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Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
128x128halcro
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halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
Hi Totem,
I think, as you say.....the most encouraging part of this exercise was the fact that every transistor of the 40 that my Tech took out and tested was perfect.
The ICs were more difficult as many of the test figures in the Victor Service Manual didn't make sense or were simply wrong.
In any case....all the original ICs were also fine.
So it bodes well for most vintage DD decks out there (which certainly have nowhere near the number nor complexity of solder joints of the TT-101) that they are a good chance of continuing their 'normal' service for the foreseeable future.
And with the seeming cutback in production of Harry's VPI Direct at $30,000....that's good news 😃
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halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
Thanks Banquo,
That quote from your Tech is invaluable....
lewm
13,310 posts
 
Halcro, You wrote, "The ICs were more difficult as many of the test figures in the Victor Service Manual didn't make sense or were simply wrong." Are you referring to the DC voltages on the pins of the ICs? I ask, because I measured some of the voltages at the pins of one IC that is suspect, and they do not at all match the predicted readings posted in the Service Manual for that IC. This led me/leads me to believe the IC may be faulty. But if my interpretation of what you wrote is correct, maybe I need not worry about it, unless or until I have further evidence of its malfunction.
Please confirm.

Banquo, where do you live, and who is your tech? Is it Bill Thalmann? Thanks.
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banquo363
371 posts
 
see above:

09-12-15: Banquo363
hi Lewm,

You could try talking to the guy, Dave Brown, who fixed my tt 101. He wasn't taking new clients last I checked about 6 months ago, but he might be more open now. He's already famillar with the table and has perused the manual, so that saves a lot of time. You can find his contact info here. Good luck.

He's in Oregon, so you'll need to risk shipping the table.
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,664 posts
 
Lewm,
From what my Tech showed me, I'd be firstly inclined to not worry about the values you are getting when you test some of the ICs.
He showed me three or four values in the Service Manual that he said bore no relationship to those he measured.....and the ICs he measured, actually worked perfectly once the solder joint problem was remedied.
As I surmised above....with the TT-101, firstly suspect a poor solder joint before thinking 'bad' IC or transistor.
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