Pioneer Pl-540 vs Pl-518?

righteous

righteous

New Member
Can someone please explain the difference between a pl-518 and 540? I think the 540 is quartz lock but does it really make as much of a difference in quality. I wanted to take one from ebay and re-veneer it but they'll both be over 100$ and shipping so I want to get the better one.
 
As far as I can tell, the 540 is a slightly evolved 518. The 540 is about a pound heavier and has the Quartz locked motor, as opposed to a manually adjusted speed.

If it were me, I would just pick the one in better shape or the one that costs less. If price and condition were equal between the two, I think I would pick the 540.

I own a PL-540 but haven't seen a 518 in person... perhaps someone else has?
 
Saeulf said:
As far as I can tell, the 540 is a slightly evolved 518. The 540 is about a pound heavier and has the Quartz locked motor, as opposed to a manually adjusted speed.

If it were me, I would just pick the one in better shape or the one that costs less. If price and condition were equal between the two, I think I would pick the 540.

I own a PL-540 but haven't seen a 518 in person... perhaps someone else has?
Click to expand...

Here are the two listings, they both seem pretty solid, although I really hope they listen if I give them extra packing directions,
Pl-518 http://www.ebay.com/itm/31126362412...rkparms=gh1g=I311263624120.N1.S1.M1431.R1.TR4
Pl-540 http://www.ebay.com/itm/181646369690?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
I also know I'd have to get a new cartridge and probably headshell for the 540, although I was just going to throw an audio technica on it.
 
That 540 guy said they'd "pack the heck out of it". So, I'd be more hopeful about that one. I don't know if I'd trust Goodwill to pack the 518 well, or even to take extra directions. On the flip side, I bet the 540 will end up more expensive.
 
Both lack feet, in case you didn't know. In either case, if it were me I'd already pass on them. At those prices you could potentially find better/equivalent stuff locally.
 
Unfortunately my local craigslist has been pretty weak, except a few nice tables going for 200+ and some I've missed. Besides I have an ebay giftcard so I thought this might be a good time to finally get the table I wanted.
 
Yeah, the problem with "good deals" is that you usually have to either not be looking for it, or looking for a couple months in order to find something.

I have two nice tables that I got for <$30 a piece (Pioneer PL-540 and PL-8). The problem is I wasn't in the market for a table either of the times when these showed up.

The one time I was actively seeking a TT? I had to pay $120 on eBay... :scratch2:
 
Pioneer PL-518s are selling on eBay for between approximately $100 and $300. The PL-540 is less common so there's a smaller sample on eBay but the range of prices is essentially the same. That makes the current bids on these two well within the current market, in fact, at the lower end of it.

Either one would be a good deal, IMO, but, as mentioned, I'd be very leery of the ability of some Goodwill warehouse rat to pack a turntable safely for shipment. In fact, it's almost a sure bet that they won't. That makes the PL-540 the better choice, IMO. It's for all intents and purposes a PL-518 with quartz lock. That makes it essentially a slightly improved version of a very good turntable.

John
 
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If Goodwill packs that turntable, it'll no doubt end up looking like the damaged ones pictured on the other thread! Stay clear of that deal!
 
righteous said:
Actually, how would these direct drive tables compare to the similar belt drive ones, 516 514 ect?
Click to expand...

There was recently some discussion about this series over on Reddit Vinyl. I was trying to help somebody decide. It seems like the 512 and 514 do NOT have any speed adjustments -- at least none that I could see in the service manuals. So if they have speed problems (and I don't know that they necessarily do), it may not be simple to fix it.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
righteous said:
Actually, how would these direct drive tables compare to the similar belt drive ones, 516 514 ect?
Click to expand...

As mentioned, neither the PL-512 and PL-514 has a speed adjustment but that in itself isn't necessarily a negative. A lot of very expensive "audiophile" turntables lack this as well. The PL-516 does though.

Now, though the PL-514 and PL-516 are quite good turntables, by the time they were produced Pioneer and most of the other big Japanese consumer audio companies had decided to concentrate their best efforts on the direct drive end of things. That means that the PL-518 and PL-540 (as well as the PL-560) were somewhat better engineered than the belt drives from the same period.

Of course, that means that the belt drives can be had, or should be had, for less money than the DD tables and, again, since they're very decent turntables, they should probably be considered as a somewhat lower priced alternative.

John
 
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