA & Cartridge Azimuth Alignment Ruler Headshell Alignment Block 325646486019 | eBay
Plx owners! Thinking of getting one as an upgrade from my ATLP120 Anyone have any issues with hum or motor noise? Plan to hook it up with a Lounge preamp, At440mlb cart, audioengine a5 speakers, and I’m in a small room with lots of close to speaker listening or headphones (at m150s and a schiit magni) I tweaked the crap out of the lp120 but it’s the hum from the rca’s and the motor pulsating noise that finally has me done.
Ive had a lot of DD turntables and Ive never heard any motor noise or RCA hum (that wasnt too close to a major power cord). How are you doing this?
There was a guy earlier in the thread Mark E. Adams-Westin that had a lot of hum problems, went through a few of the Pioneers before moving on, think he finally settled on a Marantz TT-15S1 after trying a series of current decks. Seems to have left the building now, and probably just a fluke, but entertaining reading nonetheless.