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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
neonknight OP
407 posts
 
@dover 

Thanks for the description of your procedure, it sounds like pretty conventional set up technics for a standard arm, but they serve a different purpose with the Dynavector. Balancing the primary arm wand on the horizontal bearing makes a lot of sense, and I can see the usefulness of the technique. I will give it a go this weekend, and see if I can tease a bit more performance out of the table. The Dynavector is an excellent arm, it kind of surprises me that its become a forgotten choice for many in the analog world. Of course the latest DV507 is not a cheap arm by any stretch of the imaination, so that will limit its audience. I will say i am in awe of its level of engineering, especially considering its now a vintage arm that supposedly is dated due to its design and materials. Although from what I hear I would not describe it as such. 
lewm
13,347 posts
 
The DV505 is still a high-end tonearm, but of course each individual owner will have his or her own idea of where it stands in the hierarchy of tonearms. I like mine very very much. In particular it is excellent in the bass region which is predictable from its construction. It is very flexible in the sense that I have mounted a wide range of very different cartridges in the tonearm, and it works well with all of them, provided I used an appropriate mass head shell with each. (although I own the OEM headshell, I hardly ever use it. I prefer other types. ) It is by no means out-dated, because since it was marketed, there have been no imitators, save for the later models 507 and 507 mk2. Also, materials science as regards the building of tonearms has not really been revolutionized since the 1980s. Despite what some modern tonearm manufacturers would have us think.
neonknight OP
407 posts
 
@lewm 

So which head shells have you used with the table? I have one OEM Dynavector that is 15 grams, and two LP Gear Zupreme which are 12 gram that I can install. I notice that 2Juki has some Dynavector head shells for the DV 505 and 507 on his site that are also in the 15 gram range. 

To be honest there is nothing meaningful I can fault with tone arm with, from what I hear it comes as close to neutral as I have experienced. I have not had a huge range of arms, but have used the Eminent Technology II, Acos GST 801, Riggle Engineering 12" Woody, Well Tempered Reference, SME V, Technics EPA 250, and SAEC 407N. I owned the Riggle for a long long time, same with the ET II. But the DV505 is a fine arm, and I find it encouraging that it is so versatile with markedly different cartridges. For instance I have used an Ikeda 9 Kawami on it, and an Ortofon MC200, and each one of them have performed remarkably well in this arm. 

Have you ever found out what the material of the arm is made from? It looks like its an aluminum alloy? I am fortunate that mine is in near perfect condition. I have seen examples from Japan that have quite a bit more wear or imperfections to the finish. 

I have to admit that I look at the DV507 and think about acquiring one. I can fit two arms on the Scheu table, and another one might be acquired some time in the future. 
lewm
13,347 posts
 
I would guess they’re made mostly of brushed aluminum and stainless steel, here and there. The obvious improvements available in the 507 are magnetic vs string anti-skate and a superior mechanism for VTA adjustment. There could be more improvements that are less obvious.
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