My Pioneer PL-518 Turntable

This is an old friend. The Pioneer PL-518 is an awesome old school direct drive turntable from 1979. :) JC

[@Trojan0304]

My 518 has been sitting in corner for 22 yrs. Decided to get out my records & hook up turntable to my old Pioneer receiver 780. Sounds like 1978 again

[@EzeeLinux]

The PL-990 is an interesting machine. It's built on the same cheap plastic chassis that a lot of really crappy tables are built on but they did some really interesting things with it that make it sound very good. I have a friend who bought one on a lark and ended up liking it so much he usues it to play all of his used records for the first time.

[@mattman20132]

i have one of these, they are great, my grandfather bought it brand new in the 70's, now he gave it to me. it has the shure v15 rs cartridge, sounds amazing, and it still has the feet! c:

[@maryhardin2818]

Saw this video and remembered I had one of these in a box somewhere. Archived it when vinyl started to die. Found the box and remembered the good old days. Mine has a perfect dust over and ,yes, it also has the feet. When I turned it on the speed was way off. Found another video that showed me how to clean the internals. Now it is an amazing TT and works great. By the way you can disengage the auto return if your lift mechanism fails. There is a rubber disc at base of the tonearm that hides a screw. Turn the screw to get the mechanism "out of spec" and it will not engage. This changes the TT to total manual so you then feel like an audiophile. Thanks for reminding me about this great machine

[@mccarthyd6603]

After researching a Rega for almost 2 years....just picked up a Hitachi PS-48. After 3 months have to say best move I have made...sound is absolutely phenomenal!!

[@peterregorsek1504]

These Japanese DD turntables are built like a soviet tank. They were made to last forever. I recently bought Sony PS T15 from 1983 and it works like it was made yesterday, not more than 30 years ago. Excelent equipment!!

[@flyboy2196]

Its amazing how much people are now paying for turntables like this on ebay 2 years after the release of this video.

[@gtrplyr335]

Great video. Thank you. I have this very table and it is a champ. Regarding the foggy dust cover; I'm not sure where I read this but I tried it and it was a miracle. Take a clean cloth, put a dab of Brasso (brass cleaner) and work it into the top in small parts at a time. It was amazing. It looks almost brand new after 30+ years of scratches and fog. Give it a try. Cheaper than a new cover.

[@Zockopa]

The PL-518 is a solid build semi automatic middle class deck,good motor and good medium mass arm. No-nonsense design. The AT-120 is a good choice for this arm. Originaly it came with a Pioneer cart,i guess the PC-110/II,but it`ll work just fine with a large variety of carts. Sadly after this line of turntables the plastic-era began also for Pioneer and the later TTs just dont have the sonic quality anymore,except the top-models like PL-600.

[@matbasterson520]

I've had mine for a few years now, I love it! and it has the feet!

[@stevereid2811]

Joe, I bought the 518 in 1979 while in the army in Germany. Still works great. The reason the feet seem to be missing is the rubber washers are actually part of the foot boot. The boot degrades over time and they fall off. Each foot has a spring inside so the unit floats. I still have the feet. Just bought an audio-technica AT-95E. Getting ready to pull it out of the closet and spin it up again! Thanks for the video.

[@EddieJazzFan]

Dupont #7 car polish works really well for dust covers. If you can't find that, a product called "Gel-Gloss" works almost as good. That turntable will probably last forever.

[@EzeeLinux]

@Maxxarcade That's a great line up! The Pioneers are really wolves in sheep's clothing. Technics gets all the glory but these are right up there in terms of performance. With the resurgence of vinyl, Pioneer should start making them again. They could charge a fortune because direct drive hi-fi listening tables are rare these days. :) JC

[@bobbyhenneberger9219]

can you imagine what these turntables would cost today?

[@MrSalsa1973]

I bumped into one, just like this. The gentleman serviced it and selling it for $90... Going for a test run this week...Would you still recomend it.?

[@EzeeLinux]

@@MrSalsa1973 If you don't really want it tell me where I can get it... That's crazy. :)

[@MrSalsa1973]

@@EzeeLinux Hahaha...!! Thnx,great answer.😂...My local record store refurbishes T.T ,amps,etc...And a PL518 being seating there for a while. No body seems to care so am jumping on it.

[@legOldtimer]

You can probably use Spikes that they use under loudspeakers! The contact to the ground (table or where ever you place the turntable) is then very small. That must be much better as using foam or so. Nice turntable and video, thanks for posting

[@ryanwarren1143]

I just recently bought one at a yard sale for $30. so excited!

[@Tony-uq4ig]

I have a pioneer PL-A35 and it's in mint condition and even the cover is in excellent condition

[@peterfinlay7363]

G'day JC, I was looking at replacing my old PL518 until I found your video. It brought back memories of the research I did before I bought mine back in about 1980. So glad to hear they are still well regarded. I put a Stanton cartridge back then but it never performed as well as the original pioneer, having said that I think I'll look for an AT or similar for it. I also found Steve Hausmans site and read up a bit about restoration. So restoration is the way I will go. Thanks mate.

[@jcmolero71]

I didn't knew the importance of the lateral counterweight, until now! My Akai AP-006 got and it's awesome sound when its calibrated, last tracks sound clear and crispy.

[@miker7456]

A nice looking turntable. I remember seeing the commercial on tv back then.

[@RajMukerjee]

Great video - I am buying a PL-518 this weekend, and this video helped a great deal. It will be my first ever turn-table. The gentleman selling has babied it since 1979 - so hopefully no issues :) ! Thank You !

[@rev420official5]

I just won an ebay auction for one this morning! They say it had only one owner. How did yours turn out?

[@martyjewell5683]

Truly a very fine turntable. Pioneer usually made high quality components ( except speakers, but don't get me started on that). This PL 518 is really good. I purchased mine in NYC back in 1980 for less than $130. I eventually added a Shure M95ED cartridge and have had it ever since. One thing you didn't mention is the base is a composite resin and VERY dense. You nailed the controls and operation explanations of this unit. It actually is a MANUAL turntable with an auto shut off feature. The fact that its direct drive gives it great specs. Seriously, wow/flutter of .03% and signal to noise ratio 73db. Look up these figures on other units from this time period. You'll see the PL 518 are excellent and considerably less expensive than comparable turntables. You've given a well thought out and impressive review for the PL 518. Thank you.

[@EzyoMusic]

Sweet turntable. I will keep this one in mind for sure. Nice video.

[@EzeeLinux]

Oh, this is a wonderful table. Unfortunately, the one in the video developed a problem with the lifter I could not fix so I parted it out. It's one of the best tone arms I've ever seen but a bit quirky to setup. The best performance I got out of this was with an Audio-Technica AT120E. It was an excellent match. :)

[@EzeeLinux]

This table was a rock star but it developed a lifter issue I could not fix. :( JC

[@pauldavies8638]

My pioneer pl51 is 46 years old I love it and use regularly

[@EzeeLinux]

@DuskY1991 Thanks! I see them pop up on eBay from time to time. This one was an auction and I got lucky and got it for under $50. :) JC

[@Jesvox1234]

thanks so much for the detailed overview helped alot to choose my turntable

[@madmox2000]

I picked up one of these last year for around $70. Cleaned it up and it sounds great! I used meguiars plastX to buff out the dust cover. Wasn't quite as rough as yours, but, the difference is night and day after about a half an hour of buffing. My feet were gone, like yours. Wound up buying a set of sorbothane feet on ebay for around $40. Installed easy and look pretty mean too. Thanks for the video!

[@ynjlky7121]

Thanks to KZbin I understand PIONEER PL-518 has been internationally successful but oddly enough, this turntable never released here in Japan.

[@illia2492]

Lovely record!)

[@EzeeLinux]

It's called "Memories of the Gold Age Of Radio" and I use it for turntable stuff on KZbin because it won't catch the attention of the copyright robots.

[@peterfinlay7363]

Thanks for that JC. So looking forward to listening to my records again :)

[@EzeeLinux]

I don't have this machine anymore... It developed a terminal problem with the lifter mechanism that I could not fix... I've been getting amazing performance from my Technics so I don't miss it too much. :( JC

[@EzeeLinux]

@vinyl12s I used to have a very nice amplifier of the same vintage, too. That was a nice amp! Pioneer stuff is cool because it's usually quite plain to look at but it blows the doors off of the cheaper stuff with all the blinking lights. Too bad they've gone cheap like everyone else these days. :) JC

[@wowitskevin]

My dad gave me his PL-518 a few years ago... he was meticulous about it... it is like brand new. It has all four suspension feet. It is super smooth.

[@EzeeLinux]

@vwestlife Thanks for the tip. I'm thinking about either getting Vibrapods. This TT is very well vibration proofed and on foam it is almost immune to any vibration. You could literally jump up and down next to the one I had years ago and it would not even make a bump. I had a 4 inch piece of foam cut out to the shape of the bottom so I may do that this time around, as well. :) JC

[@thisisunreal1]

I just picked up one of these turntables today for the whopping sum of $25. It was on Kijiji. I even scored a really nice Dual tape deck from the same seller. I do have the feet & springs but, the rubber is kind of pooched. As for scratched up dust covers, I treat them like yellowed headlights. I wet sand them with 1000,1500 then 2000 grit sandpaper & then polish the heck out of them with Wenol paste. About as close looking to new as you'll ever get. I would use a "practice" piece first though!

[@dimebagdave77]

that's a great old TT! the commercial made me wanna get one right now! i like the foam idea and i'm going to have to try out that "Plastix" polish suggested by SupraWes.sounds good too! yeah,i doubt you'll get into much trouble over copyrights on that particular LP!

[@EzeeLinux]

Thanks for the tip! I found that Swiffer furniture polish works very well, too. :) JC

[@EzeeLinux]

@moogyboy6 Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, this machine is no longer in service... It developed a problem with the lifter that I haven't been able to fix. :) JC

[@craighall4502]

Thanks for the Video.....I just picked one up....

[@ICanHasSmash]

I have a PL-516X sitting on the corner of my desk right now. I got it for €25. It's a belt-drive version of yours. It's the X version, so it's black. I think it looks cooler in black and it can't go yellow. It still has the original Pioneer PC-110 II cartridge on it. I already ordered a new belt from Ebay, and it should get here any day now. I just can't wait to listen to some vinyl on this thing :D

[@EzeeLinux]

@agfamatic91 Thanks. They did make one of these in a wood cabinet. :) JC

[@EzeeLinux]

@dimebagdave77 Thanks. That commercial was great. I had to include it. :) JC

[@brianhalverson5820]

i got a pl560 bought it in 1979 used for 220 lol still works like new and it has the original feet

[@EzeeLinux]

Neat score! Mine quit working and there was no way to fix it. :(

[@moogyboy6]

Hi there. First off, as a fellow vinyl devotee I just love your channel, I've been lapping up your videos. Re: buffing the top of your dust cover...I had the same problem (well maybe not quite as severe) with the cover for my Akai AP-100 after it sat in my parents' attic for a decade. My cheapskate solution was toothpaste, a little water, and a t-shirt, if I remember correctly. Plus a lot of elbow grease. :-) But it turned out pretty well; buffing with the dry cloth was the key to good shine.

[@EzeeLinux]

@MisterSteemy Thanks. I will keep that in mind. :) JC

[@Maxxarcade]

Looks great! I still have my PL-516 and PL-520, but my fave is probably the Technics SL-1600 Mk2. The 520 needs some work on the return mechanism, the the 516 is still running great. The 516 is what got me into vinyl collecting though. Especially after adding the AT440MLa cart.

[@EzeeLinux]

@SupraWes Thanks! I will check that out. :) JC

[@EzeeLinux]

@wings19fan Thanks! :) JC

[@EddieJazzFan]

Nice description,,,,I just won one of these on ebay--41 bucks! I hope they pack it good.

[@EzeeLinux]

@margaretsville Thanks for the tip! I will look into it for sure. I also have a Denon that needs the same sort of restoration. :) JC

[@EzeeLinux]

@legOldtimer Thanks for the tip. :) JC

[@kilove1]

hey j-c i just pick up one of these ..in absolute A-one condition ..am not sure who was the original owner..got it from a vintage shop ..but its in the original box and there is not a scratch on it the dust cover is in very good condition to ..i put some new feet on the unit . thanks for the video...

[@EzeeLinux]

@APyleOfVinyl It's a series of albums with old time radio shows on it called "Radio Memories." I only have the one, though... :) JC

[@blackandwh1teboy]

Ignore my earlier ramblings, it worked in my phono input and remaining interference was sorted by plugging the ground wire in. A couple of things on my purchase of this great unit, it came with it's feet......intact!! And incredibly, in great condition. Also when taking out old cartridge I noted it was a Shure M95HE(minus stylus) Will keep my eye out for a replacement if there are any still around..

[@EzeeLinux]

Great idea! I'll keep that in mind. This one developed a prblem with the arm lifter... :) JC

[@EzeeLinux]

@56sandee If the counterweight is missing than the turntable will not track properly at all. As for you second question, you can replace the stylus if it is still available for whatever cart is on the turntable but if it's more than 20 years old you'd be better of getting a whole new cart. :) JC

[@gmjones2001]

Thanks BEP. I got a AT120E for my 518 per your recommendation and I'm totally digging it! I used 8 hockey pucks as feet as well. That was a $12 fix! My cover is intact but beat to you know what. Looks worse than yours there.

[@EzeeLinux]

@thisisunreal1 Thanks for the tip! :) JC

[@GaryNorton_C]

I now have a PL-518, searched for weeks on eBay.I was attempting to stay under $100, I ended up paying slightly over that. It has what I think is an Empire cartridge only markings are RM05 but it sounds decent. There is another one on eBay now that looks nice.) bids starting at $59.99 now

[@rev420official5]

Wow, and adozen years later they go for $350 and up on Ebay! Ik I just paid that...

[@EzeeLinux]

@Threemicsrecords From what I have read, they were very similar. I don't do belt drive at all. :) JC

[@blackandwh1teboy]

Thanks, would Shure V-15 be a good shout too? I'm looking for good bass sounds.

[@EzeeLinux]

@DuskY1991 Sometimes you run across and a seller who just doesn't know what they have and they put a low price on a really nice piece of gear. You just gotta keep looking to find those listings. :) JC

[@MikeChestney]

Nicely done video and very informative info on the PL-518. Thanks for taking the time to make this. Could I ask you what your exact number settings are with the tonearm, anti-skate and speed control are for best playback? I have this turntable but, always second guess myself with the settings.

[@EzeeLinux]

Well, it all depends on the cart you're using. If the recommended VTF is 1.8 than you set the anti-skate to 1.8. No guess work needed. Use the strove to set speed so the dots on the edge of the platter seem to sit still under the strobe light and you're dead on speed. :)

[@MikeChestney]

Joe Collins Cool. Thanks for the info. :-)

[@blackandwh1teboy]

I just came home with this for £60 :) Only has top half of cartridge however, can you recommend a replacement stylus/cartridge?

[@56sandee]

Hi; I am looking for information for my new pioneer 518. I think it is missing the weight on the end of arm. Can the needle be replaced alone or do you need to purchase cartridge? thanks so much. enjoyed your video. Sandee

[@EzeeLinux]

It's an easy mistake to make. :) Please give me an update on your impressions of the Red once you get antiquated with it. I think you'll be impressed. Styli for the M95 are available through LP Gear. I can't vouch for their quality, though. I have never heard one of the new styli for classic Shure carts for myself. Also, you may check to see if the M97xE stylus will fit an M95. Shure styli are very interchangeable. The M97xE is widely available.

[@BuddyVenugopal]

Hi. Do you ahve a suggestion for a good MM cartridge for the PL-518?

[@555HannahBrown]

what is the record you played on it? sounds interesting!

[@chupathingy5862]

I had one of these tables from my dad, and the DD core was so badly shot, the speed would wildly fluctuate if you so much as breathed on the fine pitch adjust.

[@leejohnson2521]

Hi joe I have a pioneer pl518 also Im not getting any power to the platter and the orange light is not turning on but I can turn it manually and get the record to play by spinning it with my hand do you think its a switch or power supply issue please let me know thanks.

[@SupraWes]

Go to an auto parts store and look for a product in the detailing section called "Plastix" it is made by Mequiars, its a plastic polish, it will work great on that lid and a lot of other things like CD's, headlights, etc...

[@EzyoMusic]

@BadEditPro Oh my, that's really dirt-cheap for a turntable such as that one. I saw the one that I have on eBay for like $400 while yours seems way more sophisticated.

[@EzeeLinux]

@SlimeTron5000 This one will do that, too! :) JC

[@EzeeLinux]

The SHure V-15 is damn near impossible to find these days and would cost you way more than a Red. The new carts are as good or better than the celebrated carts of years ago... :)

[@Notevenused]

Joe I bought one of these recently based on your review (the guy still had the box, promo brochure, manuals, feet, and all the packing material!) it sounds great! Like yours it had a yellowed AT cart installed on it, and I replaced it with an AT95e. Question for you if you don't mind. Is the platter mat on yours consistently flat all the way across? Mine is thicker in one section, and it makes the record appear warped when spinning and the tone arm kind of rides up and down in that spot. I don't hear any drag or anything, but just wondered if all pl-518 mats have variances in there thicknesses. If any thing I swear I hear a little crackle when the arm hits the lower spots, but that just may be my virgin ears assimilating to listening to vinyl.

[@EzeeLinux]

I don't have the 518 anymore but I do have the mat. I use it on my GLi Pro SL-2500 and it's perfectly flat. It sounds like you got a bad one. Fortunately, it's the same size as a rubber mat for a Technics SL-1200 and they pop up on ebay all the time. You might look for a 518 mat, too. I've seen those come up every now and then.

[@Aragorn35016_]

Joe Collins Thanks for the response Joe, I may go to the craft store today and try to by a rubber mat or a sheet of cork to try!

[@thaitimes3]

I have a porter cable polisher i wash the cover and then apply Adams swirl and haze remover and they come out like new. Im sure any swirl n haze remover wil almost as good but i detail my vette so i have adams brand.

[@agfamatic91]

nice pioneer it looks very high quality. i think my pioneer is probobly an earlyer model becoase the cabinette on my looks very 1970s but i think my pioneer have the same turntabe and motor as yours but mine dosent have eny automatic return mecanism and i gues the feats on your model was probobly the kind as mine.

[@pauldavies8638]

My pl51 from 1974 sounds similar to what you are discribing still use it regular superb performer

[@EzeeLinux]

@BeeOwGeeDeeAyN The newer one doesn't do well indoors at all. Believe it or not, the old one looks better for stuff like this. :) JC

[@mattmorelli5605]

Hi Joe. I have this TT and am thinking about getting an Ortofon 2M Blue for it but I am worried about the overhang since you cant adjust the height of the tone arm, & the 2M is a huge cart. Do you think it would work?

[@EzeeLinux]

+matt morelli It would be very tall for this table. I would go for an Audio-Techinca AT120E. That was the cart that worked best for me on this. Fantastic match. :)

[@mattmorelli5605]

+Joe Collins Thanks for the advice. I had a friend lend me a 2M red and it worked but was very close to the album before I drop the needle. I do think I'm going to try out my Pickering TLE and my Audio Technica 311EP, see what I like better. Thanks again for the advice. Would love to see some new turntable or stylus/cart videos.

[@ringostarrandthebeatlesbea9287]

Very late reply - I've been running a 2M Blue on my PL-518 for around 18 months with no issues/problems. Sounds amazing!

[@EzeeLinux]

@thatmuse76 Someone could make good money doing that. There are lots of these still in service. :) JC

[@ThatFaceMelter94]

@Joe Collins It is awesome, but i got sgt. Peppers on vinyl and that weird ending after a day in the life is suppose to loop. It plays on the middle groove but my turntable only plays a second of it before it lifts for the auto return.

[@EzeeLinux]

Ahhh... I see... :)

[@BeeOwGeeDeeAyN]

Why do you use your old camcorder instead of new one for shooting new videos?

[@Threemicsrecords]

I used to have PL-512, and 516 both belt drive. I guess 518 was step into direct drive.

[@pauldavies8638]

No my 46 year old pl51 is direct drive and that's from 1974 still works spot on

[@1972torinoman]

I believe Pioneer sells replacement covers .

[@harveytow6396]

I recently got a one-owner PL-518 which works beautifully. However, the clamp that keeps the tonearm locked in place was broken. I do have a replacement clamp. By taking off the bottom, is it possible to get into the area where I can replace it? Thanks.

[@EzeeLinux]

I would asume so... I've never taken one of these apart before. :)

[@donovanpyle1]

Great video. I just plugged mine in after not using it for a few years, and the deck keeps spinning no matter what position the arm is in...any ideas on what may be causing this or how to fix it?

[@EzeeLinux]

The microswitch is stuck... Either take a it to a tech or just leave it running if everything else works. :)

[@thatmuse76]

I was wondering if yours still had the feet. Yeah, several models of Pioneer had those rubber bushing "insulator feet" and they would rot out in no time. You would think someone would start reproducing those.

[@rev420official5]

Right?!?

[@Rockstaralan]

Hey there. I just purchased a PL-518 myself about two months ago. GREAT-sounding TT, even with the entry-level $20 Audio-Technica cart I have on it for the moment. It has been working fine for the most part. But for the last several days, I've been hearing LOUD, repetitive mechanical creaking/thumping noises at the end of each side of every record I play (nothing to do with the vinyl itself), which happens JUST BEFORE the needle reaches the run-out groove. But then it stops as the auto-return engages. It seems to be getting worse with every record I play, too. I don't know of any other way to describe it. Would that be an issue relating to the auto-return mechanism itself? In any case, I hope this isn't going to be an expensive repair. If so...I am COMPLETELY done with this and other vintage 70's TT's, and will instead save up to go with a new one that's fully warranted (i.e., U-Turn Orbit Plus, Pro-Ject Carbon Debut, Teac 400s, etc.). Don't get me wrong-The PL-518 is probably the best-sounding vintage TT I've ever owned up to this point in time, and the incredibly versatile tone-arm can handle even the most difficult-to-track records (classical, opera, etc.). But let's be realistic: If something is always going to go wrong with this thing because of its age or how much it was used by its previous owner, I really don't think I want the hassle and expense of sinking money I don't have into keeping it maintained every time I turn around. In the meantime, I guess we'll see....

[@rev420official5]

Did you end up fixing the issue?

[@Aintry1]

Try buffing the turntable cover with toothpaste and rinsing with tap water. It gets results with scuffed, plastic headlight covers.

[@myfridayslacks]

what needle does this take?

[@julianwest4030]

My Friday Slacks Any 1/2" mount cartridge should suffice.

[@blackandwh1teboy]

Well, I took your advice and purchased the 2m red. Replaced the old cartridge and fitted the Red...problem: Sound level is VERY low coming through my speakers, can only barely hear records playing. I know it's not my amplifier as my usb turntable plays fine and much louder through the same connection. Please help! :)

[@vaughntonkin539]

You need a pre-amp

[@pauldavies8638]

Get an old amp with pre amp built in or buy a pre amp sound levels on turntables are low that's why you need a pre amp to boost sound

[@johnellis3550]

Do what I did suspend it from the ceiling using plant hangers the woven ones .

[@wesuda]

Do you guys know the country of origin of the Pioneer PL-518?

[@EzeeLinux]

Pioneer is a Japanese company and all of their stuff was made in Japan at that time. I don't know about today.

[@inthe7thhouse]

Joe Collins China. I'm about to buy the new Pioneer PLX-1000 and everyone says it's a Hanpin product.

[@EzeeLinux]

Ortofon 2M Red. Perfect match. :)

[@OldMusicOnVinyl1]

That's sad. :(

[@GaryNorton_C]

Get a Headlight restoration kit from Amazon to fix the cover. search Meguiars-G1900K-Headlight-Plastic-Restoration/

[@giochi254]

go to needle doctor .com for all you turn table need belts and so on