Pioneer PL-C590
Pioneer PA-5000
(1976 - 1980)

Part of the "Series 20", albeit without bearing a similar codename, the PL-C590 isn't an Exclusive P3, an Onkyo PX-100M or even a Sony TTS-8000 but worth every audiophiliac's ears just the same. Not as elegant as a PL-1800 but close enough, too.

The C590 is the only Pioneer vinyl spinner sold without a homebrew tonearm but the PA-5000 was however present for those willing to have a fully-Pioneer turntable ; it was and still is unfortunately very rare. The more common PA-1000 (below) was only sold optionally with the PLC-590 ; although the PA-5000 was a PA-5000 worldwide, in Japan the PL-C590 was released under the XLC-1850 name.

The meter is for speed adjustment control ; it shuts itself off if the Quartz Lock function is on. A 3.072MHz Quartz oscillator signal is down-scaled to 6kHz and then to 300Hz for 45rpm or 222Hz for 33 1/3rpm speed reference ; pitch change is availabvle within 6%.
Electronic braking done by reversing the polarity of the motor ; the fairly big power transformer is mounted "floating". There is no stroboscope : rare for a 1970s direct-drive LP spinner but forshadowing the early 1980s trend...

The base is made of 4mm diecast aluminium with 24 ribs placed with computer-analysis to avoid resonances ; resonance-resistant materials are used for the bottom plate while the feet combine rubber and die-cast solid parts to elevate the howling margin by 3dB.

Scroll this page to the right and click the buttons below for views of the armboards and cueing mechanism and graphs !