Kyocera PL-901

The PL-901 was not built by Kyocera but by, yes, of course, as ever, Micro Seiki.

A year after Micro+Cybenet+Kyocera presented the 901 mini-series, Luxman asked Micro to provide a version of it ; it became the magnificent X-5P prototype which finally wasn't produced as, by 1982, CD was getting pretty close.
The design and engineering of the Luxman X-5P is nearly identical to the Kyocera PL-901 and PL-910, but for the non-black & grey looks.

Of the two Ky turntables made, the PL-901 is the big one, the slightly later PL-910 the small one, the former at first accompanying the shortlived C-901 and B-901.
This may mean that the later C-910 and B-910 separates were meant to be the small ones as well and the later A-710 the... tiny one ?


Built like all first generation Kyoceras on a composite compound that efficiently suppresses most of the vibrations : Ceramic Compound Resin (CCR).

The platter is full ceramic powder, as used by Audio Technica for its famed AT600 ceramic mat (the best turntable mat ever ?) and Sony for the feet of all of its high-end CD players starting in 1987.

As per Micro's then reversed trend (belt-drive vs. direct drive), the PL-901 (and the Luxman X-5P !) is belt-driven with a sub-platter/platter arrangement.
Big shaft, big motor, big power-supply and Star Trek-ish looks which Kyocera indulged into - with success.

The motor in the PL-901 is the very same brushless FG servo DC 15V as that in the Luxman PD555 or Micro SX-111FV : Matsushita-sourced DAX-10A1PM (rotating at 666 or 900rpm) and DAX-10A1CL rotor.

The PL-901 being the big one, it also has pitch controls but very discreetely hidden under the platter, in the recess of the start / stop / speed pad - see image #2.

Gun metal is used for the 18cm / 2,4kg sub-platter and a ceramic ball bearing with 0,5µ tolerance for the rotation ; the 30cm ceramic platter weighs 3,6kg for a 1,72cm thickness.

Four height adjusters allow to level the sub-chassis independently of the base.


At 580,000¥, Kyocera previsibly didn't sell many PL-901.
The production run is anybody's guess but should be around your two hands' fingers and a couple of toes : one hundred, tops.