Pioneer PL-L1000

Surprisingly not well remembered it seems... despite the many versions available !

The PL-L1000 is the original export version, assorted with an x-rare Phase Linear satin champagne version named Model 8000 Series Two.
The PL-L1000 was visually revised in 1981 : the pretty and practical round shuttle to move the tonearm around was replaced by two basic rectangular pads - this made the PL-L1000A.
Not to mention the original japanese PL-L5 which was silver in color - four versions in toto !

The Stable Hanging Rotor inside the PL-L1000, 1000A and L5 is equivalent to the original SHR inside the original PL-50 and PL-50L : big vertical coils.
As none of the versions got carried beyond 1982, none was fitted with the updated, smaller SHR, which was put in later Pioneer turntables such as the PL-50LII or PL-707.


When Sony was developping more reliable versions of its Biotracer system (as in the excellent PS-X800), Yamaha had already made the PX-1 monster and had scaled it down to PX-2 and PX-3 sizes, Technics was on to reviving its 1969 100P attempt to make the SL-10 bestselling bestseller - Pioneer launched the PL-L1000.

Pioneer however never used straight tracking tonearms on its high-end record players : Exclusive P3, Exclusive P10 and the PL-70L series, the PL-L1 being the exception which confirms the rule.
The PL-L1000 managed to remain a fairly affordable yet good linear tracker with apetizing looks, convenient and well designed features : somewhat simpler than Sony's velocity sensors and more straightforward than Yamaha's flat rubber belt-driven tonearm.

The linear tracking is here done by crossing coils and magnets, so that, when current reaches the former, the latter movs the tonearm by the magnets' "repulsion" - linear induction real-time corrected by an optical sensor and a differential amplifier to avoid overshoots either ways and keep the tonearm's metal rollers free from dragging on the two rails.

A bit heavy a tonearm, however, which tends to lower the resonant frequency - low-compliance cartridges will probably work better than super-light MM designs.