Plinth ideas for DENON PD-80 DD turntable

Another useful trick was with 2 red screws (under the platter) to let the DP’s own transformer move down for an inch or so.

Of course, all my turntables (except 2) are 100 volt and i have 1000 watt step down transformer for japanese electronics, another 110 watt transformer for US made electronics. And the power socket produce 220/240 volt here :)

I am very well prepared for all voltage standards in the world. My step down transformers are heavy as two bricks each. They are, however, so called "auto transformers" and i’m thinking to upgrade one of them which connected to my First Watt 110v amp.

Local company just relesed the upgraded version of step down trans for audio, which is different from my classic auto-transtormer from that comany.

"Unlike the auto-transformer, the transformer provides galvanic isolation of the load circuit from the mains. The transformer acts as a filter for impulsive noise arising in the primary network."

Many local folks using Japanese Toyozumi transformers, but most of them are also auto-transformers.

My powerful stepdown transformers produce 50Hz, i’ve noticed the trick with DP-80 switch earlier when i received it and checked online, mine was set to 60Hz before.

Still not sure about the damping material inside the platter, they do not recommend (in the manual) to unscrew the platter. But if you did that yourself maybe i can do that too.

As I mentioned, I didn’t have the manual at the time. Denon no doubt preferred you take it to a trained Denon tech with all the parts and tools, but is that possible 40 years later? 

But removing those bolts/leaf-springs is the only way to renew the foam pads: you can't even see them otherwise (some owners don't know they're there). Even if your TT is NOS (lucky you!) I suspect they’re gone. Age and air destroy them, not years of use.

The thing is, the split-platter design really works! Before-and-After was a big difference, so I consider new pads essential. You can even "feel" the difference when you squeeze the two platters together.

Other split-platters (eg Linn, Thorens) only do it so the motor/pulley can be farther inboard, under the platter, allowing a smaller turntable. There’s no sonic benefit — though an easy mod can turn it into one.

There’s only one issue I’m aware of with the DP80: centering the platters when putting them back together. You know how to do that, and I described my method above.

There’s one other thing — retightening the bolts securing the leaf-springs. IIRC, they were torqued tight, and should be torqued tight when reassembled.

BUT I decided not to. I felt I understood the suspension principle after working on it, and chose a different tension for the leaf-springs.

But I won’t get into that: some people might jump on my head. If’s definitely a modification — whereas the pads are a simple replacement of failed old parts.

  are 100 volt and i have 1000 watt step down transformer

have you the brand or link for research?

@best-groove Those russian toroidal step-down transformers are cheap:

Here you can find 1600w version, i use the same, but 1000w.
They are all available for japanese (100v) or for american (110v).
Stepdown auto-transformers from 220/140 to 100 (or to 110v) depends on the version. 

New models designed for audio:
"Unlike the auto-transformer, the transformer provides galvanic isolation of the load circuit from the mains. The transformer acts as a filter for impulsive noise arising in the primary network."

you can read here about 100w version and here about 400w version.

I have 2 1000W step/down/up transformers — and never use them. No need. I live in the US and most products — Asian, British, European — make US versions because the market is so large. At present I need only one, for my DP80, and it can be very small: more convenient, smaller than my SUT. The only other time I recall that I needed a big transformer was many years ago: a 100V Luxman tube integrated, never imported here.

If I lived overseas, however, it would be as essential to a good audio system as an amplifier. I was planning to live elsewhere, and acquired a whole collection for that purpose, maybe 20 in all, from very big to small. But sadly that relocation didn’t happen. Though born and raised here, my country, as it is now, doesn’t feel like home.