Top ten DD turntables of all time?

In my opinion??? It is ReVox, Denon and then Technics EXACTLY in that order.

I put together my first system back in 1983, and that unfortunately was completed with the addition of a NAD 5255 Compact Disc Player back in 1985. Had I went the vinyl route and decided to go with a turntable back then, if it had to be a Direct-Drive, then I would've looked for a vintage Denon with a wooden plinth, the controls at the front edge of the platter, and an "S" shaped tone arm, and would've mounted a Sonus or a Grado M/M Cartridge onto it.

Now.... I have a Thorens TD-165 and a VPI Scoutmaster with a JMW Memorial 9 Arm and a Grado Prestige Gold on the Thorens and a Sonata Reference on the VPI/JMW (both which are Belt-Drives). After spending time with these tables, I don't think I can go back to a Direct-Drive.

Can You???

--Charles--

Cwlondon et al:

RE: April 2 '09 post in this thread, mentioning JA Michell TTs: Wrong name! I meant WALKER TT, NOT Michell. I apologize.

To explain --not to excuse-- I was tired, writing late into the night. I thought to have fact-checked, but not enough.

A lot is at stake for audio designers, hence my retraction: particularly when quoting someone else, I want to be accurate. I recounted an anecdote comparing Technics SP 10 TTs, and the Walker Proscenium TT, NOT any of the JA Michell products.

Cheers, David

A few other great DD tables which have not gotten a mention here would be the following:
Onkyo PX-100M
Denon DP-80 (re-plinthed)
Sony TTS-8000 (re-plinthed)
Lo-D TU-1000 (might benefit from being re-plinthed)
Diatone LT-1
Yamaha PX-1
Pioneer PL-1L

Cdk84, with zero tweaking vs their original form, I think the top three would have to be the Exclusive P3a/P3, the Denon DP-100M, and perhaps the Sony XS-9. With new plinths and tweaking, the above-mentioned Technics SP-10Mk2/3 should be real winners, as should the ones above. The Denon and Sony have less torque than the Technics, but they have very good speed controllers onboard. I have also heard very good things about the Nak TX-1000. From people who have owned more than 2 of the tables listed, including the Kenwood L-07D and/or the Marantz TT-1000, the constant refrain I have heard is that they look cool but they just don't cut it vs the bigger boys on the list. With tweaking, any number of these would be top drawer - I think the real problem is going to be how easy it might be to get it there - and the SP10Mk2/3 is probably among the easiest to get there.

I often wonder how good the Yamaha PX-1 and Diatone LT-1 could be if re-plinthed, but it would be a real shame to chop them up to see. Same with the PL-1L but they are tough to find in working condition these days and Pioneer doesn't seem to want to work on them...

Chaskelljr2001, the P3 is a phenomenal table. The Denon DP-80 is also very good if properly plinthed and isolated.

Can sitting on a solid foundation be a reasonable substitute for having to re-plinth any of these tables?

If sitting on a solid foundation otherwise, does the plinth matter as much?

That might be a more digestible option for those not inclined to perform major surgery on their playback equipment.

Also, how hard is it for a layman to re-plinth a table? I must say it is something that I have never even considered attempting.

Mapman, as to whether sitting on a solid foundation is enough... Build a giant steel-reinforced concrete cube platform - call it 100ft a side. Put an electron microscope on top of it - however the electron microscope is sitting on a piece of plywood which is suspended on top of a giant bowl of jello. Which will matter more to the electron microscope, if a man is tapping on the side of the concrete platform? or if someone is trying to break the bowl of jello with a jackhammer.

Re-plinthing a table is not difficult for those which are meant to be re-plinthed (Technics SP-10Mk2, Technics SP-10Mk3, the Denon DPs, the Sony TTS 6000 and 8000, the JVC TT-81 and 101, the Exclusive P10 (and probably the P3), the Pioneer PL70L (and lower models with the Stable Hanging Rotor system), and probably some of the Kenwoods, and probably the top Diatone). Some of the above area easier than others. In the worst case, you design the plinth and get someone to cut the wood for you. If you want to veneer it, watch a youtube video. Doing it really well on the other hand... I am not a furniture maker either, but some of the really nice plinths don't cost that much to have someone else build.