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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
best-groove's avatar
best-groove
843 posts
 
@chakster 
Some time ago I read of a specialized Jvc turntables dealer and a good repairer of all Jvc turntables, the lab is located in U.K.

Could it be close to you if I can find the address?

lewm
13,160 posts
 
All I can say is, beware of a dealer who claims to be a "good repairer" of all JVC turntables.  That does not necessarily mean he can decipher a TT101.  On one of my misadventures, I sent my TT101 to a guy in southern New Jersey who claimed over the phone that fixing it would be no problem at all.  That didn't work out well, but he is well regarded as a service center for routine problems.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@best-groove
back in 2016 and in early 2017 you said:
I got hold of a turntable JVC TT-101. My model is a sample version..... It does not seem to brushed aluminum and anodized but left natural finish, serial number 10100575 Mystery? I finished these days to restructure my Mk2 working about 18 months but only in limited time ....... but I’m happy because everything is back exactly like new.After a while I will also restore the TT-101 and aesthetically and electronically have big problems and is not perfect... As soon as I finish restoring a pair of 10-SP II I will pass to the restoration of a TT101 does not work, is completely broken and given to me for free.So I’ll have to completely take it apart piece by piece and I can see and understand what the state is spindle and thrust pad.You will need a major revision to electronics, I hope they are not IC failures.

Any luck with your TT-101?

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Seachin’ on youtube i found two videos of tt-101 from the same user, in this video his tt-101 is broken, but in the next video his tt-101 is fixed and properly working. The youtube username is yoshikgw9999 and there are only two videos on his channel. Who’s that? One of us, but undercover agent? :)
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@aigenga 
long time ago you posted this:
At this moment my TT101 is out for recapping and contact cleaning at a local (Brooklyn, NY) pro audio repair shop - RepairNY.com I might have waited too long to get it recapped as a warm up suddenly became necessary to achieve speed stability. Needless to say I am nervous about getting my baby back and running well. An update on the recapping of my TT-101. I just spoke with the tech and he says that he will only be changing out the caps in the power supply section, not all of the small ones on the regulation boards. His take is that the large ones should be changed from time to time but the tiny ones will not cause any problems. Anybody have a point of view on that? I have my TT101 back and running once again. The tech changed out 8 capacitors, and I saw that the old ones were quite leaky. I dodged a bullet on that one. Cost was $150 including labor, parts, and tax. 
How is the situation with your TT-101 now? 

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