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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.
halcro
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Would one say it is truly worth $300 though?
That's about average price being asked by Japan resellers right now?
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@uberwaltz It’s a minimum price on ebay for used without box, buy it if it’s clean, the price increased in the last 3 years, this is what i noticed myself. And NOS units normally twice as much.
lewm
13,782 posts
 
Are you sure it’s a great idea to couple the SAEC to the spindle with that set screw? Seems to me it creates a path for motor vibration to propagate into the platter where it would be efficiently spread. Not that the TT101 motor has a noticeable problem with mechanical noise.

Anyway, I bought my SS300 from Raul who then became a non-fan of it. I like it on my TT101, but I try not to be dogmatic about platter mats.
lewm
13,782 posts
 
By the way, absent visible damage or shape distortion, what difference does it make whether a metal platter mat is “used” or NOS? My response would be “none” or “zero”. At best, I might pay a 10% premium for NOS but for no good reason. I do agree that $300 is a fair price for a nice used sample.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@lewm

Did you notice a tiny treated hole near the spindle hole on SAEC mat?
Do you know how to use it ? The manufacturer was smart enough to offer this option, you can tighten up the mat to the spindle, but you need additional accessories that you can get with a NOS mat (along with the manual) and a nice box. I realized it only when i bought NOS (unused) mat, a complete set.

About NOS SAEC mat:

When i bought NOS sample in the box (with manual) i notices red tool and a small metal piece that allow to tighten up the mat to the spindle with a tiny screw (this is why there is a very small treated hole in the mat near the spindle hole). When you’re buying a used sample these parts always missed and i believe a few people seen it.

If you like scratched or damaged mats you can always buy them with 50% discount compared to MINT- or NOS.
This is RARE mat, it was made 40 years ago.

If you think the price difference between a used Technics SP-10 mkIII and a NOS (boxed) Technics SP10 mkIII will be just 10% then you’re living in the different reality. Some vintage stuff is impossible to find in NOS condition. Actually vintage hi-fi gear is highly collectible. And there is a collector’s value of the NOS gear.

I wish i could buy everything NOS just adding 10% to the price of the used items, but in reality the price goes up to 50-100% for a NOS records, cartridges, mats, turntables, tubes, whatever vintage 
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