Denon DP-59L vs DP-72L vintage turntables

Thanks for the advice ...

After I posted I got to thinking. I have a vintage Pioneer silver system with both the SPEC 2 and SPEC 4 amps, SPEC 1 pre, Tuner, EQ, cassette deck (CTF-1250) I even have the reverb unit and "dynamic range expander" The whole think is rack mounted and ditched in my bedroom with a sheet over it. I cant even think about getting rid of it and it drives my GF nuts. It was my first real system out of college. To make a long story short - I am building an HT/Audio room next year and I will relocate the Spec system in there as there is plenty of room. I can also finally hook up the Pioneer HPM-100's I have stashed in the garage.
I am seriously thinking about your idea - DIY the Denon and mate it up with the Pioneer system. I have one of the amps and the SPEC 1 rebuilt so far (new caps etc) by a local expert. The 62L fits the era of the old Pioneer and it has a built in phono stage so I should be good to go. I just need a second set of HPM-100's but that shouldn’t be too difficult. I will have my local tech go through the second amp and keep all the switches clean on the EQ and tuner. I turn it on every once in a while … I’d like to hear the Denon played through it.

One more reason to keep the Denon. It was such a bargain I can’t expect to make enough cash off its sale to justify getting rid of it.

Horseface, If you can DIY, you can probably upgrade the function of your table for well under $50 by replacing the old electrolytic capacitors in the drive unit. For a few hundred dollars you could have it done professionally. It's my theory that any and all of these vintage turntables with complex electronics (i.e., direct drive tables with servo mechanisms and AC filtering to the motor) will benefit from such an upgrade. Even if none of your old caps is "bad", the latest electrolytics (e.g., Panasonic FC and TS-ED types) are better in quality than anything that was available in the 70s or 80s.

I agree with Elizabeth, I am running a DP-62L and never received the second "S" shaped arm. It too was in near mint shape and an excellent example of a classic turntable. I really wished I had all the accessories that came with the original TT. I thought eBay would be a slam dunk but not the case. Few and far between - with prices that are just crazy. The 62L came with the DST tonearm (Dynamic Servo Tracer) which has some inherent limitations when it comes to cartridge mounting. I purchased a Sumiko Blackbird and the VTA adjustment was so tight I had to remove the stock rubber mat and sub in a thinner mat. Even now it's tight ... I thought about dumping the stock tonearm and subbing in something that better fit’s my needs. Then I would add new wire and a pair of IC jacks that would allow me to dump the stock wire. While I’m in there I might as well add an IEC socket for an aftermarket power cord. What I would be left with would be something of an abomination, so I am at a crossroads. The table is in fantastic shape and would probably make a collector very happy. Seems a shame to rip it apart but as my desire to upgrade grows, I am left with a decision. I would say if you see yourself going down the analog path and upgrading carts/tonearms/wire/etc you might want to consider all your options. If you see yourself mounting a single cartridge that will work well with the table I think the 72L is a great way to go. My 62L has been spinning for over two years and does a pretty good job. I knew when I bought it, there would come a day when we would part ways but I have grown somewhat attached to the style and action of this table. It’s big, quiet and stable. That being said, I have upgraded around it and the stock internal wire seems to be the sticking point now. It might be worth sinking $1000-1200 into and making a lifetime commitment. Honestly, I've looked around and I cant find too many tables I like as well.