Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

Hi,

I just bough a refurbished Denon DP-80 TT from Japan on Yahoo auctions. The seller is a Denon tech and for JPY 16,000 (about US$150) he will replace all caps, diodes and key transistors and also service the bearings and motors. DP-75 is JPY 14k. So fo Denon DD fans, there is now hope to service and rescue these great direct drive TT.
I am now looking for a plinth. Can PBNAudio make me one? The Denon DP-80 has the saucer shape like the Victor TT-101. In fact the Victors copied the Denon look. I have a copy of the DP-80 mounting template.

Driveman, can make any plinth you'd desire - but you will gain much more from removing the DP80 from its tin pan.

This is what I do with the DP80's

http://pbnaudio.com/audio-components/audio-turntables/groovemaster/groovemaster-vintage-direct/pbn-d...

For the Victor TT101 ill make something similar to what I make for the Technics platform as its much harder removing it from its top plate with all the electronics mounted in the bezel around the circumference - sh should you choose to keep the Denon in its platform  Id recommend something like that, remember that you will need a 12" arm in this scenario - a 10" is too short and will interfere with the 14.5" diameter of the platform.

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

Good Listening

Peter

I was incorrect about the SP-20 not having quartz lock. The motor is also brushless.

http://audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/etc/sp-20.html
Model Direct drive turntable Turntable 32cm aluminum die-cast, 2.5kg Inertial mass 345kg · cm 2 motor
Quartz phase locked control
Brushless DC motor Drive system Direct Drive
Rotational speed 33 1 / 3,45rpm
Wow and flutter 0.025% (JIS C5521)
WRMS SN ratio 60dB (IEC17B) 73dB (DIN45539B)
Starting torque 1.5kg · cm
Start-up time 0.7 seconds (90 °) within (33 1 / 3rpm) brake
Pure electronic brake Load fluctuation Within 1.5kg · cm 0%
Rotation speed deviation Within ± 0.002%
Power supply AC100V, 50Hz / 60Hz power consumption 4W
External dimensions Width 368.5 × height 99 × depth 368.5mm weight 8.0kg

Hi Peter (pbnaudio),

I'm defintely interested in converting my DP-80 into a similar version of your Groovemaster DP8. How do you compare your DP-8 to your SP10Mk3? Also can you make a 2 arm version of your DP8? I'll send you a pm via your website.

Lewm, I used a Micro Cu-180 on my TT-101 and it sounded wonderful.
Trouble was....the brake-action when the stop button was pressed couldn't cope and at the time I didn't know that there was a variable resistor to adjust this brake action.
I, like you....was concerned by the weight on the bearing and also I doubted that the bi-directional servo control could possibly work as designed...🤔
I thus began a search for the platter mat that would sound the closest to the Cu-180 and believe it or not......the gossamer weighted Victor Pigskin came within a whisker of the same sound.
What's the science of this...❓‼️
Go figure...