Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

Dear Banquo, What I did point out is that the service manual of the TT101 is available on Vinyl Engine. With the service manual, a competent person can trace a problem to its source. That is the first step in the repair process. As to its possibly unobtainable chips, I would bet that like the ones we know about (Technics and Denon), Victor also used a family of parts that is common to several of their designs in that lineage. It might be a little more difficult to obtain the donor tt, for the Victor family, since so few of the best ones were exported, but it could be done, I would be bet. And then too we have the internet as an unprecedented way to find odd parts that our local distributor might say is "unobtainable". I would not be the least bit afraid to own a TT101, except I would prefer a TT801. Isn't that the very top of the line? Or is the TT101 uber?

Yes, after listening to my L07D, I suspect there is magic in coreless motors. Note that Brinkmann has chosen to use a coreless motor in its direct drive renaissance. But one can hardly make a firm conclusion based on one sampling, and I am sure motors with an iron core can sound great to. To wit, the SP10 Mk3. I have no idea about the NVS motor type or its speed control mechanism, except I think I read that they have eschewed the use of a servo.

I too have a JVC TT101 and a JVC TT81. I really enjoy these tables, they are both mounted in identical original plinths.

At this moment my TT101 is out for recapping and contact cleaning at a local (Brooklyn, NY) pro audio repair shop - RepairNY.com

I might have waited too long to get it recapped as a warm up suddenly became necessary to achieve speed stability. Needless to say I am nervous about getting my baby back and running well.

I am using the TT81 at this time and it is fine, but it ain't the same - as Halcro has so beautifully written. My wife - who only comes in and listens from time to time commented that the sound wasn't as good at this time: and the only thing that changed was the the TT substitution.

Part 2 follows

Speaking of my TT101 and TT81:
I use aurios and still points in combination (creating three feet - two in back and one in front) to support the plinth, I also have a squash ball under the sheet metal motor cover - that ball is absolutely required to damp this ringing metal bowl.
I am very interested in Halcro's finding that when he compared so many amazing tables, that I don't believe I will ever have a chance to listen to, the TT101 was a top runner. I feel rather lucky that I ended up with such a seriously good machine, that is if I get it back in one working piece.

Now that these machines with their sealed bearings are in their 30's I am thinking it may be time to clean the bearings and most likely change the oil. Does anyone have any information on getting into these sealed bearings?

Dear Aigenga,
My 'Brother' :-)
How fortunate we both are to have these tables?
Don't worry about cleaning the bearings and changing the oil.......there is no oil and the bearings need no maintenance.
At least that's what the Service Manual says.
You can download both of these on Vinyl Engine.
I hope your tech knows what he's doing and does a good job?
It will be interesting to hear your reports back?
Please keep us informed :-)
Cheers
Henry

The TT-81 and TT-71 use the same CORE motor. The 81 uses more sophisticated electronic drive than the 71.

Now, the TT-101 is a completely different beast. It uses a CORELESS motor and a "double bi-directional servo" in the electronics. So it is no surprise that Aigenga prefers the 101 over the 81. I have no experience with the 81 nor 101 but I have owned other JVC models and every time I prefer the ones with the coreless motor and even my non-audiophile friends noticed the coreless tables sound "smoother." It has a distinctive fluidity in the sound that's recognizable. I would LOVE to hear a TT-101.

Much information can be found at the invaluable The Vintage Knob site.

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