The Luxman PD-191A turntable is a premium, refined and nuanced player with a high-sensitivity tonearm. The arm features a knife-edge vertical bearing system. The silent DC motor and belt drive system is also powered by a robust power supply. The turntable is an upgrade to the renowned PD-171. Notably, the new longer tonearm improves tracking performance and the motor has a sophisticated and accurate speed control. Moreover, the high-mass platter resists any speed variation. Finally, the new design features a real wood front and a lower-height profile.
Completely new tonearm design
The SAEC-designed tonearm has been specially developed for the Luxman PD-191A turntable. SAEC has been designing tonearms for over 40 years. As a result, many highly regarded innovations have been brought to the Luxman range. The first is the knife edge bearing. This provides a high initial movement sensitivity for better tracking. Moreover, the 10” long arm took two and a half years to develop. The longer arm results in less tracking error and more resistance to vinyl surface vibration. The result is a tonearm that misses none of the detail in the music. Finally, there are fine adjustments for the stylus pressure, anti-skate, and height. This allows for the best adjustment possible, for the chosen cartridge.
Brushless DC motor and sophisticated speed control
An important part of any turntable is the drive motor and speed control. The Luxman PD-191A turntable features an original, high-precision, high-torque, brushless DC motor. This ensures stable platter rotation by using several speed control mechanisms. The speed control is active, in that it corrects the speed under different loading conditions. This is done by using a very accurate reference clock. It is also temperature compensated. The result is silent and precise speed control. Lastly, the high-mass platter also tends to damp out any speed variations.
The power supply transformer is float mounted to reduce vibration and mitigate any noise transfer. Additionally, the power supply is well-regulated and has been upgraded to drive a high-mass platter.
A high-mass high inertia platter
Because of its high mass, the platter resists speed variations. The Luxman PD-191A turntable has a platter that weighs 5.2kg and is 35mm thick. Moreover, the platter is made of a highly polished solid aluminium billet. The platter has been precisely engineered with a diamond cutting tool and is finished to exact tolerances. Notably, the platter is designed to act as a flywheel and the enormous inertia delivers a smooth and reliable rotation.
The high tensile strength spindle used by the Luxman PD-191A turntable is made of stainless steel. It features a customized bearing support that uses PEEK. PEEK is a type of high-grade engineering plastic that has excellent heat and wear resistance. Moreover, the bearing itself is made of brass that is filled with organic molybdenum oil that works well under high loads. Finally, the belt is made of a long-life material known as EPDM. This material has a much longer life and resists stretching, compared to earlier materials.
Elegant Luxman design
The Luxman PD-191A turntable is a feast for the eyes and has an elegant and sophisticated look. The front is made of rosewood-stained solid natural wood that has a high-gloss finish. This provides a good contrast with the hairline-treated aluminium top panel. Moreover, the centre of gravity has been lowered making the turntable 12mm lower than the previous version. Lastly, the controls are all on the top of the unit for ease of access. There is also a thick acrylic dust cover, available separately.
Multiple built-in vibration damping structures
The main components of the Luxman PD-191A turntable are mounted on an underslung suspension structure. The provides both high rigidity and good damping performance. Additionally, the motor drive system and power transformer are mounted on an extra thick bottom panel. This has been insulated with damping rubber. As a result, no vibration can reach the cartridge. This results in an improved signal-to-noise ratio and less rumble.
Three speeds with pitch control and stroboscope.
The Luxman PD-191A turntable is a real audiophile unit with three independently adjustable speeds. The LED stroboscope allows for fine-tuning of 33 1/3. 45 and 78 rpm speeds without needing any strobe mat or other device. Finally, the legs are made with special damping rubber that maintains the horizontal alignment. The legs can also be adjusted.
