vintage turntables?

Macrojack, I think it is misleading to state "the Technics SP-10 was originally designed for DJ work". I believe it was designed for studio application, which included radio DJs, but not club DJs as we think of them today -- mixin' and scratchin' and all that!

Stan Ricker told me he suggested the SP-10 motor drive application for disc cutting in mastering studios and apparently many were used for that. But the SP-10 was also offered as a consumer product, not just for professional studios. And the SP-10 Mk2, Mk2A, and Mk3 upgrades were sold as both studio and consumer products.

With the introduction of CDs in 1982, many radio stations began switching from vinyl almost immediately because of easier handling and cueing plus less storage space than LPs. This was about the time of introduction for the SP-10 Mk 3 so studio demand never really developed and not many were built. It was also quite expensive for a consumer product. Thus came the end of the higher quality DD tables.

As an aside, a friend just purchased a Teres rim drive motor and controller for use with his VPI Scout. Apparently the VPI rim drive only fits the Super Scoutmaster and TNT. Anyway, the rim drive on his Scout is a revelation -- it is quieter, offers better bass, more spaciousness, and simply pulls you along with the music in a way the original belt drive cannot. Which brings us back to the OT, some of the better vintage DD and rim drive tables should not be considered outmoded and can stand up to today's performance standards when set up correctly.

Chuckelator, the Thorens 160 is a belt drive, quite a different animal from the TD 124 rim drive that Art Dudley restored and wrote up. So, visual appearance aside, while many vintage belt drive tables can provide satisfying performance, what a few others and myself are suggesting is the best performance may be found in the Technics SP-10 Mk 2, 15, and 25, the larger and heavier Denons, the Kenwood 500 and 600 series with their composite plinths, perhaps selected Pioneer or JVC models (I'm not familiar with any of them), or a rim drive such as a Lenco. An archive search will turn up lots of information on any of these.

Other quality tables such as the SP-10 Mk3, Kenwood L-07D, Garrard 301 and 401, Thorens 124, EMT, Nakamichi, and some Denons could be outstanding but they all have followings and therefore are more expensive than many of us would consider.

oh, i knew that the 160 was a belt...but it does have an appeal to me for some reason, and yeah, i read about the 124, which also does have its appeal too, but from what ive heard, alot of what you find of them today need alot of work to make them still operate properly.

and also, along with the direct drive turntables im considering, i'm also considering going with a vintage pioneer reciever... (ya know...the whole vintage appeal) i found a pioneer silverface reference site, and found it very interesteing, and these recievers are extremely appealing to me. any thoughts/comments on these (not meaning to change the thread, but i figured while its at the top and people are looking at it, id throw it in there!)

C: Stop ! Consider this: All early receivers require work. Unless you are an expert they will play but never up to the specs -- Its all a matter of age. Don't be cute...It will cost you $$$$$ to restore a unit. Unless you know exactly where to turn for advice.