Pioneer PLX 1000 ancestry

I have a PLX1000 in my collection of TT's. It is indeed a fine machine and unbeatable at its list price. So what if it has a pitch slider! I don't use it! SQ is at least as good as my vintage SL1200. How about all those cell phones made in China! I'm using one right now! The Chinese can make anything to the specs desired!

The only thing the PLX1000 lacks is a four-figure price tag for snob appeal!

So there you have it, an eclectic collection of vintage TT's! My favorites remain the Ariston's and the Linn Sondek! But I still like and use the PLX1000 with the Denon 103R.

I started with the Ariston RD11S and SME arm in 1977 ($270 and $150). Added a second Ariston (earlier production pre-Linn) a year or two ago. Ariston made Sondeks for their first two years before Ivor Tiefenbrun moved out and opened his own factory! He just copied the Ariston design with minor changes. So much for originality! And at about the same time I bought my LP12 from a British seller (had my first Sondek about 10 - 15 years ago!). 

I never thought of ranking my TT collection! I suppose I'd put the Dual 1209 at the bottom - though it is still a very good TT! And the Dual 1229 above it. The best might be either the Revox 790 or the Sony DD Biotracer (the only TT I'd trust with a Decca cartridge!). But what about the linear-tracks: Beogram, Marantz SL7, Rabco, Mitsubishi? 

I bought the PLX1000 after reading Herb Reichert's review in Stereophile. He liked it and thought it represented good value for the price. I concur! I wanted a new, factory-fresh TT to try out because (except for my first Ariston RD11S) every TT was bought used. I have no problem with used. The price was right (as Bill Cullen would say) and it came with a quality tone arm. I'm happy with it (even though it has the pitch shifter).

Or the four Empires? The two Rek-O-Kuts (one belt, one idler)? The Kenwood idler (rare!)? The Bogen B61 idler? The two Thorens (125 and 160)? The highly-modded AR? The Fairchild belt drive? The Sony servo belt drive? The Kenwood KD500? The VPI HW19? The Yamaha belt drive? The Technics 1200? The Denon DD auto? The two Aristons? The Linn Sondek? 

+1 yogiboy! Thank you for the tally! I've lost count! Just remembered that I have a rare CEC DD too! Definitely an OCD compulsion to collect things - you should see my guitar collection! My father was the same way - might be inherited! Interested in any of my TT's, PM me!

-1 invictus005! The PLX1000 is not a cheap piece of cr*p as you seem to think! You vote for Trump, eh? Just wait until we have a worldwide depression because of his idiotic tariff plan! Smoot- Hawley all over again!

+1 downunder! Excellent TT at an affordable price! Something the Audio market needs!

@ ivictus005: Not a rip-off of a 1200! I'd say they sound the same - but maybe my ears aren't "golden" enough!