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Pioneer PL518 VS Luxman PD277

Luxman PD277 vs Pioneer PL518

  • Luxman PD277

    Votes: 3 60.0%

  • Pioneer PL518

    Votes: 2 40.0%
  • Total voters
    5
C

codyhale

New Member
I currently have a Luxman PD277 as my main TT. A friend gave me a pioneer PL518 and i'm in the process of restoring it. (strip off the grey vinyl, replace with wood veneer.) What are the pros/cons to each TT? Which table should i use as my main setup? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Do not believe the rumble and signal to noise numbers in VE. Those two numbers are not comparable. I would take the Luxman so fast the Pioneer would be playing somewhere else but quick, second system, someone else's crib.

The Luxman looks better, has a tonearm that generally sells for a few hundred once ripped off the turntable and offered on the bay. It is a good Micro Seiki arm.

The Pioneer is a Pioneer. Folks are gonna have to have that just because. With the wood veneer you will be installing it will be a nice looker since the PD-277 is a vinyl wrap but it is a nice vinyl wrap.

MSRP back in the day was 200 vs. 400, but Luxman was an expensive brand.
 
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codyhale said:
I currently have a Luxman PD277 as my main TT. A friend gave me a pioneer PL518 and i'm in the process of restoring it. (strip off the grey vinyl, replace with wood veneer.) What are the pros/cons to each TT? Which table should i use as my main setup? Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

The Pioneer PL-518 has the S tone arm with the removable headshell, very convenient for those that wants to try or have several cartridges.
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pl-518.shtml

Having both is not a bad thing, you can decide on putting one aside as a back up after you have used both for a while. :thumbsup:
 
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Balifly said:
The Pioneer PL-518 has the S tone arm with the removable headshell, very convenient for those that wants to try or have several cartridges.

As a manual direct drive, you need to be there to return the tone arm manually.
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/pioneer/pl-518.shtml

Not so relaxing as the Luxman PD-277 auto.

Having both is not a bad thing, you can decide on putting one aside as a back up after you have used both for a while.

I have the Luxman PD-277 and a similar Pioneer PL-550 manual. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
The PL-518 has auto-return.
 
The Pioneer has a more reliable, less likely to need work motor than the Luxman does. The arm on the Pioneer is very nice. Performs well with many cartridges. I have repaired both, had experience with both. I prefer the Pioneer (and again own a PL 518 now). The Pioneer is heavier, better isolated, and more solid. The Luxman is nice. But the Luxman motor is weaker, lower torque, and tends to have more aging issues on the ones I've seen (I have a good success rate repairing them). The Luxman arm is nice (but the headshell is not SME standard, for many a drawback). Stock, the Luxman is nicer looking and aesthetically beautiful. On lower mass cartridges the Luxman arm has an advantage. Why not keep both, they are equally nice in their own ways. Both do something the other doesn't.
 
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