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  1. #1
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Pioneer PL-740 Turntable

    I just picked up a good looking Pioneer PL-740 turntable from GW for $25. The needle seems good and the table and arm works. Hopefully, it will work when I get home.

    Does anyone have this model? Did I do good or get taken??

    Thanks,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  2. #2
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manlystanley
    I just picked up a good looking Pioneer PL-740 turntable from GW for $25. The needle seems good and the table and arm works. Hopefully, it will work when I get home.

    Does anyone have this model? Did I do good or get taken??

    Thanks,
    Stan

    It's hard to get taken for 25 bucks Stan, unless its DOA. I have a Pioneer PL 516 which I absolutely love. Check the analog section for my thread on the Ortofon 2M, would make a great addition I think.

  3. #3
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by poppachubby
    It's hard to get taken for 25 bucks Stan, unless its DOA. I have a Pioneer PL 516 which I absolutely love. Check the analog section for my thread on the Ortofon 2M, would make a great addition I think.
    Chubbs,
    Took a quick look at it, great pointer--Thanks!! I'll see if this thing works and then check on getting a new head. This is so cool. I can't wait to get some old disks to run!

    Best Regards,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  4. #4
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    Hey Stan, is this your TT? Looks decent, but how heavy/sturdy does it feel? It looks like plastic in this pic, is it? I will have a couple of great and easy tweaks you can do if its a plastic chassis with a lightweight platter. My PL 516 is metal and constructed quite well, if yours is metal, I would imagine it's pretty good.
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  5. #5
    I put the Gee in Gear.... thekid's Avatar
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    Does not seem like there is alot of info out there so it probably is nothing special but it is a DD TT from what I did find so $25 is not a bad price to pay. Give a spin and see what you think. In the end that is all that matters.

  6. #6
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by thekid
    Does not seem like there is alot of info out there so it probably is nothing special but it is a DD TT from what I did find so $25 is not a bad price to pay. Give a spin and see what you think. In the end that is all that matters.

    Hey Kid,
    So, if you say it's not a bad price to pay, then I did OK. Got to ask, what is 'DD'. Down and Dirty? Dunkin donuts? Dirty deed? Dither and Dather?

    Best Regards,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  7. #7
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by poppachubby
    Hey Stan, is this your TT? Looks decent, but how heavy/sturdy does it feel? It looks like plastic in this pic, is it? I will have a couple of great and easy tweaks you can do if its a plastic chassis with a lightweight platter. My PL 516 is metal and constructed quite well, if yours is metal, I would imagine it's pretty good.

    Hello Chubbs,
    That's it! Yes, it is a plastic picup, so it's not as good as yours. Also, it's not what I call heavy. They had another turntable at GW that weighted at least twice as much as this one did. But it was DOA. At least this one spun.

    Best Regards,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  8. #8
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    So a question to all you vintage pros:

    -- My PL-740 seems to work. It does spin and when I plug it into the 'tuner' plug of my H/K I can hear the music very faint from the front speakers. But I hear nothing from the: MC and MM phono inputs. I read the H/K manual and tried all the switch positions and still nothing. I'm thinking that since I never contact cleaned the phone section, that that is what the problem is?

    --BTW: Does anyone know what MC and MM stands for??

    Thanks,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  9. #9
    Retro Modernist 02audionoob's Avatar
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    Stan...

    Getting back to an earlier question...DD is Direct Drive. For current questions...MC is Moving Coil and MM is Moving Magnet. An MC input will provide far more gain than an MM output because the MC input is design for cartridges that will have less than 1 mV output while the MM input is designed for cartridges that might have 4 mV output or even more. Those numbers aren't specs, just general range. MM cartridges are more common in the budget range and MC are more common in the high end.

    Are you saying you have recently cleaned all the controls?

  10. #10
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 02audionoob
    Stan...

    Getting back to an earlier question...DD is Direct Drive. For current questions...MC is Moving Coil and MM is Moving Magnet. An MC input will provide far more gain than an MM output because the MC input is design for cartridges that will have less than 1 mV output while the MM input is designed for cartridges that might have 4 mV output or even more. Those numbers aren't specs, just general range. MM cartridges are more common in the budget range and MC are more common in the high end.

    Are you saying you have recently cleaned all the controls?
    Audionob,
    Thanks. That will be a big help knowing that the MC expects far more gain. I didn't clean any of the phono inputs when I got the amp, so I'll tear it apart again today and clean everything again--including the phono controls. Hopefully that will do the trick.

    Best Regaards,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  11. #11
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manlystanley
    Audionob,


    Hahahahaha, the best typo I've seen on this site yet, I'm sure you would agree huh noob? I mean nob...

  12. #12
    I put the Gee in Gear.... thekid's Avatar
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    Manly

    02 hit it on the head for all your questions regarding the abreviations. As for the sound issue try the Aux plugs instead of Phono and see if there is any difference.

  13. #13
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by poppachubby
    Hahahahaha, the best typo I've seen on this site yet, I'm sure you would agree huh noob? I mean nob...

    Computer Science and Math major you know.......So I can't spell to well.......
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  14. #14
    Retro Modernist 02audionoob's Avatar
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    I do agree...the typo was humorous.

    But on the topic of getting the phono to work...no...I don't necessarily think it's a cleaning issue. The thing to do is most likely to look on the lower right corner of the faceplate for the cartridge button. Choose the MM option. Connect the turntable to the MM input. Turn the selector knob to phono. Try the turntable. Turn the volume up to about the normal position for your listening. Does it seem way too quiet? If so, disconnect the turntable. Push the cartridge button to the MC selection. Connect the turntable to the MC inputs. Try it again.

  15. #15
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    Once again Stan, my suggestion is to check the fuses in the unit. Anytime I get a "new" vintage amp, I replace all the fuses/lamps while giving it a cleaning. I don't think your problem is connectivity. Don't bother with the MC function, you need MM. In fact, it's funny that your unit has MC. I guess they put it there so an audiphile has something to plug into, for the week or two it'll take to upgrade ASAP. I'll look at the schematic as soon as I have some time Stan, in the mean time post your results from noobs test.

  16. #16
    Retro Modernist 02audionoob's Avatar
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    Take a look at the model number of the replacement stylus for your turntable...

    http://www.lptunes.com/Pioneer-PL-74...p/ptpl0740.htm

    That's why I left open the possibility of it being an MC cartridge...it's got "MC" in the model number.

  17. #17
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 02audionoob
    Take a look at the model number of the replacement stylus for your turntable...

    http://www.lptunes.com/Pioneer-PL-74...p/ptpl0740.htm

    That's why I left open the possibility of it being an MC cartridge...it's got "MC" in the model number.

    No way its coil noob...you think? Gotta be a coincidence.

  18. #18
    Retro Modernist 02audionoob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by poppachubby
    No way its coil noob...you think? Gotta be a coincidence.
    It would be strange, and that's why I suggested trying MM first. Actually, I'd bet my lunch money it's a high-output moving coil.

  19. #19
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by poppachubby
    Once again Stan, my suggestion is to check the fuses in the unit. Anytime I get a "new" vintage amp, I replace all the fuses/lamps while giving it a cleaning. I don't think your problem is connectivity. Don't bother with the MC function, you need MM. In fact, it's funny that your unit has MC. I guess they put it there so an audiphile has something to plug into, for the week or two it'll take to upgrade ASAP. I'll look at the schematic as soon as I have some time Stan, in the mean time post your results from noobs test.

    Hello Chubbs,
    I took it apart this week end again and really cleaned out everything. As you thought, it didn't do anything to help to clean the the phono switches and controls. But, what it did do is:

    --> The base/treble/bass boost never worked. When ever I'd put the H/K into anything but tone default mode, it sounded garbled. But now, that section seems to work.

    --> The balance was sounding scratchy I moved the potentiometer (though the speakers). But now, I can barley hear it.

    --> And the *BIG* news. When I hooked it back up, the right speaker was dead. This has been a recurring problem that I've had. Sometimes its dead, other times it's lower power. But, what I did was to flip a few times the 'pre-out' button (that separates the pre and power amp portions). Well, just doing that a few times fixed it! So, I know what to do now when I get this problem back.

    ****--> So what I've learned is that on these old amps you need to clean the switches and pots multiple times. Then eventually, they will connect.

    I'll keep working on it. I'll try out your fuses suggestion. The turntable works, because it does produce sound through the 'tuner input'. Oh I wish I had an oscilloscope..... I've got the units schematics and so could follow the signals through the system and then find out where it's bad...

    I'll try the fuses and get back to you.

    Best Regards,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  20. #20
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 02audionoob
    It would be strange, and that's why I suggested trying MM first. Actually, I'd bet my lunch money it's a high-output moving coil.


    Hey Noob,
    Cool. This is great, two days ago I didn't know that there were MC /MM turntables, now I find out I stumbled on a MC.

    As a question: so, because it's high gain, does that mean that the stylus provides this gain or does it has a little amp in the turn table? Or is there something in the arm that provides this gain??

    Thanks,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  21. #21
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manlystanley
    Hey Noob,
    Cool. This is great, two days ago I didn't know that there were MC /MM turntables, now I find out I stumbled on a MC.

    As a question: so, because it's high gain, does that mean that the stylus provides this gain or does it has a little amp in the turn table? Or is there something in the arm that provides this gain??

    Thanks,
    Stan
    I will let noob address this for you Stan but you should start looking at MC stylii..Needle Doctor would be a good start...this link is my suggestion...

    http://www.needledoctor.com/ZYX-Diam...2&category=270

  22. #22
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by poppachubby
    I will let noob address this for you Stan but you should start looking at MC stylii..Needle Doctor would be a good start...this link is my suggestion...

    http://www.needledoctor.com/ZYX-Diam...2&category=270

    So, I just about fell off my chair in shock. This link comes up with a $16,000 stylii... But I see there is other much cheaper ones as well).
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  23. #23
    Vinyl Fundamentalist Forums Moderator poppachubby's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manlystanley
    So, I just about fell off my chair in shock. This link comes up with a $16,000 stylii... But I see there is other much cheaper ones as well).


    Hahahahahaha....gotcha!!

  24. #24
    Sophisticated Red Neck manlystanley's Avatar
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    I looked around and found the below article that describing MCs amnd MMs turntables: http://tinyurl.com/y8mumev

    What was really interesting is that at the time my turntable came out (early 80's) there was huge drop in price of MC's. So, the later the turntable is, the more likely it's a MC.

    Best Regards,
    Stan
    Listening/Movie Room: ADCOM GTP-500, XPA-2, Denon 3930ci, Front: Jamo C809; Surround: Klipsch R-5650-S; Back: R-5650-S; Denon AVR-687,. Projector: Sharp XR-32X.

    Family Room: Denon avr-687, Denon CD player, Klipsch RB-5II

  25. #25
    Retro Modernist 02audionoob's Avatar
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    Stan...


    The output level in this case is determined in the cartridge itself, as opposed to a separate transformer, the arm, the turntable, etc. The cartridge contains the stylus and you can replace either the stylus or the whole cartridge. If you have the original Pioneer cartridge you would want to look for the replacement stylus for specifically your turntable.

    http://www.lptunes.com/Pioneer-PL-74...p/ptpl0740.htm

    However, the PL-740 appears to accept an ordinary cartridge with the standard 1/2-inch mount. With some cartridges you're better off replacing the whole thing and with some of the best vintage cartridges you're better off replacing only the stylus. You might be in the situation where you would benefit from replacing only the stylus.
    Last edited by 02audionoob; 09-28-2009 at 05:48 PM.

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