Vintage Denon Direct Drive Turntable

I have own a Denon DP80 with a DK2300 plinth since 1980 and it has performed perfectly without any fault. It is heavy, over sixty pounds in weight.

[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/2mnhla9.jpg[/IMG]

So far, I have not done any maintaince on its bearing. I believe Denon motor units very much resemble to my other JVC turntable motors which are also sealed and do not need any oil change at all. My DP80 has, no doubt, proved to be a testament to its great reliability - a tribute to Denon.

Hi Zargon,

Here are two more photos-

[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/mj1izb.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i40.tinypic.com/v5zxqx.jpg[/IMG]

Hi Lewm,
I think the massive DK2300 plinth provides an excellent platform for many tonearms, low mass and high mass. I have partnered it with SAEC 308L, Audiocraft AC3000 Silver Signature, Grace 747, Signet XK50, Rega 300 ……., all with very good results and especially the Micro Seiki MA505S which is beautifully matched with the Denon.

Hi Lewm,
I think you can fabricate an alloy plinth something similar to mine for my JVC motor unit. Those legs are used as tonearm mounting pillars and can be adjusted for height. They are also fitted with Audio Technica insulators at the bottom.

[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/2gsmpop.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i41.tinypic.com/2mq8geu.jpg[/IMG]

Hi lewm,
It looks like the Micro Seiki because that was the inspiration come from. I didn’t have the ability to do it but someone else did. One could simply take one’s design and ask a metal fabricator to accomplish the project, at a cost. By the way, I shouldn’t have called it a plinth but a support or base, may be a supporting base would be more appropriate. It is my perception that a plinth of any material will anyhow contribute a sort of sonic signature, if not distortion, to the sound. So a plinth-less design was a way to overcome and reduce the amount of sonic coloration that would be introduced, I could be wrong.
Here are some more photos of the base:-

[IMG]http://i42.tinypic.com/dqovpw.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/2aexgn6.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/30277l5.jpg[/IMG]

Lewm,
As regarding to my plinth-less support, I am thinking to add a lining of sorbothane and sandwich between the skeleton base and motor unit to further improve the isolation and resistance to shocks and vibrations from other sources.
I have done another approach to my other turntable "the SP 15" with reasonable success by using acrylic for the plinth material which was not difficult to cut and drill. Also it was aesthetic appealing and was my main concern at the first place. I did think about using slate but it would be prohibitive costly, if feasible for those with deeper pockets. Actually if I were choosing a plinth for my DP80, I would choose slate as my priority though.

My three armed SP15:-

[IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/1zebas9.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i43.tinypic.com/14j7rf9.jpg[/IMG]