Vinyl Asylum

Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

Return to Vinyl Asylum

Which is the best Direct Drive Deck? Denon, Technics or Victor?

128.250.5.248
Posted on November 4, 2009 at 16:43:00
boidos
 Assuming they are all put into a quality plinth...Which is the best Direct Drive Deck? Denon DP 75/80, Technics sp-10mk2 or Victor TT-101?
Any opinions?
thanks!
RE: Which is the best Direct Drive Deck? Denon, Technics or Victor?, posted on November 6, 2009 at 03:11:09
Munkie_NL
Audiophile

Posts: 3611
Location: Netherlands
Joined: August 24, 2003
 A cheaper alternative: Dual 701/704/721 etc. They still can be had for under 100 euro. I prefer the 70's models because you can mount any 1/2" cartridge. I have a 701 in the attic which needs major work. I may try to get the TT out of the original plinth and put it into a stack of multiply. Could make a killer deck with a decent arm.

"The torture never stops"

Greetings Freek.
It's hard to beat the Technics SP-10..., posted on November 5, 2009 at 16:20:43
Interstage Tranny
Audiophile

Posts: 1408
Location: Eastern
Joined: October 4, 2006
 Instant startup and braking means excellent, hi torque motor. With the right dense/heavy base and quality tonearm, this table is hard to beat...

RE: Which is the best Direct Drive Deck? Denon, Technics or Victor?, posted on November 5, 2009 at 14:05:57
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 5945
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 I had never heard of the JVC TT-101, but after reading the link below, It looks like a contender to me. It was not available in the US.

Dave

RE: Which is the best Direct Drive Deck? Denon, Technics or Victor?, posted on November 5, 2009 at 07:58:57
caligari
Audiophile

Posts: 48
Joined: March 20, 2008
 I am a JVC fan so I am biased and naturally my hunch is the JVC at top, followed by Denon and then Technics. Of the three, I have owned the SP10mk2. And I prefer the sound of cheaper JVC and Denon over the SP10mk2, hence my ranking. It's just a personal preference so there's really no "best". The SP10 does kick ass in the bass department. Let's not forget Sony, Yamaha, and Pioneer also made outstanding direct-drive turntables.

It's fun to treat audio like sports once a while but it's not a healthy attitude. I prefer to treat audio like food: different flavors, different moods, different results. That's why I keep more than one turntable.


The one which is kept in best conditions will be the best..., posted on November 4, 2009 at 19:54:48
DanWKW
Audiophile

Posts: 467
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: June 17, 2009
 Dear Boidos,
...please bear this in mind if you are planning to buy a used one. I have checked several used/vintage DD TTs in person with KAB speedstrobe. Some of them couldn't pass as I clearly saw the speed corrections(like slight swingings) with my naked eyes! Some were 30 years old already with serious tear and wear. Who should complain?

In theory, a new SP-10MkII with leadconsole plinth would be my choice;)

Best regards
Dan






Remember there are a lot of people around the world, who are suffering from poverty and diseases, in need of our help. Please save some for them, find any reliable organizations and donate to them.
Good point about speed irregularity, posted on November 5, 2009 at 07:09:31
Lew
Audiophile

Posts: 2686
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Joined: December 11, 2000
 All of the top line DD decks from Japan are now at least 25 to 30 years old. All of them used transistors and early ICs in their complex servo networks that are now outdated and/or no longer available. All of them are also full of electrolytic capacitors (e.g., a total of about 29 such capacitors in the SP10 MkII). Just based on their age, it is prudent to replace all the electrolytics in an SP10, Denon, etc., because electrolytics become leaky as they age, meaning that they "leak" DC voltage. Such defective electrolytics can cause subtle malfunction of the type you noted, Worse than that, they can cause failure of ICs that are very hard to find, if available at all. Fortunately, many of the discrete transistors used back then can also be replaced with modern ones which are more reliable and may in some cases improve function. If you have a competent technician, it really does not cost a lot to bring one of these units into top operating condition by replacing electrolytics and updating the transistors where necessary and possible. I have done this to both my Denon DP80 and my Technics SP10 Mk2A, and it is on this basis of comparison that I say the DP80 is on par with the MK2A, in similar plinths. (I did the Mk2A capacitors myself; cost about $25 for the parts, using Panasonic caps ordered from Digikey.)

RE: Good point about speed irregularity, posted on November 5, 2009 at 20:12:43
boidos
 Thanks for the replys....Is there much difference between the denon dp-80 and 6000?

RE: Good point about speed irregularity, posted on November 5, 2009 at 08:14:13
DanWKW
Audiophile

Posts: 467
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: June 17, 2009
 OK, Lew, I may contact you later for overhaul or repairs on electronics if I buy another vintage DD TT:)

Dan
Remember there are a lot of people around the world, who are suffering from poverty and diseases, in need of our help. Please save some for them, find any reliable organizations and donate to them.
RE: Which is the best Direct Drive Deck? Denon, Technics or Victor?, posted on November 4, 2009 at 18:32:19
dynacopas
Audiophile

Posts: 45
Location: Central AL
Joined: September 26, 2009
 In my opinion the technics SP10mk2 would win that battle.
Allen 75's,Eico HF60's Dyanco PAS3x, Orcale Delphi Mark 2, RCA MI-9358A, MI-9257C
RE: Which is the best Direct Drive Deck? Denon, Technics or Victor?, posted on November 4, 2009 at 17:02:03
Lew
Audiophile

Posts: 2686
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Joined: December 11, 2000
 You have opened a large can of worms. I have never seen or heard the Victor deck, but I think that in similar quality plinths one could not tell much difference between the DP80 and the SP10 MkII. The mat might make more of a difference than the brand name.

Page processed in 0.093 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2009, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ] [ Go Green ] [ Take5 ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]