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Upper Level Vintage DD Strenghts and Weaknesses

All of these tables have been discussed in some form or another here over the years. I have read quite a few threads on them, but its a bit difficult to nail this point down.

Basically I am looking for a non-suspended table to install a Dynavector DV505 arm on, and these tables can fit the bill.

The most widely available is a Denon DP 75 or DP 80 in a Denon plinth, and they are perhaps the most affordable also. Are there any of their plinths that are desirable, or are they just a veneered stack of MDF or plywood?

While more expensive I can find a Sony TTS8000 in a Resinamic plinth although shipping from HK is expensive. There is one thread I came across here where a member who restores tables says two of the three TTS8000 he has done had play in the spindle assembly which looked to be wear in the brass bushings of the motor. That does make me pause in concern.

The JVC TT101 is not only difficult to find, its apparently a bit of a bear to get serviced, so its not high on the list.

The Technics SP 10 MK II I have owned, and its a nice table but to be honest I had a Denon DP75 that I felt actually sounded better. Also the models that are out there are either abused or have a premium price tag attached to them. Also I don’t need instant torque, and I think the bi-servo designs might offer better speed control.

As I write this the Denon and Sony seem to be at the top of the list, unless there is another I should be looking at.
neonknight

Showing 2 responses by dover

dover
2,333 posts
 
@ihcho 
That Denon HA1000 head amp is pretty grainy and not particularly transparent, you should probably upgrade that before you spend more on another arm or cartridge, if you want best value upgrade.
dover
2,333 posts
 
@neonknight 
Hi - the way to think about settng the main counterweight on the Dynavector arms is to think of a tightrope walker with a pole.
The purpose of adjusting this counterweight is to provide perfect balance over the top of the horizontal bearing with the chosen cartridge/headshell installed.

Because of the course markings on the counterweight positioning scale on the arm beam, I ignore them. Here is my recommended procedure -

I weigh the cartridge/headshell
Install the cartridge, align and set the tracking weight to zero.
Then I position the main counterweight roughly in position according to the scale on the beam.

Additionally, and this is most important, I then fine tune the exact position the counterweight by blowing on the arm ( sideways ). When perfect balance is achieved the arm will sway back and forth with just a puff of wind.

For the purpose of this last step I remove the platter so the arm can swing in and out without worrying about wiping out the cartridge.

Last time I set up my Dynavector, I stopped to have a coffee after performing this step. Whilst sitting off to the side, I noticed the arm was moving back and forth in the breeze coming in a side window. Its pretty impressive when you see it - it sums up how the split biaxial system is actually designed to work.
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