Post your turntable setup...can't get enough of those spinners!

I am not familiar with either of these turntables.

I would be hesitant to buy an older Direct Drive, perhaps because I am do not know what is involved when they get older.

The Pioneer PL-12D II Belt Drive Turntable looks like it may have been well treated, judging by the pictures. Belts are still available for $12 or so. Here is a guy that blogged his restoration of a Pioneer PL-12D. It looked pretty simple until he decided to disassemble the motor and I quit reading.
http://mr-ives.blogspot.com/2013/07/restoring-pioneer-pl-12d-turntable.html

I see that a replacement stylus is still available for the Grado ZC+ ($60). I am not familiar with that model. I did install a Grado XTE+1 cartridge (their bottom of the line at the time) on my nephew's turntable and thought it sounded good for the price.

I'm not up on older budget turntables. If I were choosing between the two, I would go with the Pioneer @spwath

 

I was thinking the pioneer too, more because it's pretty wood.
and it seemed like the cartrige was good.

 

The center weight and periphery ring clamp have finally arrived. I immediately ran to put on the Audio Fidelity reissue of the Blade Runner soundtrack, as my copy is visibly and audibly warped. Playing it before, I could watch the TT arm move up and down as the warp cycle through. Now with the center weight and periphery ring, the arm barely moves vertically at all, and the sound is much improved, a lot cleaner. Most of my records aren't warped, but I'm still hoping for sonic improvements with them as well based on what I've read here and at SHF.



Now just to be clear, I should be using the center weight without the rubber ring at the base of the spindle, correct?

 

Yup, center HRX weight without rubber ring.

Enjoy

 

That's how I've got it, thanks!

 

What do periphery ring users use to keep your ring clean? I've found mine gets pretty grubby with fingerprints. Did some googling but haven't found consensus on what to use to clean the ring (or the platter for that matter). Found something on Audiogon where Harry Weisfeld suggested "Panel Magic" for the platter but it seems crazy to me to use a wood cleaner.

 

checking out the pioneer tomorrow. Any specific things to look for/be wary of?

 

Just picked this up for $115.
Time to set it up.
They guy I bought it from had a crazy setup, massive magnepan speakers, McIntosh tube amp, audio research preamp. Was pretty cool.

 

Problem....
This one seems to slow. Around 31 RPM I would guess.
IDK what to do....

 

@spwath seriously just find an orbit for $200 (at most). Going vintage isn't worth it sometimes

 

yeah but now I just spent $115, so I would like to fix this.
ill try oiling it at the oil point for the motor, and I'll try a new belt (old could be slipping?)

 

Do a find here: http://mr-ives.blogspot.com/2013/07/restoring-pioneer-pl-12d-turntable.html

"I tried tightening the screws supporting the speed selector arm. The correct thing to do would be to slacken the tiny screw in the side of the spindle/capstan and lower it a tiny amount on the motor shaft. In the end though I gently widened the C end of the selector arm , until it neither rubbed the belt , not left the belt half way between 33 1/3 and 45 as had been happening. The deck now spun at the correct speed as checked with the strobe disc and the rubbing noise I had heard was gone."

Wouldn't hurt to read the lubrication that this guy did. You might want to get a new belt, also.

Edit: I see that you already thought of some of this.

 

Congratulation

That's the exact same turntable my parents had when I was around 8 years old. It's look was a big part of the reason I was drawn to my walnut VPI Classic.

By the time I was 12, my dad purchased a Dual, which model I don't know.

 

Lubrication didn't help. Also wasn't the problem the guy in the blog had, I checked that out too. I'm bringing it back to the guy today, and he is going to help me troubleshoot it/allow me to return it as well.
Hopefully we can fix it, else ill get my money back and get something else.

 

Man that Pioneer looks a ton like a Thorens of the same era. Makes ya wonder...

 

I've noticed the same with Blues as well, so much more emotion seems to come through with vinyl.

 

1000x this. I didn't care about/for jazz for years and years and now I realize it's because I wasn't hearing it properly. Now I'm devouring it.

 

Not really a setup, but here's a Rek-O-Kut my dad rebuilt:


Sorry for the picture quality.

 

You're also --probably-- hearing all the pitch bending. I've struggled for years to like it, especially on the sax and clarinet ... I'm still struggling.