Pioneer PL-516 (1978-79) Belt-Drive Audiophile Turntable Vintage HiFi Phonograph Record Player Phono

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Pioneer PL-516           2-Speed Belt-Drive Turntable (1978-1979)

All functions work flawlessly, as the day it was made. Speed accuracy is dead-on.

In the last photo you can see just how far I disassemble prior to cleaning, inspecting, adjusting, etc.

Condition of turntable is very good. The plinth is excellent and shows only very minor finish wear here and there, no major damage to speak of. The worst is a little bit of a ding on the front left corner. The dust cover is cosmetically challenged. There are scuffs, scratches, crazing, hazing, cracks, etc. on the dust cover. There were pieces broken and super-glued back together. Treated gingerly, it MAY last and be serviceable. Just bear in mind that this is a rescued unit that some idiot stored a heavy item on top of and broke, and the dust cover may not last forever.

I have owned and taken apart about every kind of turntable out there; this era of Pioneer are built like a brick outhouse and are superior to just about every brand of the era. Also, Pioneer used much more substantial motors than their competitors, with greater torque, more poles and slots, and higher build quality. A 1977 Pioneer weighs about twice as much as a similar 1977 Technics, Marantz, Denon, Kenwood, etc. etc...

This is why the 516 is actually my favorite turntable; a nice motor with four stout, individual rubber bushings to isolate from the plinth. Belt drive. Frequency generator servo with precise speed control. Auto return. A big, heavy platter. A big, heavy plinth. Superior quality construction. No extraneous bells and whistles to add noise to the signal. Also, like most high end tables, the signal section is completely isolated from the power section.

Audiophile snobs will disagree, but I would put this table up against ones costing five times as much and it will hold its own.

Don't hesitate to ask questions or ask for more photos or details. Etsy limits five photos...

Work performed on this turntable:
• Disasembled
• Dust blown out with a compressor
• Cleaned inside and out
• Electronics cleaned and lubed with DeoxIT
• Mechanicals lubed with lithium grease
• Reassembled ☺

Included:
• Turntable
• Dust Cover/Hinges
• Tonearm
• Counterbalance Weight
• Platter & Matt
• Connecting Cables
• Pioneer Fiberglass Headshell
• Cartridge with NEW Stylus
• NEW Belt

From Vinyl Engine:

Description:

The Pioneer PL-516 is a 2-speed, belt-driven turntable with auto-return mechanism.

Other features include an anti-skating control, cueing device, fine speed adjuster, strobe light, insulator feet, plug-in type headshell and a 40mm thick particle board cabinet.

Specifications:

Type: auto-return turntable

Drive method: belt drive

Motor: FG servo DC motor

Speeds: 33 and 45rpm

Pitch control: +-2%

Wow and flutter: 0.045% WRMS

Signal to noise ratio: 68dB

Platter: 320mm aluminium alloy die-cast

Tonearm: static balance type, pipe arm (s-shaped)

Effective length: 221mm

Overhang: 15.5mm

Usable cartridge weight: 4 to 10g

Dimensions: 440 x 365 x 140mm

Weight: 7.2kg

I DO NOT GUARANTEE VINTAGE EQUIPMENT. PLEASE BE AWARE THERE IS ALWAYS INHERENT RISK WHEN PURCHASING 40-50 YEAR OLD EQUIPMENT. THIS UNIT MAY WORK FOR YEARS TO COME WITHOUT ANY ISSUES, BUT MAY REQUIRE IMMEDIATE TO FUTURE SERVICING. THIS IS THE RISK ALL OF US TAKE WHEN PURCHASING ANY MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL VINTAGE ITEM.