Mine is in a 2-inch thick piece of slate that I sourced from Pennsylvania in the US. Mine came in a DK300 plinth with a DA301 tonearm, not the 401. I think I have the pdf file needed to program a water jet for creating the hole and the 3 screw bolt holes in slate or other, if you need it,
Plinth ideas for DENON PD-80 DD turntable
While my pair of Victor TT-101 still sleeping in the storage, i decided to buy another Flying Saucer.
The DENON DP-80, vintageknob always have nice images and info about rare stuff...
On that page you see DP-80 with DA-401 tonearm for hich compliance cartridges (i have this tonesm NOS). It could be an interesting project, it was hard to resist ...
The question is the Plinth for this Denon DP-80.
The original DK-300 plinth is an option, but searching for something better i found this one.
Custom made plinth is always an option and i have superb Audio-Technica AT-616 pneumatic insulators to use under the plinth.
But what do you guys using with your Denon PD-80 ?
P.S. some companies now producing even an iron cast plinth and graphite plinth, i have no access to graphite, but iron cast here is cheap to make a custom plinth.
The DENON DP-80, vintageknob always have nice images and info about rare stuff...
On that page you see DP-80 with DA-401 tonearm for hich compliance cartridges (i have this tonesm NOS). It could be an interesting project, it was hard to resist ...
The question is the Plinth for this Denon DP-80.
The original DK-300 plinth is an option, but searching for something better i found this one.
Custom made plinth is always an option and i have superb Audio-Technica AT-616 pneumatic insulators to use under the plinth.
But what do you guys using with your Denon PD-80 ?
P.S. some companies now producing even an iron cast plinth and graphite plinth, i have no access to graphite, but iron cast here is cheap to make a custom plinth.
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I think my slate comes from the same site that supplies OMA, but in any case it's Pennsylvania slate that we both use. The company is Structural Slate in Bala Cynwyd, PA. They cut the slate to my dimensions and honed both sides to make them flat. They do not do water jet cutting. For that I used a company in York, PA. You called it "graphite"; I do not believe the two (graphite vs slate) are the same. I made three plinths using these two companies, one for Lenco, one for DP80, and one for SP10Mk3. Actually, four plinths if you count the first one I made, for SP10Mk2; I sold that along with the Mk2. But that was the learning experience. |
The plinth is solid. Well made but the feet is the weak spot there. Poorly executed. The feet on the DK300 can be upgraded to Stillpoints or equivalent. I was going to do it but it sold before I had the chance to do it. It’s basically a little plastic piece with a threaded stud screwed on to the plinth with small wood screws and the feet screws on to the stud. |
@genesis168 The plinth is solid. Well made but the feet is the weak spot there. Poorly executed. The feet on the DK300 can be upgraded to Stillpoints or equivalent. I have my AT616 pneumatic feet, so i am well prepared to replace feet under any turntable. It's a good news that stock DK300 plinth is good, maybe i have to buy DK300 first. |
HI Chakster, I have 2 x DP80's one is in a DK2300 ie twin arm version of the the DK300. In is a FR64S and in the 2nd mount a Grace 704. My other turntable has a SME 3010R I prefer the sound of the DK2300 setup. as Genesis168 says above the feet are very poor , I haven't changed mine yet but its probably a good idea as he says. |
Great, just ordered my DK-300, so everything must be like this. @genesis168 I also have a local friend who’s asking me for a tunrtable to ugrade his cheap pro-ject belt drive. So maybe this is not the last DP-80 i’ve bought. DK-300 stock plinth is reasonably priced. Acustand plinth for Denon DP-80 is 449 GBP + shipping from UK, looks very nice on the pictures. It’s funny to read about their "original design". I think the smart idea of adjustable PTS armboard has been stolen from Dr.Feickert and the overall plinth also reminds me Feickert plinth. |
The DP80 is a remarkable turntable. I’ve used one in a secondary system for a while. The sound is between the SP10/2 and belt drives. A good overall compromise. The 75 is easier to source. Basically the exact same as the 80 but without the pitch control and quartz lock defeat switch to which I think is useless. Tell your friend to get a Dp75 and it will be a substantial upgrade to his Pro-Ject. Currently have a DP75 in the DK2300 plinth and a DP80 in a stone plinth. On on a side note besides the feet, you can fabricate a better armboard out of brass or stainless. A good machine shop will be able to make one for you if you have the original. |
@genesis168 yeah, i know lower models are easy to find, but we're looking for the best only. Bought it out of curiosity, so much has been said about DP-80, i must try it. I'm also an SP-10mkII & SP-20 owner, but main machines in my studio are two PD-444. I don't like belt drive TT at all. My two Victor TT-101 collecting dust in the corner, i'm glad the next vintage DD is Denon DP-80 and i hope i will be able to run it quickly. |
Genesis, The Motor in the DP75 is considerably smaller in the DP75 and the control system simpler, both are excellent machines. The DP75 and DP80 are not suitable for use with a copper mat as the platters are two layer spring loaded the weight of the copper cause the springs to sag too much. The DP7000 is also a magnificent table - have made many of these into GrooveMaster Vintage Direct DP7 https://pbnaudio.com/pbn-dp7/ Lyra in Japan has 5 of these made by us. 3 of them with the SAT tonearm Good Listening Peter |
Dear chakster, There are shops who make all kinds of stuff from acrylic. The most use laser cutting. For my former Technics SH- 10 B 4 plinth I ordered 3 arm boards for 3 different arms. They use acrylic plates which can be glued together for whatever dimensions. But you need to proved them with schematics. They cost about 100 euro each. You can use the arm board from your Denon as example so the only thing you need to do is provide them with the spindle -hole distance for each tonearm. |
I own a Dp80. It is perhaps too simple to say that the platter is spring loaded. The platter is two concentric pieces,an inner piece that is about the size of the record label or a little wider in diameter, and an outer which goes all the way out to the periphery. The inner and outer platters are linked by flexible thin metal fasteners that act sort of like a spring to decouple the two sectors . This was Denon’s way of isolating the platter from the bearing, since the playing surface of the LP is almost entirely supported by the outer platter. So if you used a solid platter mat, like a copper one, the dissociation between the two pieces of the platter would be abrogated. I don’t actually know whether that would be so terrible, because the mat doesn’t couple to the bearing in any case. I would not hesitate to try a copper platter mat or some other solid mat, if that is of interest. |
Lewm I have tried coper mats on the DP80 and the springs (thin metal bands) are not sturdy enough to carry the copper platters unless very thin. Any mat should be not any larger than the inner spring loaded platter - Denon's original Rubber mat supplied with the DP 80 is. I've uploaded a few pictures on my systems page showing the detail. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/6431 Good Listening Peter |
One other thing is being overlooked here. For a period of time I owned both an SP10 Mk2 and my DP80. I had both of them serviced by Bill Thalmann at Musical Technologies in Springfield, VA. (It's only about a 25 minute drive from my house in Bethesda, MD.) On the DP80, I needed a new controller chip to make it run perfectly (which I was able to source via Alibaba), and Bill noted that the circuit uses some transistors that were over time shown to be unreliable. He replaced all of the suspect transistors with modern superior equivalents, and he installed the new controller chip. Bill also re-capped both units. I mounted both turntables in slate plinths of similar weight and shape. In this setting, with both turntables feeding the very same system, front to back, the DP80 consistently outperformed the SP10 Mk2. (Not by much, just a hair.) Bill also remarked to me that the drive system of the DP80 seemed a little more advanced than that of the MK2. The DP80 uses a true 3-phase AC synchronous motor, for one thing. I know there are further tweaks for the Mk2 (I've done them all, JP's chip and Krebs mod, for my SP10 Mk3), but, as it was, I consistently preferred the DP80. That is one great and under-rated turntable, a steal at current market values in my opinion. It's worth the cost and effort to have a competent tech evaluate the running condition and then bring it up to spec, any time you buy a "new" vintage DD turntable. |
Agree with Lewm, the DP80 is a fantastic machine. The rebuild of the electronic circuit is relatively simple, have done a dozen or more in the past year or so. Some time ago i posted a video showing the speed accuracy of the DP80 playing an entire LP side, 17minutes plus there are few tables that can perform in this class. https://www.facebook.com/170947997876/videos/10154978712417877/ https://www.facebook.com/170947997876/videos/10154978713202877/ The videos show a DP 80 fitted with a time line a device that emits a laser pulse at incredibly precise intervals projecting a dot on the wall in the room the table is in - in this video the wall the dot is projected on is 26 feet away from the table - over 17 minutes the dot moves forward with just a few inches - if theres any calculous geniuses out there try to calculate this accuracy in percentages it is WELL below specified accuracy. Good Listening Peter |
I own both but cannot compare them, because different plinths, tonearms, and cartridges. And they are connected to two entirely different systems, one feeding Beveridge speakers (TT101) and one feeding Sound Lab 845PXs (DP80). And, the DP80 sits idle in favor of the SP10 MK3 and Kenwood L07D. It would be a close call. These days, I am biased in favor of coreless motors, so the TT101 gets the nod from me in my Beveridge system. That said, the motor of the DP80 was state of the art in its day, as noted above, and probably on par with any motor still being made for DD turntables, as far as that goes. It's a little smaller than the motor used in the revered DP100 and DP308, but it's as big as it needed to be for driving the DP80 platter with precision. Peter knows more about DP100 and DP308 than I. |
System rearrangement. This my current setup. Some nice gear in this lovely corner: Gold Note, Pass Labs, ZYX, JLTi, First Watt, Fidelity-Research, Luxman, Victor, Sony, Lustre, Micro Seiki, Zu Audio ... and more. I don't use digital, strictly vinyl ! Currenty under impression of my new Victor MC-L10 Direct Couple on Victor UA-7082 tonearm. What a great cartridge! Denon DP-80 on its way and the next in the most will be DK-300 plinth. I have one problem: i don't know how to place more than 2 turntables around my central rack with phono stages. May be i will have to make another (lower) table for 3rd turntable. *How do you deal with many turntables connected to the same system in your room ? I designed and made two metal racks especially for my Luxman PD-444 few years ago. And the rack in the middle (for amps and preamps) is what i designed myself about 19 years ago. |
@best-groove Haven’t you repaired your TT-101 yet? Not yet, i want to make sure it will be fixed by professional ones and forever. They are both have minor problems, nothing serious i believe. Local dude can’t work on them. Andrew Wilkinson in UK actually can try and full of enthusiasm. His perair shop has long history. Some other people can repair them, so i’m saving on it. @lewm At the very least, get the TT101’s out of the garage. The moisture and changes in temperature and humidity that might occur in the garage would be bad news for the circuit boards in the TT101. Put them in a dry location with a stable room temperature suitable for humans. Not in Siberia. You’re right, but i don’t have a garage, they are here at home in the storage. I will plug them in and check again, it’s been a while since i tried them. |
You’re right, but i don’t have a garage, they are here at home in the storage. I will plug them in and check again, it’s been a while since i tried them. if you have to leave them in an unprotected place, put some silca gel envelopes near the turntables ....bags with special salts absorb moisture. ;) |
Thanks Mr. Postman, i've been waiting for you. Hello DP-80 |
I own a Dp80. It is perhaps too simple to say that the platter is spring loaded. The platter is two concentric pieces,an inner piece that is about the size of the record label or a little wider in diameter, and an outer which goes all the way out to the periphery. The inner and outer platters are linked by flexible thin metal fasteners that act sort of like a spring to decouple the two sectors . This was Denon’s way of isolating the platter from the bearing, since the playing surface of the LP is almost entirely supported by the outer platter.I have a DP-80 too. My platter differs markedly from your description: the "inner piece" is not the size of the label, it is the size of the LP. The playing surface of the LP is entirely supported by the inner platter, not the outer. The outer is directly coupled to the main bearing/motor. It may look otherwise to a casual glance, but there is a clear gap (±1mm) near the edge, separating the inner platter (11 5/8" diam) from the outer — the outer platter is just a silver rim 3/8" wide, though 99% of its mass is hidden beneath the inner. The springs are only half of the suspension. There are also foam pads (9 of them IIRC). Like all foam from that era, they decompose, crumble, rot (just like old speaker surrounds) and no longer provide the intended decoupling or resonance-damping. You cannot see them without removing the leaf-springs and separating the two parts of the platter, so you may not know they’re there, or their condition. But if you had it completely rebuilt, I’m sure the technician took care of it. The discrepancy between our platters confuses me. I’ve had it apart (to replace the rotten foam pads) so know it rather well, and just looked again. If you have time, could you take another look at yours, and confirm the inner part is label-size? If it is, Denon must have made differing platters, which would be very intriguing. |
@chakster And you just received it, yes? it’s beautiful, of course. But your mat is not like mine! Now I’m worried: it’s said to be "carefully engineered for the DP-80" etc. I don’t know how much that matters, but... Mine came with the table, from an eminently reputable dealer, in a massive VPI plinth, but with the best will in the world, mats get switched. Mine says "Denon" on the back, molded in the rubber. Yours is markedly different. I have one that closely resembles yours; more concentric rings, and lighter in weight — but of course that doesn’t mean it is like yours. "SFTG170M01" appears on the back of it; does yours have any signifier on the back? I checked 50 or so pictures on Google of various DP-80s; there’s a variety of mats, including some silly mismatches — but over half look like mine. Another question: do you know about the state of the foam pads (described in my post above)? Did the seller mention them, or any other info of recent maintenance/renewed parts? |
Mine says "Denon" on the back, molded in the rubber. Yours is markedly different. I have one that closely resembles yours; more concentric rings, and lighter in weight — but of course that doesn’t mean it is like yours. "SFTG170M01" appears on the back of it; does yours have any signifier on the back? @bima well, i have stamped RGS0008 on the rubber mat, but honestly i don’t care about it, can’t remember when i’ve been using a rubber mat last time, normally i replace them with my favorite SAEC SS-300 (lightweight) or heavy Micro Seiki CU-180 (or superheavy CU-500) depends on the turntable torque and platter. |
I think your confusing the mater - the metal parts of the platter is dual coupled by leaf springs - the mat - the rubber thingy 🤣 has the label relief. The two metal platters are isolated by foam pads around their circumference by foam pads - 6 or 8 of them altered by rubber pads on the lower platter in designated pockets. The foam in all original ones are gone by now - there’s a suitable replacement available at Home Depot for $3 available - cut it into 0.875 lengths put it in place you will have 8 feet left. good Listening Peter |
The foam in all original ones are gone by now - there’s a suitable replacement available at Home Depot for $3 available - cut it into 0.875 lengths put it in place you will have 8 feet left.@pbnaudio I used weather-stripping to replace mine — is that what you mean? It's the foam-with-adhesive for sealing windows, doors, etc.* I had 4 or 5 rolls already, various sizes — one of them seemed the right width and thickness (they compress a bit, so thickness matters — too much compression, they become like hard rubber and no longer isolate; too little, and they do nothing at all). But they also come in different densities, from very spongy to quite firm. Which density, width, thickness do you recommend Peter? It seems many of the DP-80s in this thread may need it, and it's a fairly easy DIY. * Ironically, I never used any of them for insulation. Only for Audio; one of the many useful 'tweaks' at your local hardware. |
...but honestly i don’t care about it, can’t remember when i’ve been using a rubber mat last time, normally i replace them with my favorite SAEC SS-300 (lightweight) or heavy Micro Seiki CU-180(or superheavy CU-500) depends on the turntable torque and platter.@chakster I have the SS-300 too, and use it on most TTs, preferring it to rubber. But there's an issue with the DP-80. The platter is in two parts, isolated from each other, to keep all bearing/motor noise from reaching the inner part where the LP/stylus do their thing — it's quite different from the split-platter on an LP12 and others where the 2 parts are in direct hard contact with each other. Both the 300 and CU-180 interfere with the platter's design. Though the DP80 has ample torque for the CU-180, it interferes the most. I suggest the SS-300 is better suited: it has a cut-out on the underside at the edge, so it doesn't contact the outer platter at all. |
I suggest the SS-300 is better suited: it has a cut-out on the underside at the edge, so it doesn't contact the outer platter at all. You're right, just tried it. It is true that the bottom side of the SS-300 is slightly smaller in diameter than my Denon rubber mat. So this must be the right mat for DP-80 I've seen people using it with CU-180 too, but i thought about weight on that spring denon platter. Maybe this is a wrong mat for DP-80. Has anyone tried this ? |
chakster The bottom bearing "holding" plate comes off by removing 3 screws, so its pretty easy. I have added 3 photos on the Systems page for the DD tables. The last three ones https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/6431 Good Listening Peter |