('64-'67)   $475

A classic piece of vintage history, this fully operational, this Acoustic Research XA turntable is in very good condition.  These tables were (still are) known to be extremely quiet and immune to rumble.

This is a fully manually operated turntable; you must gently place the tone arm on the record to start listening and lift it at the end. There is no cueing device. 

It was completely disassembled and all moving parts were cleaned and lubed.  It also has a new belt and the speed is dead-on accurate. 
The real walnut panels were lightly sanded and oiled; the deck retains its original smooth, vibration-damping finish.  The original dustcover is in "acceptable" condition;  minor cracks on the corners were patched and camouflaged with clear bonding tape and Washi simulated wood tape for cosmetic appeal.

The original and proprietary headshell is fitted with a very nice, classic Pickering TL-P cartridge and new DLE stylus...properly aligned.Included is a copy of the original owner's manual, brochure and related paperwork.

Specs:

Belt Drive
Suspended aluminum platter-2 parts-in oil bearing – 3.9 lbs
12″ S-Shaped tonearm in oil bearing
AC synchronous motor 110-120 v 60 cycles
Black headshell with brass inserts for cartridge screws
Tonearm rest
Base finish: solid oiled walnut
Metal plinth finish: smooth satin gunmetal  grey
Overall size: 12.75"D x 16.75"W x 5.25'H (with dustcover in place.)
Total weight 13.5 lbs

About AR turntables...

The first turntables were shipped to dealers in 1961. They were a completely assembled package except for the pickup cartridge: the drive/platter system mounted on a finished wooden base, tonearm, power and amplifier cables, turntable mat, overhang plate, stylus force gauge transparent dust cover. The initial price was $58, on which the company lost money. It was subsequently raised in steps, in 1972 it was still only $90.

The turntable quickly gained profitability, and AR sold hundreds of thousands of them. Although it was the least expensive quality turntable on the market, many reviewers and consumer organizations rated it the best-with one exception. Stereophile thought it was good, but said that the spindle was too big. In fact that was an incorrect call; the spindle diameter was precisely what industry standard specified.

BACK STORY LINK: (copy & paste in your browser)
https://www.psaudio.com/blogs/copper/a-classic-turntables-forgotten-roots-the-ar-xa-1?srsltid=AfmBOopkrhhGAYJfDFbyoCPmRwVfZ72_kztrP4ftZqWNOM3B-A3Tgm2R

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('76 - '78)  $600

In excellent cosmetic and operating condition, this beautiful Pioneer PL-520 has been extensively serviced and fully tested.  All interior controls and mechanical adjustments were checked, lubed where necessary and a chemical treatment was done for the speed trim pots.

This PL-520 is a fully automatic, direct-drive, quartz locked turntable. 
Quartz locked means it is running at the perfect RPM speed all the time.  Period. 

Back story:
When Pioneer engineers were considering this new model PL-520, they studied where elaborate devices used in other turntables were needed to drive the platter and the arm from one motor, they used independent motors for each.  They also designed a new type of high-mass base and wrap-around SPC steel plate to achieve its attractive cosmetic appeal.  They also wanted it to have the highest anti-howling characteristics of any competing model at the time.  On the PL-520, all controls for the fully automatic/manual operations and speed adjustment are up front, outside the dust cover.
Last, but not least, they also designed an entirely new tone arm with direct stylus pressure adjustment and special anti-resonance features for precision performance. The intricate anti-skate design is indeed very unique and extremely accurate.

The tonearm:
The newly developed, high-sensitivity S-shaped tonearm comes with built-in lateral balance and anti-skating mechanisms and it displays excellent tracking performance with a light tracking force cartridge. There is a separate tracking force weight in front so that you can easily change the tracking force even if you have mounted your turntable in an audio rack. 
The tonearm comes with a high quality Audio Technica AT-120e cartridge and VMN30EN stylus mounted on a custom Audio Technica AT-MS11 magnesium alloy headshell.

 PL-520 Features:
~Brushless DC Servomotor with Hall Elements
~High-precision phonomotor combining control circuitry composed of semiconductors 
~Platter speed is smooth since the Hall elements guarantee accurate position detection.
~The motor's winding current is controlled by transistors.
~High inertia platter. 

Specs:
Motor: 8-pole, 24-slot, DC servo motor
Speed control range: +-2%
Wow and flutter: 0.03%
Rumble: 73dB
Dimensions: 18"W x 15.5"D x 7"H
Weight: 19 lbs

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(Holland, 1978) $500 (highly customized)

After an extensive restoration and several upgrades, this beautiful Philips GA-312 is in perfect cosmetic and operating condition. Described as a "mid-century-modern design", the Philips GA-312 was made in Holland during the late 70's.  

Services & upgrades:
~New Gold plated RCA connections (choose your own quality cables)
~New Grado Black cartridge & stylus
~New upgraded power button assembly
~All new LED lamps for speed selection
~Brand new belt

As a semi-automatic unit, Philips designed this turntable to operate by simply pushing the cueing button down allowing the arm to do a slow descent onto the record, then at the end of play, the arm lifts up off the record and the motor shuts off.

The 312 is a sprung chassis, belt-driven turntable with electronic speed control.  Stylus force on the GA312 is set by means of the slide weight on the pick-up arm after this is balanced with the counterweight.   The "photo-sensitive" light touch function buttons have brand new green LEDs to indicate the platter is on or off plus the selection of either 33 or 45 RPM.  In addition, there are topside pitch controls for adjusting actual platter speed if necessary.

The unique proprietary tubular tonearm has a convenient slide-out "carriage" that contains the Grado cartridge and stylus.   

The player is equipped with an adjustable anti-skate which applies a pre-set force to the arm.  The motor speed is continuously controlled and kept constant by solid state circuits in combination with a tacho-generator which is directly coupled to the motor shaft.  The platter and the pick-up arm are mounted on a sub-chassis, which is damped, spring suspended from the rigidly mounted main chassis, absorbing mechanical shocks and external vibrations.  

The light bronze tinted original dust cover has been hand polished and has adjustable hinges. There is a very fine, wrap-around walnut veneer on the lower base that adds a touch of class to this beautiful turntable.

About Philips High Fidelity International...
Philips goes way back to the early 1900's and has always been a respected name in Europe and the Netherlands.  Their early development of loudspeaker technology pushed them into the high end section of audio.  A little known fact: They also invented and developed the cassette tape among other things.  Before they became well known in America, they were a leading maker of turntables, speakers and higher end electronics all over the rest of the world.  When they moved into the North American market, they dropped the "High Fidelity International" and became "Philips" and/or "Philips Laboratories". 

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('77-'78)  $500

Obtained from the original owner, this Sony PS-X6 is a fully automatic, direct-drive turntable in absolutely excellent cosmetic condition and fully operational.
It has been completely and thoroughly serviced; that included all the internal controls checked, cleaned and lubricated.  This was one of Sony's best mid-fi designs in the late 70's.  The original dust cover has been hand polished and appears as new.

The S-shaped tone arm comes with a Shure M44e cartridge and new stylus.  Also included is the original (and unique) factory headshell for use with a different cartridge if so desired..

Second only to the TOTL *PS-X7, the PS-X6 is a stunner which sold extremely well worldwide back then and still astonishes those who can't believe the sonics of this cool-looking piece of enduring Japanese engineering.
At first glance, you might think the PS-X6 looks like a lightweight turntable. However, after you pick it up and feel that 25 lbs of solid engineering, that thought goes out the window. 
*NOTE:  The PS-x6 and PS-X7 are essentially the same except the PS-X7 came with a carbon fiber tonearm. 

The dark gray satin plinth is made of Sony's Bulk Molding Compound (BMC).  Long a fixture in Sony's anti-resonant design, BMC is carefully formulated for high strength and high internal loss.  Like steel, it has the rigidity required for its structural purpose. But unlike steel, BMC steadfastly resists vibration and resonance. BMC consists of calcium carbonate (a principal component of marble), glass fiber reinforcement and unsaturated polyester.  To securely and safely keep that heavy plinth rock-steady there are Sony's patented anti-resonant, gel-filled, fully adjustable feet. 

Some of the PS-X6 features:
~Sony's tried-and-true speed locking technique which is a barium-ferrite magnetic imprint
~8-pole reading head
~X'Tal locking by phase loop 
~Very reliable brushless / slotless motor.
~Dynamically balanced diecast aluminium platter, 
~Optical end-of-disc detection and mechanism,
~Non-resonant SBMC enclosure (Sony Bulk Mold Compound) 
~Original factory height-adjustable gel-filled feet.

The controls are at a minimum and very easy to operate. 
First, there's the "power on/off" push button.
Right above the power button is the dial switch which lets you choose the record size (7" / 10" / 12") or, if you wish, you can select "manual" which lets you move the arm onto the record wherever you want it instead of the auto setdown.  Even in manual mode, the arm will still return at the end of play and the unit shuts off.
NOTE: We always prefer the "manual mode" for two simple reasons:  it saves the auto-start mechanism from wear and it just feels good to DIY.

A slight touch to the capacitive "start/stop" control (on the front edge) starts the motor and activates the arm onto the record; it gently sets down at the exact starting groove of the record.   At the end of play the arm returns and the unit shuts off.  If you need to interrupt the playing for some reason, just touch that same "start/stop" control one more time, the arm lifts up, returns to rest and the unit shuts off. 
The "repeat" control (next to the "start/stop") allows for continuous repeat of the record if so desired.
On the left are the simple 33/45 RPM speed buttons.

Basic specs:
Motor: DC servo controlled
Drive system: direct drive with crystal lock system
Wow and flutter: 0.025% WRMS
Dimensions: 17.5"W x 6.5"H x 14.8"D
Weight: 25 lbs

Sony turntable history...
Sony’s turntable history spans from pioneering high-fidelity direct-drive systems in the '70s to modern Bluetooth-enabled models in the '20s. Renowned for innovation, Sony introduced landmark models like the quartz-locked PS-8750 (1975) and the iconic vertical PS-F9 "Flamingo" (1983). Following a hiatus, Sony returned to vinyl, releasing new, highly-regarded consumer turntables in 2019 and 2026. 

Direct-Drive Focus:
In the '70s, Sony developed advanced direct-drive systems, often using their Brushless-Slotless (BSL) motor to reduce "cogging" or noise.

(1975) the PS-8750: 
Known as a, if not the, first fully integrated quartz-lock direct-drive turntable, providing superior speed precision.

(1983) the PS-F9:
A vertical "linear tracking" turntable that could sit on a desk or hang on a wall, powered by batteries, reflecting Sony's focus on portability and futuristic design.

Technical Advancements:
Sony utilized materials like carbon fiber for tonearms and introduced "Magnedisc" servo control to monitor and adjust speed with high precision.

(Today)
With the rise of CDs in the late '80s and '90s, Sony halted most turntable production.  As vinyl experienced a resurgence, Sony returned to the market with consumer-focused, user-friendly options, aiming to bridge digital convenience with analog sound.

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 (1976)  $1100

Literally in perfect cosmetic and operating condition, this very rare Optonica RP-3636MKii turntable is one of the most unique designs to come from Japan in the mid 70's.

The original Optonica branded headshell comes with a brand new Ortofon Blue cartridge & stylus. 
Also included is an extremely rare Omega One platter mat made of very thin 100% carbon fiber.

The RP-3636MKii was, without a doubt, the most notable Optonica product designed during  their initial offerings of high end stereo gear was this magnificent direct-drive, manually operated turntable.  It should be noted that while most prefer a turntable with some automatic functions, most of the time a manually operated turntable is generally considered the *best by most audio repair techs.

Today, this incredibly hard to find turntable is sought after by collectors and audiophiles for obvious reasons.

Its unique construction is called "Mikage Granite Stone" which was developed by Optonica for use in turntable design.  It is a compound of both granite and resin that virtually eliminates feedback thus preventing resonance (rumble) to reach the tonearm.  Therefore, it's literally as "solid as a rock" because it's built on 15.8 pounds of that Mikage granite stone. Which means that vibrations from the speakers are absorbed, reducing acoustic feedback and maintaining maximum signal to noise ratio.  A similar compound was later used by Kenwood for their KD-5xxx series of turntables, some of which are affectionately referred to as "The Rock".

The Optonica engineers were so concerned about resonance, they even added a unique round chrome weight attached to the rear top of the proprietary dust cover.  This weight keeps the dust cover solidly flat (vibration free) on the granite base during play.  The turntable itself is very heavy weighing in at 35.4 pounds.  

The longer-than-normal tonearm is a copy of an excellent Shure Brothers arm. It is a very simple, very precise and highly sensitive S-shaped tonearm. Which means that the stylus will pick up subtle sound signals as accurately as the cutter stylus that recorded them.  The arm design also includes an oil-damped cueing control that gently lifts and lowers the tonearm.  This composite metal tonearm was made strictly for the 3636 MKii.   Notably, the direct-drive motor is the finest that they could create at that time.  
Because there are output jacks on the back, you can pick and choose your own audio cables...another major plus on this very fine audiophile grade turntable.

Specs:
Motor: 6-pole AC Servo motor with 72-pole FG servo mechanism
Drive system: direct drive
Speeds: 33 and 45rpm
Speed control range: within +-4%
Wow and flutter: less than 0.05% WRMS
Rumble: better than 68dB
Platter: 12" aluminium die-cast with strobe marks
Cartridge weight range: 4 to 18g
Dimensions: 19.75"W x 7.5"H x 16.25"D"
Weight:  35.5 lbs

*NOTE:
Why is a manual the "best" ?
All the design technology applied to the better manual turntables goes into the construction of the base, motor and tonearm.  There are no additional mechanics to interfere and operate the movement of the arm or the auto start/stop functions. Pure and simple...that's what a manual unit does best.

About OPTONICA (Sharp Electronics of Japan)...
The Optonica brand was created and first launched by Sharp in 1976 as a separate high-end brand to compete directly with Pioneer, Technics (Panasonic), Fisher, Marantz, Nakamichi, Sansui, Kenwood and Sony.  Sharp Electronics Corporation of Japan was founded in 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder’s first invention, the "Ever-Sharp" mechanical pencil. Obviously, they also designed and sold much more over the years.  By the mid-70's their electronic equipment (mostly gadget oriented items sold in catalogs and department stores) was well situated in the USA.  Major decisions were made to move into the select high-end stereo component market.  They absolutely hit a home run with their Optonica lineup. Unique, powerful and definitely well built, they are now very well known and commanding prices approaching the better Marantz and Pioneer units.

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(1973) $375

In excellent cosmetic condition, fully benched serviced and fully operational, this classic vintage Rotel RP-1000 turntable is an early 70's beauty and getting hard to find; especially in such beautiful condition as this one is.  It has been upgraded with several goodies as described below.
All moving bits of the interior moving parts assembly have been cleaned and lubed where necessary.  The tonearm bearings are nice and tight...the tinted dust cover is also near mint condition.

The gorgeous tigerwood plinth is an immediate eye catcher.  The RP-1000 is a belt drive with a fully sprung floating suspension and is a semi-automatic (auto-return). 

A statically balanced S-shaped tonearm makes for perfect lateral placement and accurate tracking.  That same tonearm comes with an aftermarket timberwood headshell.  Mounted on the shell is a brand new Ortofon Omega cartridge & stylus.  The Omega is, by far, our most preferred choice for most any mid-fi turntable; it's affordable with unique technology and it produces an excellent soundstage.  That timberwood design also fits the overall look of turntables with that vintage "woodsy" appeal.
Also included is a "Corkey" (cork 'n rubber) platter mat that also blends into the overall appeal of that same vintage "woodsy" look.

The steady 4-pole synchronous motor is super accurate, one of the best of the belt-driven units from Rotel.  This turntable also comes with a brand new belt.Built into the top of the plinth are not just one, but two headshell stands for those that wish to have more than one headshell and cartridge to use for those "special" records.

About Rotel... 
Rotel is a family-owned Japanese manufacturer of high end audio and video equipment. The company was established in 1961. In the early 1980s, Rotel joined the B&W Group forming a strategic alliance with Bowers and Wilkins and later adding Classé Audio.  Rotel was one of the few Japanese audio companies to create, design and manufacture their products in-house instead of using subcontractors.  They didn't advertise to the extent of the other big names in Japan, they relied on targeted marketing towards audiophiles and higher end audio related publications.

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 ('76-'78)    $750 (w/ Garrott P77 cartridge & stylus)

In beautiful cosmetic condition, fully serviced and operating perfectly, this stunning Miida T3115R is identical to the Denon GT-700.  Under the Miida badge it was destined for export only while the GT-700 was available only in Japan.  Unlike most turntables made in Japan by CEC, the Miida T3115R was built by Denon for Miida under a non-competitive contractual agreement. 

This very rare Miida T3115R stereo turntable is a manually-operated, servo-controlled, direct-drive, 2 speed (33, 45 rpm) table powered by a six-pole synchronous motor.

****BONUS Garrott P-77 cartridge****
This very well-built turntable is complete with the original Jelco S-shaped 8.5" static balanced tonearm and anti-skate.  The original headshell is fitted with an extremely high quality (NOS) *Garrott P-77 moving magnet cartridge & new stylus

*NOTE: The Garrott Brothers P77 technology:
The Garrott creates an electrical signal using a small magnet fixed to the end of a cantilever. As the magnet moves within a pair of coils fixed inside the cartridge body, an electrical current is created. The P77 has two models above it in the range. The output voltage is 4mv, compliance is medium, weight is 5.8 grams and the frequency response is 20-20'000Hz +/-2dB. On the end of the P77's twin aluminium cantilever sits an exquisite Garrott Microscanner diamond. Garrott recommended a tracking weight of 1.7 to 1.9 grams and I applied 1.8 grams with 50kΩ loading. The Garrott's styling can be described as retro.  But looks can be deceptive because underneath the microscope, the P77 displays a level of craftsmanship and quality control that easily equals the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze.

On the turntable, the speed adjustments and controls are all built into a large and elegant brushed aluminum plate on the tonearm section.  The opposite side features another smaller brushed aluminum housing containing a backlit strobe.  The 3.3 lb platter is a 13.3" diameter aluminum alloy injection molded platter with strobo marks.

Basic specs:
Power consumption 17 watts
Dimensions: 19.1W x 6.4"J x 15.9"D
Weight:  23 lbs

About Miida...
Miida was formed as a subsidiary of the ancient Japanese company Marubeni-Iida.  Miida was primarily a Japanese import-export company that specialized in exporting mid-fi electronics (and other goods) mostly to Europe, the Philippines and the Americas.  Their American headquarters was located in Lyndhurst NJ.  
Marubeni of Japan was founded in 1858 by Chubei Itoh.

Denon = Nippon Columbia Co.,Ltd;
The DENON brand was formed in 1947 and originated from the merger of Japan Denki Onkyo (commonly known as "Den-on"), one of the affiliates. Den-on was a group of engineers in business-purpose audio equipment, dating back to Japan Electric Recorders Mfg., which was established in 1939. The company was developing and manufacturing turntables and cartridge tape-recorders for NHK and other broadcast stations.

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(late 70's)   $275

Hitachi...a name some don't recognize when talking about vintage HiFi.  Regardless, they were a major player in Japanese electronics back in the day.
This Hitachi HT-356 turntable has been completely serviced and in excellent cosmetic condition.   Fully operational, it's a direct-drive, 2-speed, semi-automatic deck with a topside strobe that easily gives you a visual on the accurate speed.  
Its main feature would be the quartz lock which keeps the speed completely accurate without worrying about adjustments.  The motor is a highly reliable brushless DC servo attached directly to the platter itself.  

The S-shaped tonearm has a universal headshell equipped with a nice Ortofon VMS-3E cartridge and new stylus.  A second (original) Hitachi headshell (sans) cartridge is included.

The plinth (base) has a unique and customized graystone textured coating.  The original dust cover has reliable and strong metal hinges.
The original factory feet have additional custom 1/2" thick, anti-resonant foam cushions.

Features include:
~Quartz lock PLL servo motor
~auto-return
~auto-cut
~anti-skating
~strobe
~damped cueing.

Specs:
Type: 2-speed direct drive system
Motor: brushless dc servo direct drive motor
Speeds: 33 and 45rpm
Speed change: electronic
Wow and flutter: 0.03% wrms
Frequency range: 10 to 25,000Hz
Dimensions: 17"W x 15"D x 5.5"H
Weight: 13 lbs

About Hitachi...
Unknown to many people, Hitachi (like Sanyo and Toshiba) were major Japanese tech firms that either directly built systems for other electronic companies or had Hitachi high end parts (like output transistors) inside the competitors products.   Class G is just one example of Hitachi's leadership in vintage audio technology. Power MOS FET amplifiers, R&P 3-head system cassette decks, Uni-torque turntable motors and gathered-edge metal cone speakers are just some of the others. There's a lot more.  Hitachi of Japan was one of the companies that made their own filter caps, transformers, etc...in-house.  They also supplied many other famous names with Hitachi-made components (like Pioneer, Sony, even Marantz used Hitachi parts.)

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(1980)   $425

In pristine cosmetic condition, completely bench serviced and in perfect operating condition, this highly reliable Technics SL-B5 is a fully automatic, belt-drive turntable that comes with both the extremely rare *stacking spindle and the single play spindle.   The original Technics headshell has a brand new Ortofon Omega cartridge and stylus (one of our favorite cartridges that features both excellent tracking characteristics with an affordable price as well).
Bench services included fresh lube on all moving parts and chemical deoxit for the speed trim pots.  The cover was hand polished using the Novus system with #2 and #3 "jewelers" paste.
*NOTE: this very rare specialized "umbrella-style" multi-play stacker spindle is required because the SL-B5 (like all the Technics models with stacking capability) does not use an overhead stabilizer arm.  The spindle itself contains internal metal teeth that expand outward to hold the rest of the stack while dropping the bottom-most LP record.  Generally speaking, a lot of the previous owners would accidentally lose the spindle.  The most recent sales on eBay for this spindle alone would indicate that they can easily fetch up to $100.

This beautiful turntable is capable of handling up to 4 LPs at a time.  Although the manual says you can stack up to six records, we strongly suggest a maximum of four.   Whether you stack multiple records or use the single play spindle, you can play the record(s) individually in succession or, with the memo-repeat function, records can be played multiple times.  This turntable also comes with a brand new (correct) belt.The original oversized dust cover is in pristine condition.  The reason for its larger size (compared to most other turntables) is so it can accommodate the taller stacking spindle when the cover is closed.Essentially, the SL-B5 is a classic vintage turntable that, like all the Technics tables, was built with the expected excellence that Technics is known for.

Features include:
~Easy to read backlit strobe
~pitch/speed controls
~speed selector
~Memogram repeat function
~record size selector
~45 RPM adapter

Specs:
Frequency Response: 20Hz~25kHz
Speeds: 33.3 RPM / 45 RPM
Wow & flutter: 0.045%
Platter: Aluminum Die-Cast, 12" diameter
Dimensions: 17"W x 14.5"D x 7"H
Weight: 11 lbs

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(Early 70's)  SOLD

In excellent cosmetic condition, fully bench serviced and fully operational, we're pleased to offer another of these stunning, early 70's Pioneer PL-50 turntables.  In our humble opinion, it's definitely one of the best looking, best-designed stereo turntables to come out of Japan during the beginning of the "Golden Age of HiFi".  The entire unit rests on four custom, solid walnut, cubed feet with soft rubber pads.

The PL-50 is a semi-automatic turntable featuring tonearm auto lift, return and shut off at the end of the record.   The automatic return and automatic cut are carried out quite simply by moving the single mechanical function lever.  In other words, the entire operation of this turntable is mechanical; other than the power lamp, there are NO electronics involved.  It was truly a masterful design by Pioneer. 
(NOTE: Pioneer's model PL-50 had two different years of production.  In the early 70's this one described here was the first incarnation of the PL-50 model.  Later on, in the late 70's & early 80's, an entirely different PL-50 was released by Pioneer.  Other than bearing the same model number, they were entirely different.)

This classic vintage turntable was painstakingly serviced and restored.  That includes: a new 35.1" belt, all pivots, joints and internal contact points lubed and fresh silicone oil applied into the motor bearings.  Fortunately, even the oil tubes and wicks leading to the bearings are intact which allows the oil to do its job.  The wood has been lightly sanded and refinished.  The original, lightly tinted dust cover has been hand-polished.  As a bonus, *both capstan pulleys are included.  Generally, over the years, one of the pulleys would be lost and they are very difficult to find.

NOTE: When these turntables were produced, Pioneer built them as dual voltage designs.  The switch is located under the platter.  They also provided two capstan pulleys.  In order to maintain the proper RPM and you chose the 110/220 voltage switch you would need to use the 60 Hz pulley.  Coversley, if you chose the 120/230 voltage you would need to use the 50 Hz pulley.  Currently, this PL-50 is set for North America and has the 60 Hz pulley installed.

The original Pioneer headshell comes with a very nice high-end Audio Technica AT-777 cartridge and stylus.  Besides the counterbalance and anti-skate, there is an additional lateral balancing weight attached to the rear of the arm.

The beautiful timberwood base design successfully achieved a high anti-vibration structure along with its massive look.   This kind of engineering craftsmanship came from an era when Pioneer's designers insisted on creating a massive real timberwood base to surround and cradle the controls, motor and platter assembly.  As the years went by, competition was so fierce that designs featuring real wood were becoming scarce. In order to keep the cost down, some manufacturers began to use less expensive vinyl wraps.  Essentially, there's nothing better than real vintage wood on classic vintage models from the early 70's.

When describing the Pioneer PL-50 it's interesting to note that they also built the entire unit around a "floating" suspension that featured a three point spring-on-motor, adjustable VTA on the tone arm and a high rigidity plinth.  Pioneer had developed a 4-pole synchronous motor that's so reliable that even some 50 years later, the speed is still very accurate for both 33.3 and 45 RPM.  Interestingly, the auto-up-stop mechanism has no electronics involved; it's a purely ingenious mechanical design using a spring activated "catch and release" system.    

This is a fairly heavy turntable at about 22 lbs and larger than most with dimensions at about 7.75"H x 19.5"W x 16.75"D.