Luxman PD-151 MARK II Belt-Drive Turntable

Serious Luxman Analog Engineering in a More Accessible Reference Turntable

The Luxman PD-151 MARK II Belt-Drive Turntable brings much of Luxman's flagship analog engineering into a more compact and accessible platform. Built around a 4.0kg machined-aluminum platter, proprietary brushless DC motor with PID speed control, and Luxman's LTA-309 knife-edge tonearm, the PD-151 MARK II is designed for listeners who want serious vinyl playback without stepping all the way up to the PD-191A.

This is not simply a turntable with a tonearm added to it. Luxman engineered the platter, motor, bearing system, chassis, isolation, tonearm, and speed-control system to work together as a complete analog playback platform.

With support for 33⅓, 45, and 78 RPM, extensive cartridge adjustment, and a universal removable headshell, the PD-151 MARK II is equally at home playing a new audiophile pressing, a favorite vintage LP, or a collection of 78s.

Luxman LTA-309 Knife-Edge Tonearm

A major upgrade for the MARK II is the Luxman LTA-309 tonearm.

The LTA-309 is a static-balanced, S-shaped tonearm incorporating knife-edge bearing technology developed by Japanese tonearm specialist SAEC. The bearing system is designed for extremely high sensitivity, allowing the arm to respond freely to the minute movements of the cartridge as the stylus follows the record groove.

The machined-aluminum arm base minimizes unnecessary contact area while maintaining rigidity and helping suppress unwanted vibration.

Luxman also provides the adjustments needed to properly dial in a high-performance cartridge, including tracking force, anti-skating, and 15mm of tonearm height adjustment.

The H4 bayonet-style removable headshell makes cartridge changes straightforward and gives owners considerably more flexibility to experiment with different moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges.

High-Torque Brushless DC Motor With PID Control

Speed stability is fundamental to convincing vinyl playback.

The PD-151 MARK II uses Luxman's proprietary brushless DC motor together with a sine-wave/Pulse Width Modulation power supply engineered to provide stable DC power.

Luxman's PID feedback control system continually monitors platter speed and corrects deviations. The system is designed to reach the target speed quickly, correct small errors, and respond to rapid fluctuations.

Rather than driving a small inner section of the platter, the motor turns the platter's outer flange using a wide belt, helping take advantage of the platter's rotational mass.

The objective is simple: keep rotational speed as stable as possible so pitch, timing, and musical information aren't compromised by fluctuations in platter speed.

4.0kg Machined-Aluminum Platter

The PD-151 MARK II uses a substantial 4.0kg—or approximately 8.8-pound—aluminum platter.

Precision machined from a thick aluminum billet and finished with diamond cutting, the platter provides a moment of inertia of 0.219 t·cm². Its substantial mass acts as a flywheel to promote smooth and stable rotation.

The platter rides on a highly rigid 16mm-diameter stainless-steel spindle.

Luxman combines a PEEK thrust bearing with a brass radial bearing lubricated with organic molybdenum oil. The design is engineered to comfortably support the heavy platter while maintaining smooth operation and excellent wear resistance.

A specially selected vibration-absorbing rubber turntable mat is included to support the record during playback.

Play 33⅓, 45 and 78 RPM Records

The PD-151 MARK II supports all three major record speeds:

33⅓ RPM for conventional LPs
45 RPM for singles and audiophile pressings
78 RPM for historic shellac and specialty records

Each speed can be independently fine-tuned through a ±6% adjustment range.

Luxman also incorporates a speed-deviation LED indicator. A solid green light indicates correct rotational speed, blinking green indicates the platter is running slow, and blinking blue indicates it is running fast.

That makes precise speed adjustment considerably easier without adding unnecessary visual clutter to the turntable itself.

A Chassis Built to Fight Vibration

A phono cartridge is sensitive enough to convert microscopic groove movement into an electrical signal, which means unwanted vibration anywhere in the turntable can potentially become part of what you hear.

Luxman addresses this with its damped underslung chassis structure.

Major components are attached beneath the turntable's substantial 10mm aluminum top panel, combining structural rigidity with mechanical damping.

The motor and power transformer—two potential sources of unwanted vibration—are mounted using specially selected damping rubber to reduce the transmission of mechanical energy into the playback system.

Luxman's large isolation feet incorporate additional vibration-damping material and offer up to 5mm of independent height adjustment, allowing the turntable to be accurately leveled while helping isolate it from the equipment rack and listening environment.

Designed for Cartridge Upgrades

Luxman includes a lightweight machined-aluminum headshell and uses audio-grade OFC wiring in the supplied DIN-to-RCA phono cable.

The tonearm accepts cartridges weighing 4 to 10 grams, or 17 to 23 grams including the headshell.

That gives the PD-151 MARK II considerable flexibility when selecting a cartridge.

A high-quality moving-magnet cartridge can create an excellent system, while moving up to a serious moving-coil design such as the Luxman LMC-5 allows the turntable to become the foundation of a significantly more ambitious analog front end.

And because the headshell uses a universal bayonet mounting system, owners can keep multiple cartridges mounted to separate headshells and swap them when desired.

Understated Luxman Design

The PD-151 MARK II looks exactly like a Luxman turntable should.

The beautifully finished 10mm aluminum top panel is deliberately uncluttered, with the tonearm, platter, and drive system forming the major visual elements.

Power, motor start/stop, speed selection, and indicators are moved to the front panel, keeping operation intuitive while preserving the clean appearance of the top plate.

The aluminum upper structure contrasts with a matte-black lower chassis for a design that's unmistakably Luxman without trying too hard to get your attention.

A purpose-built 4mm acrylic dust cover is available separately.

The Grid's Take on the Luxman PD-151 MARK II

The PD-151 MARK II may actually be the sweet spot in Luxman's turntable lineup for a lot of serious vinyl listeners.

The PD-191A is the more ambitious reference platform, with its larger 5.2kg platter and longer 10-inch LTA-710 tonearm. But the PD-151 MARK II retains many of the engineering principles that make its bigger brother special.

You still get a substantial machined-aluminum platter, 16mm stainless-steel spindle, sophisticated brushless DC motor with PID speed control, knife-edge tonearm, three-speed playback, adjustable isolation, and a chassis engineered specifically around vibration control.

More importantly, it gives you room to build the analog system around your priorities.

Start with the PD-151 MARK II and a carefully selected cartridge, then match it with the appropriate phono stage and electronics. Moving up to something like the Luxman LMC-5 moving-coil cartridge can take the system considerably further without replacing the turntable itself.

At The Grid HiFi & Home Theater, we can help match the PD-151 MARK II with the right cartridge, phono preamplifier, and system electronics—and properly configure the analog front end so cartridge loading, tracking force, alignment, and system matching aren't left to chance.

Luxman PD-151 MARK II Complete Specifications

Included Accessories

The Luxman PD-151 MARK II includes:

• Aluminum platter
• Luxman machined-aluminum headshell
• Rubber turntable mat
• Rubber drive belt
• Two platter mounting handles
• EP adapter
• Counterweight
• Two-piece tonearm adjustment hex wrench set
• Flathead screwdriver for speed adjustment
• DIN-to-RCA phono cable, preinstalled
• Power cable