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
Doron, You obviously know your stuff when it comes to lubricants. Thank you for the information, some of which I once knew but had forgotten. Your last remark is the focus of my question: Do you mean to say that there is some fundamental difference in the way Royal Purple (RP) motor oils are formulated as compared to Redline motor oils which would account for the reported observation that RP 5W30 sounded better than Redline 20W, other than viscosity? My point was that the difference in sonics observed the the OP might have been due entirely to the difference in viscosity between the two oils. Do you think yes, or no? It was after that when I made my ignorant remark about slow motor speed.

You must realize that if you say RP oils are superior to Redline for use in a typical TT, then at least several of us are going to run out and buy RP motor oil. I've got the Redline 20W in my Kenwood L07D. By the way, I'm not interested that much in "stop times". I don't know what it means for a tt platter. A very low viscosity lubricant (I can imagine) might allow for long stop times (at first) while also doing damage to the bearing in the process.
If any direct comparisons were to be made between the RP and Redline products and I'm not sure they were, varying viscosity's certainly would make them suspect.
Ok, I'm game. I'll buy the RP XPR 05w-20 race oil and re-run the test(s) with the same weight Redline.
Don,
I ordered the special Achromat 1200 which was designed for the lip on the Technics 1200....so I suspect the underside is already tapered to accomodate this?
Will post photos when it arrives.
I've also got a glass mat on its way from Japan.
Apparently Victor produced one for their turntables and get this.....the instructions say that the pigskin mat is designed to go UNDER the glass mat...❓👀
This would never have occurred to me...🙈
Of course I'll try it both ways....but I wonder if you've tried a suede mat UNDER your Achromat..❓
Worth a try....those Victor engineers knew their 'onions'....👅👍
I also have the Victor pigskin mat that came with the TT-101
but have ever only used it on top.

Perhaps I need to get out more often.