Luxman PD277 comes home!

I have slowed down considerably when it comes to purchasing used vintage audio gear. Not from a change of heart about how it wipes up the modern competition in so many ways, but I have some really good combinations of receiver/turntable/CD player/speakers. And they all sound great when playing PC files through a quality DAC.

A Luxman PD277 recently became available from a good friend of mine, and he let me know that if I wanted it, he'd let me have it on approval/credit for 30 days. How do I pass that up??? I don't!

I picked up the table, transported it back to the ranch, and proceded to set it up. It had recently been serviced at AlphaTech in St. Louis, and that put my mind at ease. I basically had to get it in an isolated spot and leveled so that the cart and stylus could do its job properly. Once that was done, out came the records, one after the other.

Here's the fine print, from Vintage Audio:

Driving System: Direct-Drive System

Motor: DC-servo brushless & slotless motor

Turntable Platter: 30cm aluminium die-cast (weight 1.8kgs including platter-mat)

Rotation: 33-1/3 rpm, 45 rpm (2-speed)

Adjustable Range of Rotation: ±4%

S/N Ratio: No less than 60dB (IEC-B)

Wow & Flutter: no more than 0.03% W.R.M.S.

Tonearm: Straight Arm of static balance type

Effective Length: 240mm

Tracking Error: +2° 13', -1°08'

Overhang: 15mm

Cartridge Weight: 4g-11g

Cartridge Height: 16mm-19mm (by use of spacers)

Stylus Pressure: 0 — 3g (direct reading)

Accessories: Anti-skate Adjustment, Tonearm Elevation

Dust Cover: Detachable with semi-freestop hinge

Stroboscope: Mirror-reflex type.

Automatic Function: Auto-Start, Auto-Repeat Cut-Off

Power Consumption: 12W

Dimensions (W x H x D, mm): 472 x 152 x 348

Weight: Net 10kgs (22 lbs.) Gross 12kgs (26.4 lbs.) photo courtesy of AudioKarma

The Luxman is a direct drive model, from between 1976 and 1980, and features auto start and return. This is my first fully functioning table, as well as my first direct drive with strobe speed control. That feature (speed control) is a blessing, as some of these older tables are less than reliable, speed-wise. This one, other than a slightly swirly dust cover, is really well-made, well-kept and perfectly set up. The Grado Prestige Black 1.5 does duty, and comes well-reviewed, I was glad to note. It sounds well-defined, not too hot on the treble side (as I like), and has a nice wide frequency response on the whole, nice and flat across the entire spectrum.

Batman knows his shit, Robin. Dummy up!

Next time, with heroics, we'll uncover another superb audio product from the days when Adam West and Burt Ward ruled the prime time airwaves. Till then, keep your tubes hot and your antenna up! See you then!