Pioneer PL-780
¥ 69,800 (released in 1981)
Commentary
Linear tracking player equipped with linear DD arm.
It is equipped with a linear DD arm that combines the basic performance of the linear tracking system with proprietary technology.
While the conventional linear tracking method has advantages such as 0 tracking error, it has a disadvantage that the SN ratio is poor and the playback sound is muddy. This is because the direct driving force of the arm is mechanically obtained from a rotary motor through a gear or belt. The vibration of the motor and the delay in the response speed of the power transmission part cause deterioration in sound quality.
In the linear DD arm, a linear DD type motor is used, and electrical energy is directly extracted as linear energy without any mechanical conversion mechanism. This eliminates mechanical contact and eliminates vibration and other problems that cause sound quality degradation.
In addition, the combination with an electronic full auto mechanism realizes a quiet and highly accurate arm drive.
The cartridge is equipped with an MC cartridge with a new structure developed by Pioneer.
This cartridge has a high output of 1.5 mV thanks to its efficient power generation mechanism, so it does not need a dedicated amplifier or head amplifier and can be connected directly to the MM position of the amplifier.
In addition, this new structure has been thoroughly simplified, making it easy to replace needles, which was difficult with conventional MC cartridges.
An SH rotor type coreless motor is used as the drive motor.
By using a coreless motor without cogging and an SH rotor system with improved rotational accuracy, the bare characteristics of the motor are dramatically improved and excellent characteristics are realized.
In addition, a quartz PLL is used in the servo circuit to improve stability and load resistance.
Carbon graphite, which is lightweight and highly rigid, is used for the arm pipe. Carbon fiber is also used for the head shell, and a low mass tone arm with almost no resonance is realized. In addition, the theory of mass concentration is applied to the arm structure, and excellent traceability is exhibited.
Oxygen-free copper wires are used for internal lead wires to improve sound quality.
This is the first linear player in this class to be equipped with a universal tone arm, and most commercially available cartridges can be mounted.
A high-precision electronic full auto mechanism is adopted, and a newly developed microcomputer controls linear tracking operation and rotation / stop / rotation speed switching of the phono motor.
Model Rating
| Type | Record player |
| Phono Motor Section | |
| Motor | Coreless quartz PLL DC servo hole motor |
| Bearing system | SH / rotor system |
| Drive system | Direct drive |
| Turntable | 32 cm Aluminum Die Cast |
| Number of revolutions | 33 1/3, 45 rpm |
| Speed change | Electronic tact switch |
| Uneven rotation | 0.012% or Less (WRMS, FG Direct Reading Method) 0.025% or Less (WRMS, JIS) |
| S/N | 78 dB or more (DIN-B) |
| Start-up characteristic | 1/3 turn or less |
| Rotational speed deviation | 0.002% or less |
| Drift | Time drift : not more than 0.00008% / h Temperature drift : 0.00003% / ℃ or less |
| Tone Arm Section | |
| Type | Linear DD static balance linear tracking arm |
| Effective length | 162mm |
| Overhang | 0mm |
| Applicable Cartridge Dead Weight | 3g ~ 8g (Excluding Head Shell) |
| Head shell | Made of carbon fiber |
| Tracking error | 0.25 degrees or less |
| Needle pressure variable range | 0 ~ 3g |
| Cartridge Section | |
| Type | MC Type |
| Needle tip | 0. 3x0. 7 mil Oval Diamond Needle |
| Exchange needle | PN-4MC |
| Output voltage | 1.5 mv (1 khz, 50mm/sec. horizontal) |
| Load resistance | 30k Ω ~ 100k Ω |
| Appropriate load resistance and load capacity | 40k Ω · 170 pF ~ 300 pF |
| Proper needle pressure | 2g ± 0.3g |
| Frequency characteristic | 10 Hz to 35 kHz |
| <Others> | |
| Attachment mechanism | Two way tone arm remote control function by 2-speed switching locate button Manual operation function Fail-safe function |
| Semiconductors used | ICx10 Transistor x6 3 phototransistors 6 diodes cdsx1 2 Hall elements LEDx12 Crystal x1 |
| Power supply voltage | 100 VAC, 50Hz/60Hz |
| Power consumption | 12W |
| External dimensions | Width 420x Height 120x Depth 427 mm Dust Cover Fully Open : Width 420x Height 405x Depth 427 mm |
| Weight | 8.3kg |