Luxman PD444 (1978–1980)

The Luxman PD444 was Luxman's late-1970s statement turntable, introduced in Japan in 1978 at ¥198,000 (about DM 1,290 in Germany; no US MSRP is documented). It was a deliberate counter to the direct-drive flagships from Technics, Pioneer, and Kenwood — Luxman chose belt drive to keep motor noise away from the stylus, and the result was one of the last great high-end belt-drive tables from the Japanese golden era.

Mechanically, it's an unusual design. A suspended sub-chassis carries the tonearm and platter bearing, isolated from the motor by springs. There are two motors: one drives the platter via belt, and a second handles the motorized tonearm lift and auto-return at end of side. The main bearing is an oil-flooded type with a thrust pad, and the platter — a 31 cm aluminum disc weighing 1.3 kg — has a stroboscope built into its edge for speed fine-adjustment. The included tonearm is Luxman's SH-95, a gimbal-type, static-balance S-shaped arm with 237 mm effective length and a cartridge weight range of 4.5–12 g. The whole thing sits in a walnut base with an acrylic dust cover.

Specs as documented: wow and flutter 0.045% WRMS, rumble −60 dB (DIN B), speeds 33⅓ and 45 rpm, dimensions 460 × 180 × 410 mm, weight 10.3 kg. HiFI-Stereo (July 1978, p.20) covered the PD444 among new product releases that season, noting the magnetic repulsion system within the motor assembly that partially supports the platter to extend bearing life.

Collectors today seek it out — it's rare in the US and mostly found in Japan. Typical maintenance items include belt replacement, re-greasing the auto-return mechanism (old grease hardens), and occasionally re-soldering RCA connectors. The dust cover hinges are a known weak point. Recent sale prices range from about ¥45,000 at Japanese auction to roughly $1,100–1,200 in US classifieds.

• Belt drive, suspended sub-chassis, two motors (platter drive + auto-return)
• Tonearm: Luxman SH-95, gimbal type, static balance
• Wow & flutter: 0.045% WRMS
• Rumble: −60 dB (DIN B)
• Original price: ¥198,000 (Japan, 1978); DM 1,290 (Germany)

eBay Listings

LUXMAN PD444 Quartz-Locked Direct-Drive Turntable Vintage Ja

$2,373

As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.

Related Models

• Luxman 5K50
• Luxman D-10
• Luxman D-100
• Luxman D-103 (1984–1986)
• Luxman D-105
• Accuphase DP-100
• Accuphase DP-11 (1989)
• Accuphase DP-65V (1998)
• Accuphase DP-67
• Accuphase DP-70V