Questions re Pioneer PLX-1000 set-up

All, quick question for you.

Would I be able to use a Moving Coil cartridge on the PLX?

Have seen good reviews about the Audio Tehnica ATOC9ML/II - would that one work?

Have seen people with Technics TTs have this cart on their tables.

Thanks again!

 

There is no reason you can't use a Moving Coil on your PLX, as long as your Phono Amp is up to the task. (Gain & resistive loading options.) Moving Coils can be wonderful, but can be pricier to own with it's non owner replaceable stylus.

 

Ah, ok. Thanks 33na3rd! Have a very modest system of Denon amp (with no preamp in between - although thinking about getting the Shiit Mani) so maybe stick with MMs for now.

 

George will make you a flat "undermat" with no label indentation. That's how I'm running mine, and I have no issue even with 200 gram vinyl.

@Nubben This will solve your VTA issue as well.

 

I use an Audio Technica AT33PTG/II on mine and it sounds superb. I have also used the following cartridges on this table: Goldring 1042, Denon DL-301 MKII, Audio Technica AT440mlb, and AT150mlx; but keep returning to the 33PTG.

As 33na3rd mentioned, you'll need a capable phono stage or an SUT in conjunction with an MM phono stage.

 

Thanks Hifi....Is this undermat the same thickness as the stock Pioneer rubber mat (currently I am using my stock mat upside down under my GEM Dandy)?

 

It's 3mm I believe- the same thickness as the GEM Dandy mat.

 

When I got my 1000, I emailed Steve Herbelin at Herbie's Audio Lab and he recommended the 285mm-diameter Way Excellent II-3mm Turntable Mat. Everything is sounding good.

 

Hello HiFi.....What diameter did you ask George to make you (as you know, the GEM Dandy itself overlaps the PLX platter lip a little being that it is ever so slightly too large in diameter)?

 

I think I asked him for the diameter for a SL-1200. I must have, as mine doesn't overlap.

 

I'm wondering if there's another way around the cartridge height issue - a headshell spacer, between the headshell and the top of the cartridge, which would effectively add height to the cartridge. There's an authentic Technics one that's widely available as a spare part at a very low cost - you might want to avoid that because it also adds 3 grams to the weight but you could use it as a template for making your own. Alternatively, you could Google "headshell spacer" if interested. For example, there's a guy on eBay who makes them:

Wooden headshell spacers on eBay

 

Googling around a bit, these spacers look as if they might be suitable (but a bit expensive):

Oyaide MCS-CF spacers - set of three

They come in a set of three, each one in a different thickness, and you can use any or all of them in different combinations to provide the total thickness you require, up to a maximum of 3mm.
They're fairly widely available, not unique to this seller.

 

There isn't a height issue unless your cartridge is very shallow. My AT is 16mm according to the spec sheet and can achieve a level head shell by eye at 1mm height setting. Vinyl thickness in practice does not make a great deal of difference. Perhaps I am not too fussy being used to Rega arms. Just ignore Pioneer's figures. Didn't someone have similar issue with the new Technics? The spacers look a better solution than extra mats if cartridge is 14mm or under. I set cartridge using a Polaris protractor then checked the head shell overhang against the crude gauge in the manual. Both positions almost lined up.

 

Just rechecked with level on top of the head shell and found an increase to 1.5mm tonearm height is dead on using the standard Pioneer item. I think one should be wary that some shell designs may raise the cartridge slightly?

 

Hello all,
I've just had a PLX-1000 come in and I'm having trouble balancing the tonearm as it keeps drifting back towards the armrest. The movement is fairly gentle, but very noticeable.
I'm using an Ortofon Bronze with an an Ortofon SH-4 headshell.
The platter is level and anti-skating is set to zero.

 

That's normally the sort of behavior when the antiskate is not set to zer, but I see that you mentioned yours is already set to zero!

Even if it's drifting back you should be able to get the arm fairly balanced. I would recommend getting one of those digital tracking force gauges. I see you're in Paris so I checked on Amazon.fr and found the following for 11 Euros:

XCSOURCE LED Échelle Bijoux Balance Numérique Cartouche Stylus Force Tracking Gauge 0.01g + Batteries TE386: Amazon.fr: Informatique »

This is the model I have and it works really well with my PLX-1000. It's especially useful if you start experimenting with multiple cartridges on different headshells. You don't have to worry about balancing the arm first, just add the cartridge and use the scale to dial in the tracking force

 

Okay, thanks. I'll try to get ahold of the digital gauge.
I went ahead with my setup as suggested, and nothing seems amiss. Is there anything I should be wary of ? Warning signs to pay attention to ?

 

It should be fine. Remember that tracking too heavy is less risky than too light. If there isn't enough tracking force, you risk the needle jumping around the groove more, which may damage the groove. Too heavy won`t really hurt the record that much unless it's repeated play over a long time. A lot of folks believe tracking force wears out records but if's really more risky if one has not enough VTF. A misaligned cartridge is also risky. If you don't have an alignment protractor, just follow the advice in the PLZ-1000 manual to get your stylus tip 54mm from the back surface of the headshell washer and the cantilever parallel to the sides of the headshell. That will give you the classic Technics alignment.

 

If I can't hear telltale signs of mistracking, should I worry about my alignment ?

Another thing : I've noticed my TT's platter had a slight but noticable wobble (no more than a millimeter; I'd guess at a glance). I can't hear anything amiss, but then I'm not sure what I should listen for. Should I be concerned about this ?

 

Doubtful. If you track too heavily, eventually you'll hear a warbly sound. In fact, I used to have a 2M Bronze on a Pro-Ject turntable and I once inadvertently set the tracking off to about 3g. I noticed the sound got warbly and weird. Once I discovered the tracking weight error and reset it, all was good. It didn't hurt the LP or the cartridge. Since you plan on getting a digital gauge, you should be ok until then providing you don't hear any problems.

The purists and SL-1200 fanboys will say that's terrible, but 1mm is nothing compared to the infamous Rega wobble. Seriously, you'll run into more problems with non-flat records than a 1mm platter wobble. Try removing and reinstalling the platter. It may be that's it's just not seated properly.

 

Thanks, will do. I'll also double-check that the TT is level when there's more light (if the rain lets up !).

 

Another issue : when lowering the arm lift on a record's run-out groove, not only does the tonearm crash loudly (like Nubben's did, on page 1 of this thread), it slides towards the center of the record skipping the first few seconds of music.
The tonearm doesn't slide this way when it's lowered further into the record.
I've checked levels and tracking force (with a digital stylus gauge) and all is correct. Antiskating is set at 1,5, same as tracking force.
I haven't touched VTA at all, if that matters.
(I'm using an Ortofon Bronze on a Ortfon SH-4 headshell and the Pioneer rubber mat.)

 

That sounds strange and is usually a matter of there not being enough VTF. Still you checked it with a digital gauge. Check everything again and try different records.

 

I'm not sure what's happening when you are lowering the arm, but I know that the PLX-1000's cue lever is not damped, and must be lowered carefully/slowly. On my Rega arm, I can "drop" the lever and the arm drops slowly and gently to the LP, all by itself. On my PLX, I must lower the lever slowly myself. The cue lever action is really my only complaint about the PLX-1000, and can be dealt with fairly easily.

 

I tried changing my Anti-skate values and find the tonearm has a gentler descent and no longer slides when I set it at 2,4. Does that make sense ? I'm not hearing anything strange or untowards with these new values, but I'm not sure what I should be listening for.

I also double-checked my VTF. I raised it slightly, as my digital gauge is off by 0.03 grams, to around 1.6, and that is indeed what the gauge reads back.