Pioneer XL-A700 / PL-570 1977 - Wenge Wood

Pioneer XL-A700 - Fully Restored Quartz Direct-Drive Turntable (PL-570 JDM Equivalent)

For sale is a meticulously restored Pioneer XL-A700 - the Japanese-market equivalent of the PL-570. This is Pioneer's flagship fully automatic, direct-drive, quartz-locked turntable from the golden era of Japanese hi-fi engineering, and it has been comprehensively rebuilt to a standard that exceeds its original factory condition.

Cabinet and Finish

The plinth has been completely re-veneered in Wenge hardwood, giving this turntable a striking, modern appearance while honoring the solidity of the original design. The wood has been hand-finished with a beeswax and linseed oil matt coating - a traditional finish that brings out the deep grain of the Wenge and provides lasting protection without the plasticky sheen of lacquer. All metal fittings have been polished to a clean, bright finish. A brand new custom dust cover completes the presentation.

Electronics and Mechanical Restoration

All three circuit boards have been fully recapped - a 40-part job covering every electrolytic capacitor in the turntable. No cheap generics here: the electrolytics are Nichicon PW and Panasonic FC series, with WIMA film capacitors used where appropriate. Key transistors have also been replaced. This addresses the aging components that are the primary cause of speed instability and drift in these decks, and protects the IC chips from damage caused by leaky caps.

Both the main drive motor and the dedicated timing/auto-mechanism motor have been stripped, cleaned, and freshly oiled. All mechanical assemblies - including the full-auto arm mechanism - have been fully degreased and re-lubricated with fresh lubricant.

The transformer has been converted to 240VAC, so this turntable is ready to plug in and play in the UK, Europe and other 220-240V regions. No step-down transformer required.

Upgrades Beyond the Original Design:

This restoration goes further than a like-for-like rebuild, incorporating modern components where the 1977 originals fall short of today's standards:

• X2-rated mains safety capacitors - the original general-purpose film caps sitting across the mains have been replaced with modern X2-rated (275VAC) safety capacitors at every mains snubber position. A 49-year-old film cap in this location can fail short with nothing downstream to protect you; X2 parts are designed to fail safe. This upgrade is fitted to every deck I restore, without exception.
• Dual diodes upgraded - replaced with modern equivalents for long-term reliability of the power and control circuits.
• Sealed cermet multi-turn trimmers - the original open-frame trimmer potentiometers oxidise over decades and make stable calibration impossible. These have been replaced with sealed Bourns cermet trimmers, and the deck fully recalibrated to the service manual targets afterwards.
• Auto-return timing gear replaced - the original timing gear, a known weak point in the full-auto mechanism of these decks, has been replaced with a newly machined gear in PA12HP nylon, and the auto-return timing fully overhauled and set up. Early returns, late returns, and failed returns on these models nearly always trace back to this assembly - it is now good for decades of reliable operation.
• Gold-plated RCA output plate - see below.

RCA Output Upgrade

The original hardwired signal cable has been replaced with gold-plated RCA phono connector plates, allowing the use of any high-quality interconnect of your choosing. Ground terminal included.

Cartridge

Fitted with a Pioneer PC-330 Mark II MM cartridge - a respected period-correct cartridge featuring a titanium pipe cantilever and rare-earth cobalt magnet. A brand new Tonar replacement stylus has been installed, so this is ready to play straight out of the box.

Key Specifications

• Drive system: Direct drive, brushless DC servo motor
• Speed control: Quartz PLL (with manual pitch override, +/-6%)
• Platter diameter: 324 mm, high-inertia cast aluminium
• Tonearm: S-shaped pipe arm with angular contact bearings and VTA adjustment
• Operation: Fully automatic (auto-start, auto-return, auto-cut, repeat)
• Optical return detection (non-mechanical)
• Separate precision gear motor for auto-mechanism (no load on drive system)
• Mains voltage: 240VAC (converted)
• AC safety: X2-rated film capacitors fitted at all mains snubber positions

Condition

This turntable plays beautifully. Speed is rock-solid on both 33 1/3 and 45 RPM, the auto mechanism operates smoothly and reliably, and the quartz lock engages cleanly. The Wenge re-veneer and beeswax finish give it a presence that photographs only begin to convey.

This is not a cosmetic tidy-up with a few new caps thrown in - it is a ground-up restoration carried out with care and quality parts. A serious turntable for someone who appreciates what Pioneer achieved at the top of their game.

About ReTurntables

This restoration was carried out by ReTurntables, a workshop specialising in the ground-up restoration of vintage Japanese direct-drive turntables. You can see this deck along with other current and upcoming restorations available for sale, at returntables.com.

Questions welcome. 

Please see photos for detailed condition.