Victor TT 801

Could be a language barrier.

The world always benefits from a good cleaning. So thanks.

After limited investigation, it seemed the TT801 is a TT101 with  vacuum platter. The TT801 used ICs where the TT101 used discrete transistors, in order for the 801 to accommodate the plumbing necessary for the vacuum feature.

It’s silly to argue about this. Obviously a swollen or leaky cap has to be replaced. By “leaky” we mean both electrically (leaks DC voltage) or physically (leaks fluid). I can’t recall what happens to the capacitance of those tiny types with values under 5uF, so I don’t doubt you. And I agree you do find those in vintage DD turntables in-circuit. Typical PS lytics in the range 50 uF and higher exhibit a rise in ESR as they age, whether uF goes up or down.

What increases when lyrics age is ESR. The capacitance per se most often falls based on my experience with my Sencore L75 meter. Anyway I was speaking of PS capacitors only. If they have aged sufficiently to alter DCV delivered to the servo, etc, anything goes. If a prior user did a calibration with bad lyrics in place then of course you’d have to recalibrate. If the unit was never recalibrated from new then maybe you’d be ok after replacing caps that have gone bad. So maybe I should not have used the word “should”. “Might” not need recalibration would have been better.

Chak, No one is infallible.  I was just pulling your leg, as we say in English.  The TT801 should not perform any better than a TT101 except by virtue of its vacuum mat.  The fact that it uses ICs in lieu of some discrete transistors found in the TT101 might make the TT801 even more difficult to repair, as the ICs may no longer be available.  As you know, you can apply an Audio Technica vacuum mat to a TT101 and expect a result similar to the TT801.  That's if you can find an AT vacuum mat that still works.

So my original hunch that the 801 could be a 101 that uses more ICs and fewer transistors now looks to have been correct . But chakster was so certain the electronics were from the 81....

Replacing the electrolytics in the PS should not necessitate a recalibration. And ought to be done. Film capacitors in the rest of the circuit do not usually fail and can be left alone. It would be ill advised to replace ICs if the thing is working. Good to have spares available however.

Bestie, Yes, the TT101 is much more complex electrically than a TT81. That was the point of my last post.  Since Chak is a thorough researcher, I would suppose he is correct about the TT81 innards.  But there is a third possibility: it may be TT101-like but use more ICs where the TT101 used discrete transistors.  That would be one way they may have reduced the interior space needed for the TT101-like circuit, in order to fit the vacuum system.  For that you need a smart person.  I recommend JP Jones, to be found at Fidelis Analog.

Before Chak posted, I would have said it's a TT101 with vacuum platter, not a TT81.  But if you look at the cross-sectional views on Vintage Knob, you will see that much of the interior space is taken up by the vacuum system, which when I first saw the pictures made me wonder how on earth they can fit all the TT101 electronics in there.  So, if it's a TT81, that makes more sense to me.  In any case, if it's a TT101 electrically, that service manual is also available on VE.  So, you are covered either way.  I think it does state on Vintage Knob that it is a TT101, electrically, but VK is not infallible.

Elliot, calm down is my advice.

If chakster is correct, and what he said makes sense, then all you need is a TT81 service manual, which I believe is available on Vinyl Engine for free.Think of the TT801 as a TT 81 with a separate vacuum platter system built-in. I was able to get a TT101 service manual from VE, so you should be fine.