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,

As you are working on setting up a TT-101 I have a question:  can you consider what it would require to pull the power board and transformer out of the tin can and mount them in a separate box?  I would love to do this as it is a source of both vibrations and rf emissions.

Thanks.
While I am posting to this thread I wonder if others in our situation are keeping an eye on the latest Technics coreless dd turntable.  I hate that they chose the SL1200 model to follow and hope that they will consider the SP10 model for a new even higher end offering.  I see this tt as a suitable replacement if my TT-101 pulls the plug.
Aigenga, Vibrations and EMI can come from the power transformer more than anything else.  It would not be much of a trick to re-mount it outside the chassis on a separate base.  And you might be able to do it with the rectifiers and filter capacitors that together with the transformer constitute the power supply. However, I would be very leery of moving those servo and motor control circuit boards off-chassis.  Peter already told me privately that he sees this as a bit of a problem with the TT101, whereas you may know that he did do it successfully for the DP80 in the context of his aftermarket plinth.  I too will be interested in his take on moving the circuitry off-chassis, once he solves the problems with his unit.
Aigenga and Lewm

Moving the power supply out of the TT101 should be fairly easy as its treated as a separate entity inside the TT101, the transformer and the +5VDC and the +/-12VDC regulators are on a separate board which supplies the Motor control board via a 5 wire harness (J6).  All this could be made into a separate external high quality power supply.   If theres an interest in this I could possibly design and make one, just like I did for the SP10MK2. http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649235872-technics-sp10mk2-upgraded-power-supply-by-pbn-audio/

That being said the transformer in the TT101 is a torrid it is potted and mounted in a steel can so JVC took great care isolating it, if its worth the extra trouble i don't know.  I don't think it would be a good idea moving the entire circuitry of the plinth, there's a lot to consider, the interface for an example (pushbuttons / LED / readout). This took quite some time to do on the Denon's that we offer as a product http://pbnaudio.com/audio-components/audio-turntables/groovemaster/groovemaster-vintage-direct

Im still working on repairing the TT-101 i bought, someone earlier had done a terrible job "re capping / repairing" it so theres some work to do.
Ill keep everyone posted as to its outcome. I will make a nice looking plinth for the TT-101 once I get it functional. 

Tomorrow Ill finish up my SP10MK3 - looking greatly forward to that one.

Good Listening

Peter
Anyone can recommend me good step-down transformer for Technics SP10mk2 and SP20 turntables ?

220 VOLT from the start in my power socket.
Which step-down trans do you guys use in Europe ?

I have some cheap chinese crap and i want to find better one, i need another one for second deck anyway.