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How good is the Micro Seiki DDX-1000 Direct Drive turntable ?

Here is the MICRO DDX-1000 direct drive. Never tried myself, but it is the most compact DD designed for 3 tonearms.

*The question is how good this turntable really is, compared to some other vintage Direct Drives ?


Some information from VintageKnob website:  

The DDX-1000 is the original design, with two sculpted strobe markings around the 2kg / 31cm die-cast aluminium platter. The resulting moment of inertia is at 330kg / cm2 and the top mat in fact covers a thick cork sub-mat set inside the platter itself.

The DDX-1000, in real late 70s modernism is a direct-drive. The motor is a DC-Servo with FG frequency generator reference set through the strobe neon lamp which "checks" how many stripe it sees and rectifies if necessary ; the resulting speed accuracy is of 0,03%.

The starting torque is of 1,2kg / cm and load characteristics allow the DDX-1000 to remain below 0,04% deviation up to a 3g load set at the outer limit of the platter - specs-wise, we're here under the contemporary Sony TTS-8000 for instance...

The heigh-adjustable feet are typical Micro Seiki (or Luxman, of course :) and contain a mix of inert damping (neoprene stuffing) and mechanical damping (spring).

The is no Quartz Lock on the DDX-1000 ; the MD-1000 power-supply box holds the power on/off, start 33rpm, start 45rpm and stop buttons plus two ± 6% speed controls.

The AX-1G to AX-6G tonearm bases fit everything from the ubiquitous SMEs to the Technics EPA-100 or PUA-1600L.

Of course, the motor of the DDX was used as basis for the Marantz Tt 1000 (1979), and that of the DQX-1500 (an updated DQX-1000) for the Tt 1000 mkII (1992). And, as often, Micro's direct-drive motors came from... Victor.


DDX-1000/G :

April 1976 limited edition (really limited : 30 units) custom made in... bronze. Howerever, it is black-looking for the most part, with the bronze only kept visible for the top of the three feet ; the platter was kept in AL and the command box was anodized in all-black style ; even the AX-1/G was in-bronze-but-painted-black...
Names of the people they were made for (and offered to - these were gifts !) were silkscreened on the (bronze...) motor's cache (...but painted black) - a rarity to say the least.


The DDX-1000 naturally spawned a myriad of lookalikes and still does today - perhaps better than the original, perhaps not. Or not that much :) 

chakster

Showing 2 responses by illmatic

illmatic
2 posts
 
@has2be @bimasta
Thank you for your posts above. I found them to be very thoughtful and informative, and I would love to pick your brain a bit on your experiences with the Micro Seiki DQX-1000. I'm fairly new to the hi-fi game and looking for a vintage project. I am a designer, and lover of all things Japanese, and when I first saw the Micro Seiki DQX-1000 my jaw dropped. It's gorgeous.
I currently own a modest Technics 1200 MK5 that I purchased in 2009. With the addition of a decent cartridge, Rega Brio and pair of B&W 606's I am very happy with my sound, but I know I am only at the very beginning of my hi-fi journey.
I am hoping that the DQX-1000, paired with high end tone arms and cartridges would elevate my sound far beyond what I am currently getting. 
illmatic
2 posts
 
@pindac Thank you for your thorough response. I truly understand the complexities and risks that come with buying vintage mechanical equipment, and have spoken with a repair team based in Los Angeles with expertise on Micro Seiki tables: ’George Meyer A/V’ and they will be the first to see the table and get it up to original working condition.
To add another level of complexity, I have been finding more TTs in the EU secondary markets and wondering if you have any experience with vintage tables that will need the voltage transformed from 220v/50hz to 120v/60hz?
Thank you.
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