Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?


I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
128x128halcro
Small point: As I understand it, the L07D platter is not completely suspended via Maglev. Rather, the load is only partially dissipated in that fashion; there is still some vertical force exerted on the bearing and thrust pad. (I never have pushed down on my platter so as to prove that to myself.) But to your point, the Kenwood engineers definitely saw some benefit in Maglev.
Kenwood´s platter in partly "suspended" like Clearaudio´s. Actually it´s not floating and the spindle maintain contact with the trust pad. But the maglev takes platter´s weight in some extent and the force exerted on the spindle and trust pad is less. Does the maglev take the most or a great part of platter´s weight is another thing. Anyway, maglev in general provides some kind of benefit in sound quality. In my system it´s a serious improvement.
Peter, THAT is so cool I am going to ask PBN if they can mount my DP80 in their plinth. A two-armed version would do nicely.
Lewm

Certainly, we working on three of them, DP80, right now along with a DP75 two DP6000, one DP2000 and none less than 8 each DP3000. Let me know as soon as you are ready. On the Vintage Direct platform we can accommodate up to two arms, 12", 9" or one of each its basically up to you.

The rebuild includes a complete overhaul of the servo controller cards, a complete new power supply, including a new transformer, power filter etc.

Good Listening

Peter