• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Pioneer PL-707... How good?

onepixel

onepixel

.
I already have the Pioneer PLC-590, which is quite nice. It replaced the PL-570.

I was wondering how the PL-707 would compare to any one of the above. The one I found has a damaged stylus, possibly the high-output PC-6MC MC. Not sure of the rest of the condition yet. How or what would I replace that cart with?

I don't need another TT but it looks pretty cool. I've already gone through all the AK links. I would like some real and practical information.

Here is a link to some info on that model.
http://www.thevintageknob.org/PIONEER/PL707/PL707.html

Thanks!
Carl
 
Register to hide this ad
onepixel said:
I already have the Pioneer PLC-590, which is quite nice. It replaced the PL-570.

I was wondering how the PL-707 would compare to any one of the above. The one I found has a damaged stylus, possibly the high-output PC-6MC MC. Not sure of the rest of the condition yet. How or what would I replace that cart with?

I don't need another TT but it looks pretty cool. I've already gone through all the AK links. I would like some real and practical information.

Here is a link to some info on that model.
http://www.thevintageknob.org/PIONEER/PL707/PL707.html

Thanks!
Carl
Click to expand...

Carl, the PLC-590 did not replace the PL-570. It did appear the year after the 570 was introduced, but having no arm, it was in a separate category. And the 570 was full auto and sold through 1979. The actual successor to the 570 was the 630.

I don't remember what arm you have on your 590, but it would be hard for me to believe that the 707 would be an improvement. That said, if I found one for a reasonable price I'd still go for it just because it is rare, neat looking, and probably still decent. I'd be curious as to how it would match up with the 570 or 630.
 
I missed a PL71 a week or so back. the more I look into it, the more depressed I get. Seems that it was a very respectable unit? Bet the 707 is too?
 
Howard,

Thanks for your opinion. I had ment the PLC-590 replace the PL-570 that I had. The P3 and PL-70II seemed so impressive that I was kinda hoping the PL-707 was in the same league. Someone got a nice TT for $50.

Carl
 
Pl-707

Reviving this old thread since there is so little info on this turntable. How good? Pretty good, compared to much of the plastic mid-fi junk coming out at the time.
Remember this was released on a market just starting to go gaga over CD's (1983), so it never had a chance to gain much of a following. Not up to the level of quality of the P3A, but at 80db S/N ratio it's no slouch either. Carbon-graphite tonearm with DRA (dynamic resonance absorber) collar, which either does a nice job of damping the arm further or is a marketing ploy depending on your point of view.
More info here with a poor Japanese translation....
http://translate.google.com/transla...rlz=1T4GGLD_enUS311US311&sa=N&start=90&num=30
Pioneer's stable hanging coreless motor, Quartz PLL with a 2.28 pound aluminum platter gives it a low noise floor, and the separate servo motor driven tonearm is decoupled when playing a record.
I can tell you it's quieter than my Luxman PD277 although maybe not quite as musical, at least with the Denon DL110 I've auditioned it with. If you aren't ready to give up automatic functions and can find one at a good price I recommend it!

Jim
 

Attachments

  • PL707a.jpg
    PL707a.jpg
    59.9 KB · Views: 708
  • !BWLw8G!Bmk~$(KGrHgoOKi8EjlLmZdNYBKWPgPT9Hg~~_3.jpg
    !BWLw8G!Bmk~$(KGrHgoOKi8EjlLmZdNYBKWPgPT9Hg~~_3.jpg
    80 KB · Views: 577
  • !BWLwmC!!2k~$(KGrHgoOKk!EjlLmYq-kBKWPe3)97w~~_3.jpg
    !BWLwmC!!2k~$(KGrHgoOKk!EjlLmYq-kBKWPe3)97w~~_3.jpg
    53.3 KB · Views: 566
  • !BWLw1QQBWk~$(KGrHgoOKiEEjlLmf)k0BKWPf0qjMg~~_3.jpg
    !BWLw1QQBWk~$(KGrHgoOKiEEjlLmf)k0BKWPf0qjMg~~_3.jpg
    83.1 KB · Views: 581
  • !BWLwtzQBWk~$(KGrHgoOKiEEjlLmgM5VBKWPfWF8U!~~_3.jpg
    !BWLwtzQBWk~$(KGrHgoOKiEEjlLmgM5VBKWPfWF8U!~~_3.jpg
    89 KB · Views: 669
Last edited:
I agree with Jim's comments.I picked one up a couple of months ago and really like it. The auto functions perform perfectly and it is almost dead quiet. Mine has an older AT-LS400 cart with a brand new stylus and it really sounds good. I'm on the fence as to a cart upgrade as I'm debating the merits of a MC cart vs. another MM (AT150MLX is the front runner).
 
I haven't used a decent AT cartridge since the 70's (AT12SA) so I can't compare, but I've really been enjoying my Denon DL160 and DL110 carts. Enough so that I have no need to shop around. The DL160 is audibly better than the 110, but not by lots.
 
I too just picked up a PL707 for $50, but have yet to hear a note on it. It's definitely the highest quality unit I've had in my possession to date. I'll be trying a Shure V15 III on it first, as soon as I have hardware to mount the cartridge. I'll try to post my impressions once I've gotten an earfull.
 
Gibsonian said:
I too just picked up a PL707 for $50, but have yet to hear a note on it. It's definitely the highest quality unit I've had in my possession to date. I'll be trying a Shure V15 III on it first, as soon as I have hardware to mount the cartridge. I'll try to post my impressions once I've gotten an earfull.
Click to expand...

I think you'll enjoy it. Let us know when you've got it running with the V15.
 
It's a very nice turntable. There is a whole group of Japanese DD TTs from that era that are seldom discussed online, but which are all sort of similar, including ones from the likes of JVC and other brands that one seldom thought of as great TT producers, but which came out with some good ones in the 80s (right along with the usual suspects like Pioneer).

As good as these are, I think they mostly are not quite up to your PL-C590. The heavy, dense base of the Pl-C590 and its precise construction are hard to beat, until/unless you move up one group higher, to the significantly bigger, heavier TOTL units like the P3a. At THAT level, they begin to clearly outperform the PL-C590. But those are rarely seen outside of Japan, and they cost a LOT more.

Get the 707 for its looks and for the fun of listening to it and the pleasure of looking at it... but don't expect an upgrade over your PL-C590. [Here is a thought: how are EMT 938s thought of? What makes them special (besides their derivation from Thorens designs)? Could their heavy metal alloy bases have anything to do with it? What kind of base does the PL-C590 have? Just food for thought.]

I hope I'm right about this, because I've passed up a few dozen TTs like that one, because I didn't think they were better than the PL-C590 (which I also have). I got the GT-2000 because it IS (IMO) in that extra-big, definitely better category of "super tables", but more affordable than the others in that group, perhaps partly because it has a little plainer finish, and also partly because the Japanese bought so many of them to begin with (because they were so good) that the supply is greater.


Hifirob2 said:
Am I reading that link correctly? The s/n ratio of the P3a was 95dB????

Holy crap!

Rob
Click to expand...

Yep! :yes: One of the finest turntables you can buy, IMO. [I'm assuming you can't afford a Rockport Sirius III or a Caliburn Continuum. :D] The P3a is both a sonic treasure, and a rich delight just to look at. It's like a huge piece of jewelry that makes wonderful music, too. One of those turntables that can give you an enormous enormous pleasure, year after year. But you'd better be prepared to pay for it, if you want one. They command a premium price.
 
Arkay said:
It's a very nice turntable. There is a whole group of Japanese DD TTs from that era that are seldom discussed online, but which are all sort of similar, including ones from the likes of JVC and other brands that one seldom thought of as great TT producers, but which came out with some good ones in the 80s (right along with the usual suspects like Pioneer).

As good as these are, I think they mostly are not quite up to your PL-C590. The heavy, dense base of the Pl-C590 and its precise construction are hard to beat, until/unless you move up one group higher, to the significantly bigger, heavier TOTL units like the P3a. At THAT level, they begin to clearly outperform the PL-C590. But those are rarely seen outside of Japan, and they cost a LOT more.

Get the 707 for its looks and for the fun of listening to it and the pleasure of looking at it... but don't expect an upgrade over your PL-C590. [Here is a thought: how are EMT 938s thought of? What makes them special (besides their derivation from Thorens designs)? Could their heavy metal alloy bases have anything to do with it? What kind of base does the PL-C590 have? Just food for thought.]

I hope I'm right about this, because I've passed up a few dozen TTs like that one, because I didn't think they were better than the PL-C590 (which I also have). I got the GT-2000 because it IS (IMO) in that extra-big, definitely better category of "super tables", but more affordable than the others in that group, perhaps partly because it has a little plainer finish, and also partly because the Japanese bought so many of them to begin with (because they were so good) that the supply is greater.
Click to expand...

I agree with your assessment, the PL-707 isn't going to outperform the 590 and was more of an attempt by Pioneer to jump on the Denon, JVC, Micro Seiki bandwagon for pretty turntables and offer something cheaper to those who may have been drooling over the PL-70L, PL-50L and PL-30L. Some of these had superlative performance, some not so much.
At any rate it seems to go unnoticed and sell cheap for the level of performance it offers. ]
Want something new with similar specs (manual)? Take a look at what the Denon DP-500M goes for...
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-DP-500M-Direct-Drive-Turntable/dp/B00022669U
 
Here's another short opinion:
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=53692&highlight=mass&page=8

I've never seen anyone think the PL-707 in the same top league as the P3 (which was mentioned), but it's certainly very good. Appears to sound quite neutral and transparent. The PL-71, which also was mentioned, is a little on the warm side of neutral and has a certain rightness about it which some people may find more musical -- the PL-707 could perhaps appear a little more "hi-fi" to some.

I'm looking for a new cartridge for my mine. Someone on the Vinyl Asylum had success with a Nagaoka MP-30, so I'm looking at their line. Garrott Brothers MM cartridges look interesting as well. The previous owner of mine had used it with a Lyra Dorian MC low output cartridge. The original Pioneer cartridge weighted 3.3 g and had medium compliance. I have not found the effective mass of the tonearm, but it seems to be "lowish medium".

I'll also try Machina Dynamica springs between two wooden plates as support, but I haven't got the plates yet.

I briefly used a PL-71 which needs some fixing and is in storage -- I'll try going for the PL-707 for now. I'm using my old Nottingham Interspace at the moment -- not quite as good as those two Pioneers, I think.
 
Thanks for posting that Helge, interesting article. The Interspace looks to be a beautiful piece though I've never seen or heard one other than searching photos online. Please post pics if you have some!
I haven't tried a Nagoka either but they get good ratings here and in other forums. As I said earlier my Denon DL110 sounds good with the 707 but certainly isn't the best mate for the arm. Let us know your result if you try the MP-30, I'm tempted to try one.

Jim
 
No pictures, sorry.

The Denon is quite lightweight, too, which I suppose counts a little for the match? I saw a review on Positive Feedback where it had been surprisingly good when tried on a Technics arm.

I don't know what cartridge I will go for yet.
 
Helge Gunder said:
No pictures, sorry.

The Denon is quite lightweight, too, which I suppose counts a little for the match? I saw a review on Positive Feedback where it had been surprisingly good when tried on a Technics arm.

I don't know what cartridge I will go for yet.
Click to expand...

Yes the DL110 and DL160 carts are very light, which isn't a bad thing with the Pioneer arm. That said, it isn't clear to me why Pioneer recommends 4 to 8 gram cartridges, I can balance up to 11 grams of dead weight to the headshell comfortably without any additional subweight. There must be more to it that I don't understand, or Pioneer's recommendation for this arm is wrong.
Does anyone use a heavier cartridge with the 707 who can comment?

On another subject, is everyone else using the Stevenson alignment for stylus overhang? IIRC, that is the consensus for Japanese turntables in general.

Jim
 
When I set up the cartridge per the manual at 56mm and squared to the headshell,I did check it using the Stevenson and it was spot on at the two points.
 
I'm in the process of adding mass to the plinth of my PL-707, and I noticed something ominous when I removed the base board from the bottom of it. The central PCB located directly beneath this mdf board has two transistors mounted to it with attached heat sinks. These heat sinks are rather tall, and around their bases on the PCB I'm seeing tiny microcracks. A closer look showed me that when the base board is mounted it is putting pressure on these heatsinks. In other words, the heat sinks are too tall relative to the base board, so when the board is screwed on it puts pressure against them and puts stress on the PCB.
I broke out the router and removed about 1/4" of thickness from the base board, so now there's clearance for the heat sinks.
Next time you're inside your 707, take a look!

Jim
 
Thanks for the tip. It looks like your sample is different from mine, because there's no board made of MDF on the bottom of mine. There's a 0.8 mm, flexible chipboard, which appears to be original (at least there's a "Caution"-sticker on it). There seems to be a small clearing (probably 1 mm at most) between this board and those heatsinks. The board rests/is screwed onto some narrow pieces of plywood, which are glued onto the sides of the turntable and resting on a tiny shelf.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom