Pioneer Direct Drive Turntable / Auto Return Model PL518
The Pioneer PL-518 is a 2-speed, direct-drive turntable fitted with a static balance type, S-shaped tonearm.
Although the PL-518 is technically a manual, single-play turntable, the kind traditionally preferred by audiophiles and professionals alike, it offers two welcome conveniences.
One is the Quick-Start function. The other is the Auto-Return function, which works like this: when the stylus enters the lead-out groove of your record, a special Pioneer-developed device detects the increased lateral speed of the tone arm and triggers the auto-return mechanism. This lifts the tone arm gently, returns it to its rest, and shuts off all power to the turntable. The mechanism is one that Pioneer has tested successfully for over 100,000 continuous operations, and one guaranteed to perform with minimum noise and maximum reliability.
The PL-518's platter does not begin to rotate until you lift the tone arm and move it toward the outer edge of the platter. This convenience is appreciated all the more when you use it in combination with the oil-damped Cue Lever which lets you lower the stylus to the record surface (at the point of your choice) without risk of dropping the arm or nicking the record.
Type: direct drive
Motor: 16-pole, 24-slot, DC servo motor
Platter: 320mm aluminium alloy diecast
Speeds: 33 and 45rpm