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 @banquo363 : Something is wrong somewhere ( maybe you are rigth. ) and maybe the 71 is not coreless. Here says that it’s along the 81:

""" TT-71 in clear bracketsMotor :FG detecting Coreless DC ServoDrive type :direct-driveServo type :Quartz Lock +/- Servo {Quartz Lock Servo}Speeds :33 1/3 & 45rpmPitch range :±6Hz from 440Hz {fixed}Speed change :electronic / electronic switches {electronic / touch sensors}Rise time :1s (33 1/3 rpm ; 120° turn) {1,4s ; 180° turn}0,025% (WRMS)Wow & flutter :63dB (IEC)S/N ratio :73dB (DIN-B ..."""

""" Precise FG detecting section consists of 180 slots FG yoke with a magnetic disc and an FG circuit board with equivalent 180 printed coils for excellent precision of rotation.
The servo is applied on both positive and negative areas for the TT-81, but only on positive for the TT-71. """


and in what halcro posted ( GT2000. ) says " JVC TT81 .... ""

About the GT2000 the motor is Yamaha the differences on specs are to high in between. I think that other than Denon, Technics and Pioneer other manufacturers can buy some parts from other sources as Micro Seiki than choosed for Technics/Panasonic motors but that does not says in the GT2000 that uses the 101 motor as @halcro think and what @best-groove posted is true a TT is not one characteristic design. In the other side what MS sourced to Yamaha was the platter overall design.
The fact that MS used in the RX5000 Panasonic motor certainly was not the main reason the MS units were " so desirable " because almost all owners of MS not even knew about. Same for Yamaha and other manufacturers. 

Anyway the JVC never competed not even with the 801 against the other named here top TT’s and that pátent is only bs and not as @halcro think that is the unique " all centuries invent " .

That he still sticked with the 101 even today says what he likes it: a lesser quality performance and not at the top as he think. Come on @halcro nothing wrong against you from my part but when even today you still listen music through those SAECs and FRs and the like how can I think of you in different way.

Anyway, each one of us are happy with what we own and at the end is what really matters.
Enough for me.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.





Audiophiles buy Lyra cartridges because Scan-Tech is the builder or because is Lyra and all what this means?

R.
The TT801, so far as I can tell, is nothing but a TT101 with vacuum platter.  This required a large wooden box to house the pump and added a lot of tubes and channels inside the chassis that could cause problems.  The motor and the electronics seem to be identical between the 101 and 801.  Vacuum platter is not my cup of tea anyway (because of the potential to add noise), but if you like it, you can add the Audio Technica platter mat with built in vacuum to a TT101 or most any other turntable; you don't need the 801 to get there.  Yet the TT801 seems to command big bucks in the marketplace, maybe as a collectible.  Otherwise, I don't know why.
Dear @lewm :  I think you have a misunderstood about because the 801 measures way better than the 101, so exist some kind of refinements in its design that were not available in its little brother.

W&F   0.01%  and S/N  -80db.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
WOW! Reading through all of this, the parts I can understand anyway, I am well aware I am way out of touch these days.
All of my gear is from what I called the "Golden Age" when I mustered out of the USN after Vietnam. With my pockets somewhat full I began putting together my system and building on it for a few years until I had what I thought was pretty good. Not so great by any standards of today but happy to report what I bought back in the mid 1970s is still going strong and I still love my music.
For the TT I selected the Luxman PD 121 with an SME 309 TA fitted with a Denon 103 MC and Denon 320 matching transformer. Later on I added a Technics SL1200 MKll for the vinyl I had that may have seen some bumps along the way.
After all this reading I have to ask am I doing wrong. I do not use the Luxman often at all unless I get in the mood to spin some of my better vinyls and that means it sometimes does not get used for over a year at a time. Some here say that it is best to use it rather than allow it to set. All I know is when ever I do decide to spin it it is spot on just the way it always has been and sounds great played through my Sansui G-9000 and Altec 19s. This discussion made me do some math but most of my gear is well over 40 years old but still doing just fine and I highly doubt I will ever need to update any of it with newer offerings. All I have ever done is cleaned a few contacts, mostly in the receiver, and kept all my components clean and dust free. The SL 1200 is the workhorse and about as bulletproof as can be and only ever gets a cartridge or stylus change once in a great while. I doubt any of this stuff can be repaired if something goes simply because the parts likely don't exist except for the Altecs thanks to GPA. I don't run in circles where I get to hear what the new stuff has to offer and none of my pals have any interest in good tunes now in our late 60s. My wife and I do enjoy doing concerts here at home but just the two of us when we decide to crank it up a bit and give the 19s a workout. I often say I am and Analog guy stuck in a digital world and most of my family youngsters never even heard a vinyl album played the way they were back in the "Olden Days". They seem very satisfied with what ever comes from their phones through ear buds but they do want to get behind my gear and do hook ups so they can hear their tunes through my 19s. Never going to happen as long as I am here.
Great discussion here so carry on and all I wanted to say is if you buy quality stuff I hope it can last as long as what I bought but it just does not appear to be going that way.