Pioneer PL-30: Fully automatic vinyl record player

Pioneer PL-30-K is a fully automatic stereo vinyl record player with a die-cast aluminum platter, tonearm and detachable head with a high-performance MM pickup. It is easy to operate without using your hands, and all this is thanks to the absolutely...

Pioneer PL-30
Pioneer PL-30

Pioneer PL-30-K is a fully automatic stereo vinyl record player with a die-cast aluminum platter, tonearm and detachable head with a high-performance MM pickup. It is easy to operate without using your hands, and all this is thanks to the absolutely precise servo drive with a DC motor, which smoothly and accurately lowers the needle onto the rotating disc. The discreet design of this turntable will fit into any interior. The built-in equalizer-corrector uses the ‘On/Through’ switch to select the desired mode: ‘On’ to connect an amplifier that does not have a corrector for the pickup, or ‘Through’ to use an external equalizer-corrector.

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The player is designed from scratch with the sole purpose of extracting the information recorded on record tracks without losing a note, ensuring the listener has the best possible musical experience. Pioneer PL-30-K is fully automatic: at the press of one button, the tonearm is located exactly above the lead-in grooves and smoothly lowers onto the record, starting playback. When the record side plays to the end, the tonearm will return to its original position on its own.

The main difference between a good player and a mediocre one is the ability to eliminate external vibrations when playing a record, which lead to the so-called microphone effect. The most susceptible to them are the mechanical stylus attachment points and the tonearm hinge; from here the vibrations are transmitted to the electronic circuits of the cartridge, “clogging” the output signal. For reliable protection against unwanted vibrations, the Pioneer PL-30 turntable is equipped with a double-layer chassis with a 4 mm metal plate at the base. In addition, the table and tonearm are made of aluminum, which helps suppress residual vibrations so that they do not degrade the sound. A 5mm rubber mat on the record table also serves the same purpose.

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A unique feature of the PL-30-K is its built-in phono preamplifier. Its signal path uses high-quality capacitors to ensure the best quality reproduction. The presence of a standard phono preamplifier allows you to connect the PL-30-K directly to almost any amplifier, AV receiver or music center. Conventional vinyl players usually do not allow this; they require the use of a separate phono preamplifier unit to amplify and equalize the signal from the cartridge. If necessary, the built-in phono preamplifier can be turned off.

The body of the Pioneer PL-30 is made of 4 mm steel sheet, which increases the weight and stability of the structure. The stability of the main mechanical parameters is further facilitated by the center of gravity shifted downward, providing a sound reproduction mode with a minimum of resonances. The servo-controlled DC motor and belt drive provide true musical performance with low knocking coefficient (no more than 0.1%) with a signal-to-noise ratio of 60 dB (DIN B). The aluminum disc is made using casting technology and subsequent precision machining. The 5 mm rubber mat placed on it suppresses external vibrations. The Pioneer PL-30 uses a tonearm cable with gold-plated RCA connectors, a detachable AC power cord, and a clear acrylic cover with removable hinges to keep the player dust-free.

Specifications Pioneer PL-30  

Rim speeds 33 1/3, 45 rpm, electronic switching
Platter 295 mm, aluminum
Platen spindle stainless steel Belt
drive
Detonation and speed instability ± 0.1%
Signal-to-noise ratio 60 dB
RCA outputs (Phono/linear)
Aluminum tonearm, straight, dynamically balanced
Protective cover available
MM
pickup Tracking force 0 – 4 g
Cartridge weight 4.5 – 9.5 g
Output signal 2.5 mV (Phono), 150 mV (linear)
Dimensions 435 x 110 x 372 mm
Weight 5.6 kg