Anyone own a Pioneer Exclusive P3 ??

Sonofjim:
I actually think the TT on Hifido is a P3 plinth with P3a arm.. you can read on the vintageknob about the differences between the two, which are marginal btw..

Pioneer has its own servicecenter in Japan which still services all their highend units, like the P3, C3, M3, M4, M5, F3, C5, C7, M7, M8 etc. etc. etc. Any P3 should be serviced by this center before it's shipped to anywhere outside Japan, it's worth every penny!

Jaspert: May I ask: does it come with both tonearms? If not: these arms are being offered for sale every now and then on Yahoo..

Hi Gents

The difference between P3 & P3a is the slightly upgraded tonearm. The plinth/motor unit sound the same according to Pioneer technicians. as mentioned in vintage knob, the changes in s/n ratio was new measurements, not better table.

as Jwfabrie mentioned, Pioneer Japan do the service on any Exclusive product for life. My P3 was serviced, but generally the main issues are damping fluid in the inside of the tonearm, so they generally do a dismantle and clean.
My P10 had no service, however it has worked flawlessly sine I received it, so it may be no big deal.

Maybe T-bone can comment on caps etc, but remember the P3 was the best table pioneer could make, so it is way over engineered.

Downunder,
What differences do you find between the P3 and P10. Often, a higher model number would indicate a more advanced design. That doesn't appear to be the case here(as in the sp-10 and sp-15).
What table do you listen to the most((AC-3, P3, P10)?

No matter how well engineered it was in 1980, caps is caps. After 20 or more years, any electrolytic in any component should be changed out in favor of new. If the thing works without that service, fine, but there is a finite chance that it could work better with new caps. If Pioneer serviced it prior to or after sale, then they likely changed any cap that displayed either leakage of DC voltage or leakage of electrolyte (which comes later after DC leakage has already started to occur and can damage physically nearby elements of the circuit). My SP10 Mk3 is NOS, yet Bill Thalmann tells me there were physically leaky electrolytics here and there, after 27 odd years since manufacture. He opined that it was a good thing I did not try to run the table prior to having him service it.

Hi Sonofjim.

Differences between the P3 and P10. Control, continousness and excecution in reporducing music. The P3 has the best bass control that I have heard from a table, in that it seems to be able to start and stop notes so fast it appears continous in doing it. This frees up musical detail and freedom overhang in the mid range. top to bottom coherence is uncanny.

The P10 has that simlar family sound, but just a bit looser all round. Still a really nice table.

TW AC-3. Bigger/looser bass v the DD's. has a larger soundstage both wide and deep v the P3. In direct comparison can sound a little soft or notes not as precise. background is a little dark v the P3. OTOH The AC-3 is more forgiving and does add some nice bass weight and spread on brighter/tighter recordings which does come in handy with some of my modern/rock alternative LP's.

Which one do I play more - I would probably say the table that has the Ortofon A90 on it.

If I had a gun to my head to choose only one table, it would be the P3. having all of the tables is great fun thou.

cheers