2. analog
  3. 1317949815

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
lewm
13,313 posts
 
One of us (in the US) has to buy a Pioneer Exclusive P3.  That's the only one missing from our collective ownership. (I know that a few Aussies, like Downunder, have got them.)  God knows what surprises may be in store in terms of how a P3 can malfunction, and there is no service back-up at all outside of Japan.  That's "living dangerously" for sure. Up to at least a few years ago, Pioneer would and could service them inside Japan.

I just ordered my replacement feaux MN6042 from JP.  Since my Mk3 is working perfectly, Bill Thalmann advised me to just keep it for a spare, but it's tempting to wonder whether the Mk3 could perform even better with JP's PCB replacing the stock MN6042.
rwwear
2,880 posts
 
I was under the impression the P3 had a lifetime warranty if you could get it to Japan.  Am i wrong? I would love to have one.
lewm
13,313 posts
 
RW, Isn't that a sort of oxymoron: "lifetime warranty if you could get it to Japan"?  I knew a guy who lived in Tokyo and owned two P3s, but he would hand carry his P3 to the service center and pick it up after work was done.  I am not aware that they would be willing to accept shipments from other parts of the world, and then be responsible to pack and ship in return.  (On the other hand, I don't know that they wouldn't do that, either.) The fellow in question has since moved to Hong Kong and curtailed his vintage buying habits. (He had two Denon M100s, too. (Not sure that's the correct alphanumeric designation, but I refer to the BIG Denon.)
rwwear
2,880 posts
 
My thoughts were if the P3'a are still under warranty there must still be parts for them. But I could be wrong about that.
Japan does have a great postal system though. I once ordered a guitar from Japan and got it in three days in great shape.
jpjones3318's avatar
jpjones3318
149 posts
 
lewm
02-16-2016 8:05pm
One of us...

I just ordered my replacement feaux MN6042 from JP. Since my Mk3 is working perfectly, Bill Thalmann advised me to just keep it for a spare, but it's tempting to wonder whether the Mk3 could perform even better with JP's PCB replacing the stock MN6042.


If your stock chip exhibits the same clock fluctuation as all the samples I've measured, it is an improvement.  
More to discover