Upper Level Vintage DD Strenghts and Weaknesses


All of these tables have been discussed in some form or another here over the years. I have read quite a few threads on them, but its a bit difficult to nail this point down.

Basically I am looking for a non-suspended table to install a Dynavector DV505 arm on, and these tables can fit the bill.

The most widely available is a Denon DP 75 or DP 80 in a Denon plinth, and they are perhaps the most affordable also. Are there any of their plinths that are desirable, or are they just a veneered stack of MDF or plywood?

While more expensive I can find a Sony TTS8000 in a Resinamic plinth although shipping from HK is expensive. There is one thread I came across here where a member who restores tables says two of the three TTS8000 he has done had play in the spindle assembly which looked to be wear in the brass bushings of the motor. That does make me pause in concern.

The JVC TT101 is not only difficult to find, its apparently a bit of a bear to get serviced, so its not high on the list.

The Technics SP 10 MK II I have owned, and its a nice table but to be honest I had a Denon DP75 that I felt actually sounded better. Also the models that are out there are either abused or have a premium price tag attached to them. Also I don’t need instant torque, and I think the bi-servo designs might offer better speed control.

As I write this the Denon and Sony seem to be at the top of the list, unless there is another I should be looking at.
neonknight
The Thread appears to be Wandering once more.

The OP has made it known in their first Post that there is an interest to receive information about Vintage Japanese DD TT’s from a particular era, and has helped that era be dialled in on by making various Models known that have been experienced, or are Short Listed to be experienced.

There is a Clear Comprehensive Inquiry asking about options on Plinth Materials, to which the Thread has supplied invaluable information to be assessed, with the added information on Sub Plinth Support,
I am thinking these are (Bonus Points) to an inquiry, especially the AT-616 suggestion.

There was also references made to complications that are known with certain Brands TT Models,
be it a Difficult to achieve support with Servicing, a cost associated with a pristine model, or a blatant defective condition known to develop on a Branded Model.

The OP has had confirmation offered on a concern about the blatant defective condition, but has not been guided on how to overcome the other concerns.
Maybe there is still somebody to contribute to this.

The Request for information in relation to TT’s and Plinths is to my mind quite broad, and this has been met with a invaluable offering from the forum members.

The OP’s rigidness on their choice of Tonearm has also been respected,
and they have been left to not have to be confronted with the suggestions of using a different Tonearm.
I hope this is a satisfactory outcome for the OP.

It is totally OK on a Forum to make an inquiry, it is not really possible to control the feedback offered, but as long as the information being made available has a relation to the request for information, all offerings from others will have a value to some degree.

Two Forum Members have recently chosen to make their thoughts on the information being offered to support the OP’s original inquiry Public.

One Forum Member for approx Five Years, and who as a Thread Creator in that time, has produced 'Five Threads' that are inquiries.
Recommends the OP’s inquiry on Plinth Materials and the other members contributions on the Plinth Material,
is in their words giving ’bulls**t attention and is a waste of time.
I am not convinced this is a worthwhile analogy myself.

Their encouragement to listen to Music is very welcome.

The other Forum Member who has been a Forum Member for approx Ten Years and Six Months, and who as a Thread Creator in that Time, has produced 32 Threads, of which 24 Threads are inquiries.
Of which some of these inquiries are extremely closely related to the content of the OP’s inquiry on this Thread.

This members has shown what appears to be a support for the recommendation of the above Forum Member.
I do agree that trying to detect Siesmic Activity whilst listening to a System would be a wasteful undertaking and is a good guidance to offer.

Additionally and ’hats of to this person’ for their humour, they have some how found a way to mock their usage of 16 x AT-616 as a method to protect their HiFi equipment from the effects of a Alien Invasion and a little activity within the Lithosphere.
Long Threads can do with a little interval that has a element of Humour.

@pinda   ... and then after your exhaustive reflection what should be ascertained?
Sorry but the summary is not clear. LoL
So i guess I do owe folks an update. I decided to pass on the Sony TTS8000 due to reported bearing issues. I was pretty well set on getting a Denon DP80 in a DK300 plinth from Unisound, however I could not get them to package the arm I wanted with it. There is one table with the DK300 plinth a bit damaged on the front veneer but it had the Audiocraft AC3000 on it. The second table has a nice plinth but what looks to be a lower end Denon arm of some sort. I had asked if I could have the AC3000 moved to the other plinth as they both were the same finish, and its a matter of moving arm boards. They declined, and I can understand why, but I thought I would ask. 

In the meantime I decided to take a different tack. On Audiogon there is a  Scheu Analog Das Laufwerk No.2 table for sale in Warsaw, but the shipping costs that were listed in the ad were not horrible. Its also a shop demo so it comes with factory warranty. I hit the buy now button, but am waiting for the seller to put together the shipping cost and arrange payment process, its due to be a wire transfer. They are a 17 year member of Audiogon and verified dealer, so while I am a bit apprehensive, this is a known seller. So the Scheu would be my first choice, but as the ad read shipping was supposed to be $300 USD to the US, and if I am given a number that is significantly different then I am going to end the transaction as that is not what was represented in the ad. I should have a firm number tomorrow, so we will have a resolution soon. 

Option #2 is going to be the DP80 in the DK 300 plinth with the lower Denon arm. The arm will get repurposed for another project, maybe even sold off. Or perhaps put on the sideline for awhile and eventually reunited with the plinth and a different drive unit, if I ever get a custom plinth built for the DP80. i could source something like a DP75 drive unit to make a complete table again and find it a new home. But heck I might just love the DK 300 the way it is, perhaps have it re-veneered and call it good. 

Everything is kind of fluid now, the next few days should see a resolution. 

For the heck of it I picked up an interesting vintage MC to use as a casual cartridge on the Dynavector. Picked up an Ortofon MC200. Has a fine line stylus, boron cantilever, samarium cobalt ring magnet, and Ortofons WRD damping system. Output is low, but the Esoteric E-03 phono stage has enough gain to handle it. I will use if for casual vinyl listening till it wears out and then send it off to a retipper I want to try. Be a good test mule for me to see what i get back. 
The desision to decline the TTS 8000 if there is not access to somebody to assist with some of the known issues will leave you with one less hurdle to climb over, if a purchase did show the known conditions that can develop.
A Spindle Housing Bush is not a Direct Exchange with a Off the Shelf Bush Part.
The ID is 11mm and OD 16mm. 
A of the Shelf Bush with a close match will be ID 11.11mm.
The Platter connection to the Spindle will need a complete rethink as to how to overcome the unsuitable coupling and wobble that can be detected on certain Models.
A Worn Bush can be explained with a few descriptions, but the Platter connection to the Spindle seems to be born from Machining Tolerance issues, as it is not realy exposed to any wear during usage.

It looks like your First Choice of TT is a complete Curve Ball to the original inquiry, and looks like a nice piece of kit.
It is a New Model to myself and I am liking the aesthetics of the design.

The DP80 as a Second  Choice is a product with many followers much of the previuous post will be related to this model, as it is a DD.

Additional Information might need to be supplied to assist with getting the best support set up under theFirst Choice that is a Belt Drive.

Keep on with your updates they are appreciated         
Actually I have had a history with these kinds of tables in the past. In the late 90s I ended up being an early adopter of the Teres Audio turntable, and I had a pretty nice one with an Eminent Technology II air bearing tone arm. In a moment of temporary insanity I thought I could be happy with a digital only stereo. Utter foolishness, and I sold my analog stuff. 

About 6 years later I re-entered vinyl, and I did that with a Townshend Rock MK III but it really was not on par with my Teres. I ended up buying a Galibier Serac and was quite happy with it for a number of years even though it was a somewhat homely table. I used a Riggle Engineering 12" Woody arm on it. 

The common thread connecting these two tables is they were designed by Chris Brady and Thom Mackris, who were both founding members of the Teres Project. The table that inspired that project and their initial model was....The Scheu table. So I enjoyed both of those tables immensely, and I really should have kept the Teres. This purchase allows me to reach back to the genesis, to get the TOTL table from the company that inspired them. 

There is an added benefit that this table does not take up a lot of room. I have a credenza that hold my gear, and I have a SOTA Cosmos Eclipse on it and a Well Tempered Reference next to it. The amount of room available for a third table is a bit limited. The Scheu will fit that space, and other tables make everything quite cramped. When I had an Amazon Reference on here I had literally no room between the tables. So this is an added benefit for me. Additionally it can accept another arm board, so if I want to adding a second arm is pretty easy. 

Finding an isolation base for it would be a bit challenging as its somewhat monolithic. Weight is 38 KG, so just shy of 80 pounds. Finding a platform to handle that level of weight might be a bit of a challenge. 

Its getting ready to ship. Coming UPS from Warsaw. So i don't expect to see it for at least a week. Waiting is always the toughest part.