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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
pbnaudio's avatar
pbnaudio
1,614 posts
 
I'm working on a complete restore of a TT-101 too, should hopefully have it up and running in a week or so.

Lewm,  I have found suitable replacements for most of the transistors in the TT-101, some of the original ones have the silver plated leads that oxidize, as many of the Toshiba Small signal transistors of that era did.  

If you need a list of these Id be happy to send it to you 

Good Listening

Peter
ps68
230 posts
 
I find the rebuild and re plinth of a direct drive from the 70’s really far more appealing than spending considerable sums on a new belt drive despite the pitfalls, most of which are repairable we hope. I am currently re plinthing a Sony TTS 8000, using a SAEC 506/30 and an AT ART9. Even with the plinth at prototype stage it sounds fabulous, and easily superior to my (previous) Roksan Xerxes 10/SME IV. Absolutely effortless and super clean sound, after many hours ensuring the arm position and geometry were as good as can be, this required me to produce a specific protractor (laser engraved on to acrylic) which has enabled very accurate cartridge alignment. Once the final plinth is complete and made i’ll put some images on my system page.. This really brings back the joy of our crazy hobby and it's fascinating to use 40 year old designs that can excel sonically against most modern decks..


audpulse
139 posts
 

Peter, can you publish the list for all to see or send me one to audpluse at aol dot com..

Thanks.

lewm
13,269 posts
 
Thanks for the offer, Peter.  I sent you a PM.  Just as an aside, isn't silver oxide a perfectly good conductor, which is partly why to use silver?  I know when Bill Thalmann worked on my DP80, he replaced all the OEM transistors with new ones, on the premise that the OEM ones with which he is familiar are prone to failure (although I don't think any of them had actually failed in my DP80).  I wouldn't be surprised if the transistors in the TT101 were of the same provenance as those in the DP80.

pbnaudio's avatar
pbnaudio
1,614 posts
 
Aigenga,

You tightened the bottom bearing well too tight, this one is used to set the height of the rotor inside the motor housing.  You should re-examine this assembly.  The reason that the bottom plug was secured with a "clay like material" was to prevent it form coming loose.  tighten it just so much that you get a rub with the top cover on the motor on, then back it off a quarter turn, then secure it with a dap of nail polish or similar.

Best of luck

Peter    
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