Dear Raul, I don't challenge your facts so much as I am surprised to read your post stating that the Denon servo mechanism (as used in the DP31L?) is "bi-directional". Can you cite evidence for that? JVC claimed publicly that the TT101 (and maybe the TT81) had bi-directional servo correction, but I don't know of any other manufacturer who used that term, specifically. Then JP told me that the JVC mechanism is not truly bi-directional in the literal sense, but rather that it operates in six phases instead of three phases. (JP, if you're around, please do correct me.) To be sure, the top line of the vintage Denons, the DP80 and DP75, and of course the DP100, used 3-phase AC synchronous motors and an ingenious method of continuous speed correction, but I don't know if that qualifies as bi-directional. And would you think that the DP31L would have had as good a drive system as the 75, 80, and 100 models?
In my opinion, the difference between the SL1200 Mk2 and the DP31L is not worth worrying about, but if I knew more about the DP31L, I might think differently. It's not much discussed and wasn't one of their stand-outs. I would also point out that for a bit more money, one could probably own a DP75 or 80, which in my house in my system outperforms an SP10 Mk2, let alone an SL1200.
In my opinion, the difference between the SL1200 Mk2 and the DP31L is not worth worrying about, but if I knew more about the DP31L, I might think differently. It's not much discussed and wasn't one of their stand-outs. I would also point out that for a bit more money, one could probably own a DP75 or 80, which in my house in my system outperforms an SP10 Mk2, let alone an SL1200.