Vintage Denon Direct Drive Turntable

Forgot to reiterate that I think it is a good idea to dampen the resonance of that cosmetic ring that surrounds the platter on all Denon dd tables. If you're going to the trouble and expense of making a slate plinth, it behooves you not to overlook this detail. As I think I wrote way back at the beginning of this thread, I inverted my DP80 chassis (sans platter) on some blocks of wood for support, so as not to put weight on the spindle, and I filled the ring with some melted beeswax (or whatever was used as potting material in a KLH9 electrostatic speaker power supply). This worked very well; with the hardened beeswax filling, the ring does not "ring" any longer.

Lewn. I forgot to mention that I have filled the ring or skirt with isodamp compound (blacktac) as used in speaker cabinets, this is actually in contact with the plinth, and has given a deadening effect and added mass (not that I needed any more).

The dp80 is really singing now, I have stunning presence and intimacy to vocals. I cleaned it up earlier with WD40, that brought the natural grain up very nicely, and finshed with bees wax that gave it a nice shine.
Here are some more pics.

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee15/indypepa/dp6.jpg
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee15/indypepa/dp8.jpg
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee15/indypepa/dp5.jpg

damn fine lookin' table ya got there treehugga.

Question for the people who fill the ring... What does that do to the ability to fix your electronics/wiring should it go...?

T_bone, I made sure that the beeswax stopped flowing just short of the part of the ring that houses the controls. It solidifies rather rapidly as you pour it, due the fact that it is cooling at the same time, so there was no problem controlling its dispersion. No wax in the electronics. I am sure Treehugga was able to do the same, since his damping compound probably was never very liquid.

Treehugga, That's loverly. You might try a different tonearm some time, just for kicks.

I've just finished my second evening of listening to my DP80 mounted in a 70-lb slate plinth with Triplanar tonearm bolted directly to and thru the plinth (no discrete armboard) and a Koetsu Urushi. I am ecstatic, as you might guess from the fact that it is past 1 AM here on the East coast US, and I have not yet gone to bed. This thing is sweeeeeet. I just got done with Chick Corea, Return to Forever, on ECM, a recording I bought new in the 70s. I re-experienced everything but the chemical high of those days. It has a BIG sound (certainly in part due to the Urushi/Triplanar) but also incredible drive and rhythmic presence. I will post photos in my system, as soon as I get a new camera, in a couple of days. Awesome is a cliche', but so be it.