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Author Topic: Any turntable junkies out there? Allison Parsons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 630 From: East Peoria, IL Registered: Oct 2004 posted 02-27-2008 11:07 PM                        I've looked for a thread about record players and found none. If there is one hiding from me, please move this topic. Well, I bought this litte guy today for $30 at a thrift store. He's a Pioneer PL 550 Quartz Synchro Pulse (whatever that means). Looks better than what the picture shows. I need to get a preamp for it, but it works great and still has it's needle. It doesn't have a manual, and I'm wondering about two things: 1)What does the Quartz Lock do 2)what is the Anti-Skate knob do I can't find any info on it whatsoever online. This is my first vintage turntable. I have a Teac that I think I bought at Best Buy in the early 90's. But vintage is oh so nicer If any of you have knowledge of these old workhorses, please let me know.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-27-2008 11:57 PM                     The quartz lock controls the speed to get it dead on. The anti-skate is a very critical adjustment, as it keeps the tonearm from wanting to ride inward toward the center of the record (which causes groove damage in the record as well as throws your audio balance off).  |  IP: Logged Allison Parsons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 630 From: East Peoria, IL Registered: Oct 2004 posted 02-28-2008 12:16 AM                        Thanks Brad! I just noticed if I adjust the speed and hit the lock button, it locks that speed into place. I'm probably going to have to buy a manual for this to find how to adjust the arm just right. I know a few guys around town that could help me out since all they do is restore and collect turntables, but they are uber creepy and I'm not inviting them over to help me ha.  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 02-28-2008 01:51 AM                     On my Techniques turntable (circa 1983, and it still works), it recommended setting the anti-skate to the exact number that you have your tracking weight. Mine is a P-Mount cartridge and tracks at a light 1.25 grams. Your cartridge is of a more conventional type, and tracks at a heavier weight, I believe. The data you are looking for is bound to be on the internet somewhere, so the uber-creeps shouldn't need to visit...  |  IP: Logged Damien Taylor Master Film Handler Posts: 493 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2007 posted 02-28-2008 04:02 AM                     These things are evil! They will suck up all your money and time until black plastic discs cover every inch of your house. Seriously though, good find on the turntable, I agree with setting the anti-skate the same as the counterweight, usually about 2 grams. It is possible to blow a lot of money on this stuff, my last turntable was a ridiculously cheap $900 and the cartridge/stylus I want(need) is $1100. More dollars than sense I guess.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 02-28-2008 08:59 AM                        Congrats on the nice find. Turntables rock - Here's mine, a Technics SL-1200MK2 with upgraded tonearm: There are lots of forums for vinyl junkies but my current favorite is Vinyl Engine. People are generally very friendly and knowledgeable there, and someone will undoubtedly know something about your specific Pioneer TT if you post a question about it. Some of the conversations get very esoteric but beginners are welcome too. Happy listening!  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-28-2008 09:42 AM                        I have a Technics turntable too, very similar to Davids except an earlier model. I think it's SL1500 but need to look to make sure. It still runs perfectly except the speed controls can be a little erratic. I concur with all the above people about setting the anti-skate to the same value as your counterweight. Generally anything up to 3 grams is OK. If you have anm LP with a big warp in it, you can go a little higher to help with tracking.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-28-2008 10:27 AM                     I used to repair the Technics stuff when I was a bench tech at Pansonic back in the early 70's. The SP-10 is still the best of the best direct drive TT's ever made and a mint one commands a much higher price than it originally sold for. Parts however are scarce with some of the IC's having been manufactured by Matsushita are NLA. The poles in the SP-10 actually were wound at an oblique angle so they overlapped... this way there was no hunting between poles(common on Hall Effect Motors) and resulting higher flutter. I think the SP-10 was the only direct drive TT to ever feature this. I still have my RS-1500 2 track closed loop recorder which I purchased when I worked at Panasonic as an employee purchase... It too still functions beautifully. Mark  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 02-28-2008 11:47 AM                     David, Is that a DJ turntable?  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 02-28-2008 12:20 PM                        Yes, Technics primarily markets to DJs now but there's also a lot of "audiophiles" who like them. Aftermarket mods are available, like the arm I installed. Whatever some people may dislike about the Technics, nobody can say it doesn't spin a record at exactly the correct speed. There are $5K turntables that can't get speed dead on.  |  IP: Logged Damien Taylor Master Film Handler Posts: 493 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2007 posted 02-28-2008 03:34 PM                     Yeah I'm using a Mk II. Theres a lot of audiophiles who like to bring the SL-1200 down for some reason, I never could figure out why.  |  IP: Logged Robert Minichino Master Film Handler Posts: 350 From: Haskell, NJ, USA Registered: Dec 2005 posted 02-28-2008 04:52 PM                        I love my SL-1200Mk2, black like David's but with the stock tonearm and a Shure M97xE. The PL-550 is a very nice direct-drive TT, I'm sure you'll be happy with it. Can you tell what cartridge is in it?  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 02-28-2008 06:47 PM                     Since I prefer Direct Drive over Belt Drive, I would have to get a DJ-Style turntable when my existing one goes kaput. I prefer Techniques, so this would likely start at $500. I purchased my Onkyo receiver in 03 (to replace my old Hitachi) as this particular model (TX 8511) has turntable inputs. A lot of receivers don't, especially the home theatre kind. The only turntables I don't see anymore are the Akias (Sp?) (Akai?). Other brands are still churning along after being in use for 20 some-odd years. The Bang and Olfsson turntables were quite odd...one could lift one side up while a record was playing and it would still track.I don't know why anyone would want to do that, though... Then there were Dual and Yamaha. Oh...and Denon.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-28-2008 07:02 PM                     ..unless you want to invest in some extremely high end audiophile turntable like this... ... Specs: The spindle shaft of the Stabi XL is more than an inch in diameter, with an inverted bearing tipped with a ruby ball. Its massive base weighs 59.4 lbs and consists of two round slabs of solid brass smoothly machined and pressed together. The brass tonearm tower consists of two hollow brass cylinders, the inner one riding on a linear ball-bearing system more than 1" in diameter and almost 4" long. Your choice of tonearm attaches to the inner, movable cylinder via a cylindrical locking armboard collar. Double motor/belt driven setup for absolute rotation speed. The heavier the setup, the less turntable rumble, wow and flutter there can be. Since the lacquers are basically cut in the same manner, audiophiles love to find a turntable that closely matches those Scully or Fairchild lathes that the lacquers were cut on - to be as close to the master tape recording as possible. These massive turntables aren't for the weak at heart, nor the budget minded individual: You'd better be prepared for the best and have some green lying everywhere around you to pay for these units. I have two turntables: an ELAC 3 speed unit (does great with a mono cartridge and styli in doing 78rpms) and a Sony Linear tonearm, direct drive unit.  |  IP: Logged Damien Taylor Master Film Handler Posts: 493 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2007 posted 02-29-2008 01:53 AM                     It seems from the activity here that an interest in film and records go hand in hand. How about the Thorens, are the 124's all they are cracked up to be? also... I am considering an Ortofon SPU, probably the Classic GM Mk II, anyone heard these in action and know what the sound is like?  |  IP: Logged

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