Advice on Retro Direct Drive Turntables - Japan's finest

[Copperblue]

I have never owned a classic Japanese DD deck and would like try one.

Budget is £500 max

What's the word on the street? - advice welcome

[terrybooth]

Well, the Doc is going to say PL71, I think, which can still be had at this price. And certainly a recommendation I'd echo.
Some on this forum have Sonys from about the same time which they are happy with. Not sure if this is one of them http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sony-PS-6750- ... 43e263df0b
Kenwood/Trio - there's one that has a marble-type plinth which is reasonable.
Lost of others, which others will tell you.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

I have owned and tried lots over time. It sounds daft but the best way to buy them is by weight. All the Jap companies made good ones and bad ones, the best IMO made by Pioneer and Sony. If it is over 10kg it is good, if it is over 20kg it is really good and expensive, and if it take two people to carry it then it will cost you *a lot* of money even if 20 or 30 years old, but you wont need or desire to change again.

[terrybooth]

On that basis, that Sony - http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-PS-6750.html says it weights 10kg - is marginal.

[wallace]

I feel a bit short changed now,my Revox only weighs 9.1kg,so can't be as good as i thought....

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Don't be daft it is a rule of thumb, a guideline.

[_D_S_J_R_]

I don't think Technics should be passed over, despite loads of alternatives and AOS being full of the sl1200 blighters Pre quartz models are fine, should be used sans lid in my recent experience and with an added cork type mat at least and as with ALL solid Jap direct drives of ANY weight, should be very carefully and sympathetically sited..

This one's ok and has a suspension too -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-SL-1 ... 4640ee673d

Replacement headshells may cause the arm to slope down a little, easily fixed by adding a cork mat to the rubber one supplied. EXCELLENT sound and arm is better than the 1200mk2 for MC types as well (DL110 and 10XV a speciality in this arm!).

This one below will go for far more money because of the SME, but a 2M Bronze should be funky in this combo. Superb life-long engineering but MUST be properly sited and lid removed when playing as structure is a bit 'live' - sounds fantastic when sunk into a sand-lind enclosure I'm informed...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-SL-1 ... 2ee60c790a

After my first GL75 and a badly plinthed up Garrard 401, my first direct drive deck was an SL110, which I owned for around a year before the dreaded fruitbox appeared on my scene. I still lust after another, although the dreaded 'live structure' and siting requirements haunt me still. A modern Techie mat would be better for isolation than the raised rib type fitted from new. The mat here looks like a dense fibrous anti-static type and these were sonically very good as I recall..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-sl-1 ... 3ab1822be0

Always jammy's favourite - Brand new as well..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-1200 ... 2357d7a963

Another SL120 -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-SL-1 ... 3ab1ff7c6a

[Lindsayt]

There's a few interesting TT's here:

http://www.ebay.de/sch/Plattenspieler-T ... 800&_sop=3

Including a Denon DP2000, a Sony TTS 4000, a Telefunken 220, a Kenwood 500 and a 990, Micro Seiki DD 1, a few Revoxes and the aforementioned Sony PS 6750.

[Copperblue]

Thanks for the info.

I've got my eye on a Sony PSX 50 turntable which seems in really good condition ....

Are these old decks easy to repair/ service if needed? Any pitfalls?

[Progmeister]

I still think some of the Denon DD's are amongst the best second hand buys.