Pioneer PL-7

halo

After fiddling about with the Marley turntable with auto-stop and the fully automatic Denon 300F, I decided to give a "vintage" 'table a try. Enter the Pioneer PL-7 Quartz Lock Direct Drive turntable circa 1982.

It's an off goldish color which is weird to me as I though most electronics of the era were either silver or black. The PL-7 was touted to be a respectable little 'table by the folks over at AK and it was not expen$ive at all. They are quite plentiful on the used market.

The listing indicated that it had a Grado M1+ cart on it but, upon taking delivery and unwrapping the unit, it ended up having an AT105 cart on it which is missing its stylus. I'm waiting to hear back from the seller on that one.

Regardless, I swapped out the AT105 for the AT120EB and that was super easy (easier than any other cart because, even with my limited dexterity, I was able to swap it out and align it myself). Pioneer has a "no brainer" system for lining up the cart on the headshell of the PL-7 which is very cool.

I then grabbed an LP and gave it a spin (after triple checking to make sure everything was level, lined up properly, and ready to go). For a 33 year old table, I am pleasantly surprised at how well everything on this machine still works! All of the automatic functions operate properly and very smoothly.

The cover is pretty badly beat up and I'll try to clean it up later today. For now though, the PL-7 sounds ridiculously good considering what I paid for it. I'm happy that I have the fully automatic functions if I want them as well as the smooth operation of the direct drive. I can see why people choose to resurrect/restore/refurbish older 'tables > buying new 'tables as the new stuff just isn't made like this anymore (this PL-7 was manufactured in Japan).

halo

I think that it's overpriced unless it's absolutely mint or recently restored/refurbished. Also depends on what cart is on it. The polymer graphite arm is low mass and needs a high compliance cart to perform "best."

halo

la2vegas wrote: »

Nice write up. I saw this pl-8 locally. Do you know if there are significant differences compared to your pl-7? Should I expect to do better in regards to price?
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/ele/6045763425.html

I didn't read the entire ad. Depends on the cart they stuck in it. AT makes a lot of them!

Scuffs on the lid means it's not mint or near mint. Other than a new cart it's a 33 year old tt.

I would definitely haggle.

OTOH, a less complicated player would be the PL-400 because it doesn't have a low mass tonearm.

heiney9

You can find "new" stuff made like the old stuff, it just costs an arm and a leg. Still, there's something about the retro gear that's cool.

Happy listening

H9

Nightfall

Is there anything in the 80's and 90's that the Japanese didn't make super reliable?

halo

heiney9 wrote: »

You can find "new" stuff made like the old stuff, it just costs an arm and a leg. Still, there's something about the retro gear that's cool.

Happy listening

H9

That's what I mean Brock. The PL-7 wasn't a super expensive specialty item that was hand crafted by artisans. The PL-7 was an off the shelf, mass produced, turntable that was made very well. I understand that economics are different today and that profit margins are increasing due to the manufacturing being outsourced but the quality of the final product is suffering and the consumer pays the price. Dan @mantis was complaining not long ago that everything made recently is disposable. That's a problem on a lot of different levels as landfills are running out of space. Long story short, try to resurrect some old hi-if gear when you can

mhardy6647

Many words for Marky to digest -- give me a wee bit

Meanwhile:

In the matter of the color -- I believe (?!?) these Pioneer tts date from the era of Pioneer's "Champagne Series" of components. If not -- well, it still sounds like I know what I'm talking about!

http://www.kallhovde.com/pioneer/champ.pdf

Actually, the table listen specs towards the end of the doc at the link above does at least list the PL-7

pitdogg2

Nightfall wrote: »

Is there anything in the 80's and 90's that the Japanese didn't make super reliable?

Datsun's major rustbuckets

tonyp063

^^^^^
As someone who, in a former life, was a service manager at a Datsun/Nissan dealership, I approve and/or endorse this product and/or service.

halo

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Many words for Marky to digest -- give me a wee bit

Of course!

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Meanwhile:

In the matter of the color -- I believe (?!?) these Pioneer tts date from the era of Pioneer's "Champagne Series" of components. If not -- well, it still sounds like I know what I'm talking about!

http://www.kallhovde.com/pioneer/champ.pdf

Actually, the table listen specs towards the end of the doc at the link above does at least list the PL-7

Yes, you are correct! I may have to see if I can have some decals of the original script on the table made so I can paint it a different color

halo

la2vegas wrote: »

I'm doing my part.

Did you end up getting the PL-8?

halo

la2vegas wrote: »

No, I've been busy saving cassette players from the scrap heap lately. A month or so ago I did buy a pl-10. Nice cosmetically, but not much else.

Does the PL-10 have the aluminum plinth vs the resin on the PL-8?

mhardy6647

la2vegas wrote: »

No, I've been busy saving cassette players from the scrap heap lately. A month or so ago I did buy a pl-10. Nice cosmetically, but not much else.

A noble calling, to be sure -- but (FWIW) even I usually draw the line @ scrounging cassette decks. I hate dissecting them to replace the belts! I almost always loose something or break something.

You?

codycatalist

I have a PL-510 and a PL 510A TT from Pioneer and love it. Scored one for $10 the other free so I did pretty good. I just have never had the time to learn how to properly set up a TT with the manual weights and tone arm adjustments etc etc. I feel like i've never brought it to its full potential.

mrbigbluelight

Now, if someone could identify the console that the PL-8 is sitting on a couple of posts back, it'll quit bothering me.
It's a common ritual to pop the top on my gear to look at the insides. When it came to cassette decks, though, the thought of "Geeeezus, do they make jewelers' screwdrivers that small ?" when it came to fasteners.

mhardy6647

la2vegas wrote: »

I know, I know, but some of the older cassette players just simply look too pretty to see them go into the heap. Mainly stuff like this.

oh, I know, I know


CTF1000 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

Nightfall

I have to agree.

mhardy6647

^^^

Hey, get a 12V power supply and you're all set!
Plus, the tuner's probably better than almost any standalone hifi tuner, at least in terms of station-pulling power!

mhardy6647

la2vegas wrote: »

...

You show off you.

I was trying to find the picture of the two of 'em I have (the second one being an organ donor, though 100% complete)... but I couldn't.

That's the best I can do -- no Naks here (well, there is a BX-1, but that hardly counts -- especially in that it's a Nakamichi in name only; Sankyo made the hardware (transport) part of guts, at least.

OK, I should probably let this thread revert to vinyl

halo

I installed an ADC Series II cartridge (missing a stylus) with a Series III stylus from LP Gear. It sounds fantastic!

mhardy6647

The ADCs (AFAIK) are moving iron types like the Grados -- and, to my recollection, they're pretty good sounding cartridges. I actually have one ADC here, a P-mount, in a very cheap late-80s era plastic-y tt. Junky tt but nice cartridge.

Gatecrasher

pitdogg2 wrote: »

Nightfall wrote: »

Is there anything in the 80's and 90's that the Japanese didn't make super reliable?

Datsun's major rustbuckets

Yeah but those Datsuns ran forever. I had a Datsun 210 back in the early 80s that I drove while I was in college that wouldn't die. It had over 200,000 miles on it and all I ever replaced was the clutch, exhaust, tires, and battery.

The body rusted off it and I finally had to junk it but I drove it to the junkyard!

lol

halo