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
Got my Technics SP10Mk3 finished, well almost still need to install JP's IC when it arrives.  This is one amazing table


https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/4923#&gid=1&pid=2



Good Listening


Peter 
Thanks, RW. So maybe SP20 is a black version of the original SP10.

Peter, On your system page, I see the SP10 Mk3 in a beautiful wood plinth reminiscent of Albert Porter's plinths.  Is that your new one or is that an older photo?

How's it going with the TT101?

Hello Lewm

This one is the one I just finished on Saturday, this is one amazing table. Total weight with the Steve Blinn  large Isopeds, (highly recommended btw) is 88 Lbs 

This plinth is also available for the Mk2, below is one that I recently delivered to a customer, this one had the Stillpoints Ultra 6 for footers, also highly recommended but more than 3 times the cost of the Steve Blinn Isopeds

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/4909

The Victor is a work in progress :-)  have not had the time to look at it for the past week or so - have you got yours up and running, if so how do you like it ?

Good Listening



Peter
@lewm while the first sp10 released in 1969 the SP20 released in 1976

This is what i have about Technics SP-20 from this source:
forgive me for google translate from Japanese:

And high performance at that take advantage of the development know-how of the SP-10mkII, Quartz phase-locked control DD turntable. Starting torque 1.5kg · cm, a large turntable of its own weight 2.5kg (inertial mass 345kg · cm2), and to rotate at a constant speed in a quarter rotation from the start. Due to the large starting torque and powerful magnetic circuit, there is no change in the rotational speed using 150 pieces of the tone arm of the needle pressure 2g. In addition, it is also possible to use a cleaner during a performance. With pure electronic brake to provide users with a smooth stop of the turntable. It has adopted a strobe LED illumination by fringes of Article a row. Finish and has prevented the surface change and wrinkle finish was special surface treatment of the aluminum die-casting.


TECHNICS SP20 PRICE: 60,000 yen (1976)


Driving System : Servo Controlled Direct Drive

Speed : 33-1/3 and 45 rpm

Platter : Aluminum diecast 32cm, weight 2.5 kg.

Starting torque Characteristic : 1.5kg × cm // Less than 0.7 (90゜) second to reach normal speed (33-1/3 rpm).

Load fluctuation : 1.5kg x cm within 0%

Rotation speed deviation : ±0.002%

Wow & Flutter : Less than 0.025%(JIS C5521)wrms.

S/N Ratio : 60dB(IEC17B) // 73dB(DIN45539B)

Power Consumption : 4W

Inertial mass : 345k × cm2

Outline Dimensions : 368.5 × 99 × 368.5mm

Weight : 8.0kg


I assume this is not as good as SP10 MK2 for sure, but must be better than old classic SP10 with different (older) platter design etc.