Pioneer Direct Drives - Now and then?

@dancole

I’ve got a Pioneer PLX-1000 on my #2 system...... I bought that turntable because I always wanted to try a direct drive.... Of course, the word "nearly" can hide a lot of significant differences, and there are some between the Pioneer PLX-1000 and the Technics 1200MK7. Some of those differences actually would appear to favor the Pioneer. It’s 7 pounds heavier, has more initial torque, and less Wow and Flutter. On the other hand, its tracking error is 1% higher than the Technics. I don’t how much, if at all, these specification differentials reflect audible differences in performance.

It’s like reading the specs without actual comparison test. The trick is how did they measure. The specs alone will not tell you much. You have to compare Pioneer and Technics side by side and if you already like Pioneer (which is good for the money) you will love Technics mk7, because Pioneer is just a blueprint of older Technics with minor tweaks.

Both turntables are high torque and this minor difference in torque is irrelevant.

The main difference is CORELESS DIRECT DRIVE motor on Technics mk7, GR, G, GAE, Anniversary, SP-10R - this is revolution at the price Technics offering this motor in many new models today.

Pioneer does not have a Coreless DD Motor and this is all you need to know.

While the Technics Coreless Motor is High-End motor, same motor utilized is reference SP-10R model, the Pioneer PLX-1000 is 100% DJ turntable (designed and made for clubs/djs) with average good DD motor (not a High-End motor).

The pinnacle of HIGH-END Direct Drive is CORELESS MOTOR. This is the heart of the well engineered DD.  

Hi Erik, I’ve owned a few old Pioneer tables.... The New PLX-1000 does look excellent and I know one person that has one and loves it. Everyone says that you’ll need to adjust the arm bearings right out of the box. For vintage....
The PL-530 is decent, PL-550, PL570, PL-55x,PL-540, PL-560, PL-610, PL630, PL-707....
There are a bunch of Pioneer models that are not very good, all the above can sound quite good.  I have played with all of these and own a PL-55X now, as well as a vintage technics.  

Why thank you @markmay -

That's' very kind.  For a variety of reasons, right now I can't actually accept a turntable in my home... it will be a few months, but I appreciate the offer.  I asked a little tongue in cheek. :)

I want to get into vinyl, at least a little, but things have to go only one direction in this home right now:  OUT! :)

Everyone says that you’ll need to adjust the arm bearings right out of the box.

What ?

"Turntable is good, just adjust tonearm bearing" - it sounds like a nightmare, how an amateur can adjust tonearm bearings? 

I've read about the Pioneer bearing issue, and that it's been cleaned up since they first came out.