How good is the Micro Seiki DDX-1000 Direct Drive turntable ?

My above Post is intended as a Guidance and consideration for @illmatic to use during his investigations into choosing a Vintage Era DD TT.
I incorrectly referenced the OP.

Hey pindac, you painted a real picture of doom and gloom for anyone interested in vintage tables. I think spindle bearing problems are far more rare than you make it sound. I've been collecting vintage tables for years and have yet to have a table with a badly worn bearing. Sure, it can happen but it's not the norm.Well, the first vintage table that I got was a Pioneer PL-41 and it had the typical disintegrated thrust pad. Machined a new one from Delrin, added oil and spindown without the belt on was a full 3 minutes. The bronze sleeve bearing and the spindle shaft looked as new, zero wear.

BillWojo

For individuals collecting Vintage DD TT’s in the days when they were a
few Hundred $/£’s.
It was simple you paid your money and took your chances,
’come what may ’ attitudes prevailed.
A bad deal become a Project or Donor Model.

I have happily had this attitude in Halcyon Days with Garrard 401’s and more recently Lenco GL 75’s to keep in with affordable Idler Drives.

Never did I raise any issues, or express any concerns about any of the Brands being purchased.
They were bought as Punt’s and a model that functioned faultlessly was a real bonus.
I also have a collection of Vintage DD TT’s, these are more commonly being found at elevated costs for Models that are readily available.

The member ’ illmatic ’ has expressed a interest in a DD TT that is potentially going to cost $3000 +.
I feel safe in expressing on behalf of ’ illmatic ’ this purchase type
is not a Punt Purchase, it is not a take your chances ’ Come What May’ Venture

I make no apologies for offering ’ illmatic ’ a description to help with understanding known issues, and helping to increase the awareness.
The information made known is real, the evidence is from a personal experience, or reports from trusted sources.

I am all for the use of Vintage TT’s as Original, as well as taking them into the Modern Era with exchange materials utilised to give them new set of sails.
I promote this attitude in the Social Networks I belong to and when opportunities arise I can participate in.

Here is my Take on it,
Vintage Idler Drives,
benefit from a Bearing Overhaul, Strip Back, Clean and Lubrication, the Bearings are rarely discovered to be dry on a inspection, this would be a indicator why no noticeable Sideways Movement on a Platter Spindle is detected.
Lubrication has been in contact with Inner Face of the Bearing Housing Bush and the Spindle, creating a tight tolerance.
There is a good possibility the Parts used are within the same tolerances as designed / produced by the manufacturer.

Vintage DD TT’s
I own Eight Models from Four Brands.
One Model after initial inspection was sent onto a Overhaul Service and has undergone all Mechanical and Electrical Components Servicing.
The Chassis was quite deteriorated, I had this returned to me and I had a Custom Spray Paint Service address the finishing.

I have to date opened up and inspected Four Bearing Housings and all are arid dry on inspection, as said one has shown a Golden Hue in the Housing that is suspected Bronze Bush Dust.
I have reported findings in the past on another forum and other Vintage DD TT owners have reported back about their dry Bearing Housings, one had shown a internal housing image, and I felt confident I was viewing a Gold Hue in that image.

I don’t think Spindle Bearing Problems on Vintage DD TT’s are rare, there are dry housings being discovered.
I would like to think that when undiscovered and untreated, the damages that can be incurred within a Bearing Housing are rare.
As a lot of rotations are required in a dry condition to produce the levels of worse case deterioration being reported.

A alternative picture of Doom and Gloom,
A fairly new to the HiFi Game individual, directs their attention to Vinyl Replay.
They then become aware of a particular Brand of a respected Vintage
DD TT.
They buy one for a Few Thousand + $’s.
They are in a Honeymoon Period and Invest in a much respected Tonearm and Cartridge configuration.
As their experience grows with the set up in their possession,
they learn of a few critical interfaces that must be accurate, and with new acquired knowledge, follow up investigations show there are concerning issues being discovered.
When reaching out for guidance they soon learn they are in a area where limited support is at hand.
Where does one find a Trusted Service, Capable of Machining the required parts and overhauling the assemblies the parts will be required to be reinstated in to.
Where does a person find the EE with a intimate knowledge and trouble shooting skills to repair and overhaul the Electronics that are causing erratic functions.

Off Course one can develop new skills that incorporate the above to keep their dream TT functioning.

My advice, offered to a beginner, entering into the world of Vintage DD TT’s with a suggestion to begin with a TT that allows a ’ come what may ’ purchase is a valuable advice to a Beginner.

For others interested in this issue, you might want to see the thread started a few years ago by Halcro regarding problems with direct drive turntables of vintage origin. I wrote in that thread that virtually no vintage turntable is irreparable as regards electronic problems. Almost any problem can be fixed. In my own personal experience having owned two SP 10 Mark 2s, Denon DP 80, Kenwood LO7D (2 samples), Sp10mk3, Lenco L75, and Victor TT101, all benefitted from a simple electronic rehab, eg, replacement of electrolytic capacitors and calibration, and only one was a real electronic problem that is now solved, the TT101. All also benefited from renewing the bearing lubricant; I found no bearing wells that were bone dry, but I did it anyway. As to eccentric wear on the bearing sleeve, I don’t know why that should happen with a direct drive, as there is no side force on the platter during use. This is unlike a belt drive turntable, where I might expect some of that sort of wear, due to the side force. Anyway, if you buy a precision  electronic and mechanical device that is minimum 30 years old or more, usually more, you ought to expect to do some rehabilitation before you are able to get maximum performance out of it. I am sure the original manufacturers never dreamed that we would still be using their flag ship products this far into their future.

lewn
        Another good set of pointers for the Beginner and Non Initiated to the present world of Vintage TT's.

Any references to Vintage DD TT's from a few years past are referencing a TT that could be acquired at a very reasonable price.
The past few years has seen Ascending Prices at a rapid rate of increase.

A working SP10 Mk II in need of a bit of attention cosmetically could be found in 2016 in the UK for approx' £300 with a prudent search undertaken.
The same today will require close to a £1000 and not too often seen at this price.

TT's of this calibre and their known competitors are more commonly seen at a UK GBP Value of £1000 to £3000 with the £2000ish price becoming the common one seen.
To achieve this a Shipping and Import Duty might be incurred as well,
due to needing to search further afield to acquire one. 

A Japanese Vintage DD TT that has received a overhaul from a recognised and respected EE can easily be stretched to a asking price of GBP £2000, when sold by a private seller.
A commercial Interest will be asking above this price level.
I recently observed a  TTS 8000 with Tonearm and Cartridge just short of 
£7000. 

With the escalating prices a Beginner with little experience will need all the help they can acquire to help set them up with a good fundamental understanding of what a purchase can mean.
A Cup of Coffee and a Hour of ones time dedicated to Web Searches and learning about a TT that is on a wish list, will produce plenty of information as to what might be expected to be done to a Purchase to get the best from it.

I have even seen members of this forum, who are experienced in the Vintage TT field,  following the skills of members forums, that have created a thread that has shown a Recording of their attempts at
DIY Servicing Vintage Japanese DD TT's.