Pioneer PL-L1000A Thread

[gary7]

Successfully back together and sitting in place, not leveled, adjusted or hooked up yet.

The cartridge was positioned incorrectly at 48mm, adjusted to 49mm. Time for an old guy nap and then I will start leveling.

View attachment 3363362View attachment 3363363View attachment 3363364View attachment 3363365

Is that what you call a floating suspension?

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Is that what you call a floating suspension?

Well, I had 2 choices. Attach a platform directly to the wall or do like I did in the '80s and hang it from the ceiling. I really have no other place for it.

Since I am on the top floor of the building and have a thick concrete ceiling, I hung it with steel wall anchors. Should be completely isolated from the speakers even sitting right above one. The granite alone is 18kg.

Post #6 has a link to the platform project.
,
James

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Looks like 60mm will be a good length for the travel lock screws.

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Got it leveled an hour ago.
Then went to set the tracking weight and found that the 2 batteries for my new digital scale were leaking and dead still in their packing. Luckilly I have a fair assortment of little cells and managed to find 3 thinner 12mm cells and stuffed them in and it worked.

Got the weight set dead on 1.7gm.

,
James

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Woot! Woot!
It works!





I just finished playing the first album. Sounds very good for a very well used cut-out. The CX-1 has a MC setting for 220 ohms and 1k. Seems to sound a bit better on 220.

I even have my original Diskwasher, and it's still in great shape.

It has been more than 10 years since I have played an LP. Was pleased to see that my fingers haven't forgotten and automatically spun the disk to play side 2.

The hanging platform stays very stable. It does sway a bit when working with the TT but it just takes a fingertip on a corner to still it. Even without that is self damps very quickly and a little movement has no noticeable effect on a playing disk.

Now I need to start working on some record cabinets so that I can bring the collection over from my son.

I still have to decide on a new cartridge, and find somewhere to have the old one re-tipped. But for the moment I am in business.

,
James

 

[gary7]

What is that round disc next to the platter?

 

[gary7]

Kinda wish I had kept the 1000A I had. Liked the black arm. Lot less internals. Still have the 1000, been running several years now. Occasionally the arm will go weird. Have to play with it to get it back right.

 

[Chad Michael]

Cool deck, nice suspended mount!!!!

 

[Bratwurst7s]

What is that round disc next to the platter?

That is a 150mm mirror polished slice of silicon wafer material. In the late '70s a lot of fellow Crew Chiefs were getting out of the AF and getting jobs with Shin Etsu at their Vancouver Washington silicon fabric.
One of my friends gave me that one, a reject because of a scratch. For some reason I have always kept it on the TT.

Another thing that I need to find: Back when I got this thing I bought a flowered silk scarf at Goodwill and it has always covered the dust cover when not in use. Probably the main reason that the dust cover is still in very good condition.
But after 40 years it is starting to get tattered and stained. So I need to buy a new silk scarf.

,
James

 

[catBot]

I'm not so exited by this suspension:

1. too shaky sideways
2. it is not possible to level an object supported by any number of "legs" other than exactly three

I'd rather had three metal rods coming from the ceiling...

 

[Greg_H]

I'm not so exited by this suspension:

1. too shaky sideways
2. it is not possible to level an object supported by any number of "legs" other than exactly three

I'd rather had three metal rods coming from the ceiling...

Mine has always sat on a set of Audio Technica isolators.
I too was glad someone asked about the mirror as it had my curiosity up. Also, I had to do a quick look at my turntable when I saw yours had green lights on the size and speed buttons. Mine has red across the board.
On the cover, when serviced recently, they attached a ticket to the dust cover with masking tape. Without thinking, I used alcohol to clean the residue. It fogged it slightly and I was pretty upset with my judgement. I found Meguiar's PlastX for automotive headlight covers and it brought it back to pristine in a hurry and with little effort.

 

[gary7]

Mine has always sat on a set of Audio Technica isolators.
I too was glad someone asked about the mirror as it had my curiosity up. Also, I had to do a quick look at my turntable when I saw yours had green lights on the size and speed buttons. Mine has red across the board.
On the cover, when serviced recently, they attached a ticket to the dust cover with masking tape. Without thinking, I used alcohol to clean the residue. It fogged it slightly and I was pretty upset with my judgement. I found Meguiar's PlastX for automotive headlight covers and it brought it back to pristine in a hurry and with little effort.

Yep. The 1000A added some green lamps.

 

[Bratwurst7s]

I'm not so exited by this suspension:

1. too shaky sideways
2. it is not possible to level an object supported by any number of "legs" other than exactly three

I'd rather had three metal rods coming from the ceiling...

It is OK, you do not have to be excited by it. By all means, do what works best for you.

I have used this method for many years and it works well for me.

,
James

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Mine has always sat on a set of Audio Technica isolators.
I too was glad someone asked about the mirror as it had my curiosity up. Also, I had to do a quick look at my turntable when I saw yours had green lights on the size and speed buttons. Mine has red across the board.
On the cover, when serviced recently, they attached a ticket to the dust cover with masking tape. Without thinking, I used alcohol to clean the residue. It fogged it slightly and I was pretty upset with my judgement. I found Meguiar's PlastX for automotive headlight covers and it brought it back to pristine in a hurry and with little effort.

It is interesting to see your table as I am not that much informed on the Phase Linear versions. I had expected to see a Series 2 to have a carbon fiber tone arm and rocker switch for the sled rather than the aluminum arm and jog wheel of the first generation.

,
James

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Cool deck, nice suspended mount!!!!

Thanks!

 

[Bratwurst7s]

I'm not so exited by this suspension:

1. too shaky sideways
2. it is not possible to level an object supported by any number of "legs" other than exactly three

I'd rather had three metal rods coming from the ceiling...

Btw, I can assure you that that both the platform and turntable are quite level.

And by splaying the suspension chains well out from vertical the platform does not move front/rear-side/side at all. It will only oscillate around the center, a small amount, which very quickly self damps.

There is about 39kg/85lbs hanging from the chains with the TT in place. That mass alone damps movement.

,
James

 

[Greg_H]

It is interesting to see your table as I am not that much informed on the Phase Linear versions. I had expected to see a Series 2 to have a carbon fiber tone arm and rocker switch for the sled rather than the aluminum arm and jog wheel of the first generation.

I read a review on the Phase Linear turntable many years ago and fell in love with it. I was in the "collecting" phase of my life and had to have it. Life came along and the whole system was stored away for almost 30 years. Just this last year, I have brought it all out of hibernation and am enjoying it as much as ever. Funny, I had never heard of the Pioneer version until a few years back. It certainly appears that Pioneer stayed with and updated the table where Phase Linear did not. When it was "parked", the only thing not working was the jog wheel. That and the feet spring covers had rotted. I had it checked and repaired as my confidence level and skill set is not nearly at the level yours is. Nice work on your table. To me, they are a mechanical marvel and definitely an enjoyable piece. Mine has an Ortofon MC 20 Mk II cartridge that has aged better than I would have expected. I suspect that its suspension is not what it was in its youth either.

 

[Bratwurst7s]

Cool deck, nice suspended mount!!!!

BTW, as a total aside from the focus of this thread, my grandparents long owned a farm between Spokane and Spangle and I spent the best times of my childhood years there.

,
James

 

[catBot]

by splaying the suspension chains well out from vertical the platform does not move front/rear-side/side at all. It will only oscillate around the center, a small amount, which very quickly self damps.

Rotational disturbances are the worst! A dynamically balanced tonearm (which PL-L1000's is, alas, not) could be rather tolerant to sideways platform movements, but rotations, even the smallest, would upset it.
And I dare to repeat - more than three supports is wrong. One of extra supports will never work - the load will always be spread among the other three.

 

[zaibatsu]

Fantastic work!
This was not a simple project, many intricate broken parts to replace and/or repair.
Impressive effort and attention to detail to get it working again, now better than new.

James,
I am happy the headshell arrived safely. Don’t consider yourself “in my debt,” just help someone else out along the way. That is (or was) the spirit of AK.
Bob

James has made the dire mistake of helping another AK member (myself) purchase and ship about 70kg of HiFi gear across the planet so I am now somewhat in debt. Thankfully he is very patient so we are halfway done and still sailing smooth.