The Luxman PD-171A player sounds and looks as impeccable as its 1983 predecessor, but contains modern technologies that work well with time-tested solutions.
It’s not hard to see why the retro-styled Luxman PD-171A will have a lot of fans in advance. In fact, there is a massive body with a wooden edging, controls milled from aluminum and such pleasant little things as illumination of the surface of the record using a “beacon” installed in the socket. And what about the porthole, in the depths of which you can see the number 33 running in place and the number 45 rushing past, and the control knobs that allow you to manipulate this magical cycle of numbers. After all, who decided that the aesthetics of a thing are less important than its function?
Luxman PD-171A uses a synchronous AC motor with high torque, which is controlled by a special electronic circuit built on a microprocessor. The motor communicates with the platter through a durable flat belt that is less prone to slipping than conventional round belts. The motor pulley is covered with a cap. There is an acrylic dust cover.
The high-quality build and solid classic design of this device weighing 23 kg are impressive. The aluminum base of the player is “clad” in a decorative frame made of valuable wood. The support is provided by four adjustable legs of a complex design. The top part is an aluminum panel 15 mm thick. The main non-inverted Teflon bearing does not require frequent lubrication. A support disk made of aluminum weighing 5 kg is placed on its spindle. A rubber mat is attached to the top. The kit includes handle holders that screw into this disk, making its installation easy and convenient. On the top panel there is a power button, a Start/Stop engine key, a speed selector, an original LED-backlit strobe screen, which, together with two adjustment knobs located to the right, allows you to precisely adjust the rotation speed (33.3 or 45 rpm).
The metal rod located next to the Start/Stop key with an orange LED backlight looks somewhat unusual, with the help of which you can easily find the desired track on the record even in complete darkness. Luxman PD-171A uses a synchronous AC motor with high torque, which is controlled by a special electronic circuit built on a microprocessor. The motor communicates with the platter through a durable flat belt that is less prone to slipping than conventional round belts. The motor pulley is covered with a cap. There is an acrylic dust cover.
The device is equipped with a 9-inch S-shaped Jelco SA-250 tonearm with a removable magnesium-aluminum alloy shell, which simplifies the installation of cartridges. Its rotary unit is a single-support structure. All necessary settings are available: clamping force, VTA, azimuth adjustment and anti-skating. To connect the player to the amplifier, a detachable DIN-RCA cable made of oxygen-free copper is used.
But don’t think that this is just external beauty. The player gives the impression of a well-designed product. Its assembly will not take you much time – you just need to use special grips to install a heavy rotating disk, put on a belt, and then adjust the complete tonearm (a custom modification of the 9-inch S-shaped tonearm SA-250 of the Japanese company Jelco is used) to the used head . The removable shell makes it easier to install – we received the player for testing with a Clearaudio Talisman Gold MC cartridge ($1800), but after listening, we decided that the Benz-Micro M2 Wood MC cartridge ($1420) would be better suited for it, since, practically without inferior Clearaudio in resolution, it provided a fuller and more expressive midrange.
The sound of the Luxman PD-171A is distinguished by accuracy, high detail, warmth and sufficient dynamics. This thoroughbred representative of the vinyl tribe will provide that special charm that has always been inherent in true analog sound.
Characteristics of Luxman PD-171A
Drive type: Passive
Supported disk rotation speeds 33.3 and 45 rpm (adjustment: ±4%)
Electronic speed switching, there is an original strobe light and two separate regulators for fine-tuning the rotation speed
Support disk material: specially treated aluminum
Weight support disk 5 kg
Chassis material aluminum/wood
Main bearing type Teflon, non-inverted
Electric motor synchronous, alternating current, high torque, electronic speed control using a microprocessor
Tonearm Jelco SA-250 (statically balanced, S-shaped, effective length – 229 mm, needle overhang – 15 mm, cartridge weight: 4 – 12 g, anti-skating)
Detonation coefficient less than 0.04%
Power consumption 38 W
Dimensions (HxWxD) 465x195x390 mm (including dust cover)
Weight 23 kg
