Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?


I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
128x128halcro
Dear @lewm @best-groove  and friends: Today we don´t have to live " dangerously " any more and we don't have to follow buying vintage DD turntables and certainly not the TT-101 that's not a " superlative " TT and way inferior to the Technics an even to Denon and for what we can read here and elsewhere no a truly great electronic design as the Yamahas,  Denons,Pionners, Technics or Kenwoods. TT-101 is an inferior unit.

Obviously that people that makes the refurbish work as JP always will speaks according and nothing wrong with that.

Anyway, the today new Technics units are at really nice price with no sproblems and in many ways are better designs that its vintage brothers.

I think is the way to go. I'm not telling you to put on sale your Kenwood or Exclusive or DP-100 but to forget the other units including the vintage Technics.

I was a proponent of those vintage Technics and other DD unit ( never the TT-101. ) but today that " tale " is end/closed. We have a " new kid in the block ".

All of you make you a favor and if your unit fails just forgeret and give up with and go for the " new kid...".

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.






@rauliruegas

maybe you’re right, but I love the top level vintage turntables too much and I’m a big drug for me to own them.

I can not afford a Nakamichi TX 1000, Kenwood L07D, an Emt 950, a Denon DP100M, Pioneer Exclusive P3, Onkyo PX 100M, or a Victor TT-801 o many others, but a TT-101 for example if purchased to repair for $ 100 or some Technics SP 10 II cheap because junk, I do a lot willingly, even if I spend a lot, a lot of my free time to restore them, but is passion only passion or is this all madness?
I do not know but I feel that I really like it!

I’m tired of restoring only SP10II ...... soon I will finish two and I have three more awaiting restoration (in total I have in the collection four SP 10II and two SL1000MK2) I wanted to change model and I was hoping to buy the TT101 to appreciate this machine too if it could work; waiting I also have a TT-71 that was given to me and that needs repair and restoration for my collection but,I was hoping to make the TT-101 work too.
I am very stubborn even though I have little hope.

@jpjones thank you for good idea. ;)
You may want to re-read my posts, Raul.  You’re putting words in my mouth.  
Raul, I disagree with you on the relative merits of the TT101, once it is working up to maximum level.  I place it slightly above the SP10 Mk2 and the Denon DP80 (where I prefer the DP80 to the Mk2).  I haven't compared my TT101 "head to head" with my L07D or my SP10 Mk3 (the TT101 is in my Beveridge system; the other two are in my Sound Labs system), but I would assume it would be a notch below both.  But this is not a point worth arguing about.  Keep in mind that the new SP10R or the 1000R are not exactly low cost machines.  Even an Exclusive P3 can be had for far less money.  
Dear @best-groove:  Many years ago when I rediscovered again my Denon units I was really exited because outperformed my MS RX5000 easily and then I bougth 3 SP-10s. 

If I remember and in Agon was me whom started/proponent of first de DD alternative along Technics/Denon machines  when everybody here were in love with their Walker, Basis and all the BD stuff. I'm still a proponent of the DD alternative but here that enthusiasm as the one you have for the vintage TT like the TT-101 or even if you can't afford Technics SP10 MK2/3 has today no reason at all. With some of the other units you named is a little different.

@lewm I know that you are in love with your excelent and refurbished SP10 MK3 as are other owners over the earth.
Well the new Technics are superior units to your units or the Artisan ones or from whatever comes and the prices of the new Technics will be down over time so this is the time to take care of your money and put on sale your Technics because today still are some advocates for and in very short time no one will give you the kind of money you can get today. 

If you put on sale you can have several rewards because with that money you can buy the top new Technic unit.

Btw, I know from very well source that Denon is forthcoming too and this is a great news for all the analog high end world. I own no more SP-10s.

@jpjones3318, my engliash understanding is really bad and if you are not a refurbish gentleman then accept my apologizes about because that's what I understand.

Anyway, time to sale.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.