Pioneer PL-50

Classic turntables derived from the successful Exclusive P3 - with more to them than meets the eye.

Launched when PCM rumors were getting very persistant, the PL-50 saw three versions in rapid succession, the last of which (PL-50LII) is posted separately on TVK because it is a fairly different engine due to its motor and tonearm(s).


The original PL-50 was centered around the then-new Stable Hanging Rotor in its original version - read : big.
That motor was carried into the PL-50L version which appeared less than a year after the original PL-50.

The tonearm is the same on the 50 and 50L : fixed S-shaped wand made of aluminium.
However, the 50L has an added button next to the platter for non-shaky lifting with related muting circuit.

The oil damping feature of the original PL-50 was fixed as on or off, with an optional JP-506 accessory that could allow 5-position variable damping.
The PL-50L only had the 5-position damping top, which the original PL-70 had from the start.

The 50 and 50L are otherwise identical : mahogany veneer covering a 4-layer laminate cabinet, low-center of gravity feet, zinc diescast armbase, adjustable VTA, optional counterweight for use of Ortofon SPU heavy heavyweight and nearly identical specifications.

Pioneer seemingly sold few PL-50, a very sizeable amount of PL-50L and a trillion PL-50LII : classic LP spinners which sound magnificent, look lavish and last forever.


As I don't have an ad or catalog image for the 50L, you may see one here, another one here and yet another here.