Top ten DD turntables of all time?

Nsgarch

From page 80 of a recent Audio Advisor catalogue:

"It's no wonder so many people embraced CDs when they were first introduced. Their turntables sounded terrible! If you've still listening to an older, direct drive turntable, you've never really heard the music on your records."

For me, this was a new low for AA, in a descent which began circa 2004, perhaps when they hired the business genius who also writes copy like HUGE SALE! UP TO 10% OFF ALL RACKS.

Mapman

"Quiet or not" is an excellent point which perhaps sums up the whole debate very nicely.

My memory however is that starting with the cult like promotion for the Linn LP 12, a generation of listeners was somehow led to believe that direct drives were only suitable for basement party disc jockeys and the shame of any golden eared audiophiles. Plenty of salespeople and audiophiles made this claim.

I have always found this fascinating because I loved my Kenwood KD 500, I enjoyed my Yamaha PX2, and I hated my Linn LP 12 - the worst turntable I ever had.

FWIW, the best times I spent with a TT was when (in the late 70's) I had a Technic's 1350 TT Quartz DD with a Grace 9E. Looked great and played records just fine. Lots of great analog nites. Then I read about high end belt driven TT's and MC cartridges and moved 'up' to an Oracle Delphi and Accuphase cartridge and it was never the same again. Spent far more time fussing with set up, etc and less time actually listening to music. I've been tempted, but someone said that 'you can never go home' so I haven't, but I do wonder. :-)

In my opinion??? It is ReVox, Denon and then Technics EXACTLY in that order.

I put together my first system back in 1983, and that unfortunately was completed with the addition of a NAD 5255 Compact Disc Player back in 1985. Had I went the vinyl route and decided to go with a turntable back then, if it had to be a Direct-Drive, then I would've looked for a vintage Denon with a wooden plinth, the controls at the front edge of the platter, and an "S" shaped tone arm, and would've mounted a Sonus or a Grado M/M Cartridge onto it.

Now.... I have a Thorens TD-165 and a VPI Scoutmaster with a JMW Memorial 9 Arm and a Grado Prestige Gold on the Thorens and a Sonata Reference on the VPI/JMW (both which are Belt-Drives). After spending time with these tables, I don't think I can go back to a Direct-Drive.

Can You???

--Charles--

Cwlondon et al:

RE: April 2 '09 post in this thread, mentioning JA Michell TTs: Wrong name! I meant WALKER TT, NOT Michell. I apologize.

To explain --not to excuse-- I was tired, writing late into the night. I thought to have fact-checked, but not enough.

A lot is at stake for audio designers, hence my retraction: particularly when quoting someone else, I want to be accurate. I recounted an anecdote comparing Technics SP 10 TTs, and the Walker Proscenium TT, NOT any of the JA Michell products.

Cheers, David

A few other great DD tables which have not gotten a mention here would be the following:
Onkyo PX-100M
Denon DP-80 (re-plinthed)
Sony TTS-8000 (re-plinthed)
Lo-D TU-1000 (might benefit from being re-plinthed)
Diatone LT-1
Yamaha PX-1
Pioneer PL-1L

Cdk84, with zero tweaking vs their original form, I think the top three would have to be the Exclusive P3a/P3, the Denon DP-100M, and perhaps the Sony XS-9. With new plinths and tweaking, the above-mentioned Technics SP-10Mk2/3 should be real winners, as should the ones above. The Denon and Sony have less torque than the Technics, but they have very good speed controllers onboard. I have also heard very good things about the Nak TX-1000. From people who have owned more than 2 of the tables listed, including the Kenwood L-07D and/or the Marantz TT-1000, the constant refrain I have heard is that they look cool but they just don't cut it vs the bigger boys on the list. With tweaking, any number of these would be top drawer - I think the real problem is going to be how easy it might be to get it there - and the SP10Mk2/3 is probably among the easiest to get there.

I often wonder how good the Yamaha PX-1 and Diatone LT-1 could be if re-plinthed, but it would be a real shame to chop them up to see. Same with the PL-1L but they are tough to find in working condition these days and Pioneer doesn't seem to want to work on them...

Chaskelljr2001, the P3 is a phenomenal table. The Denon DP-80 is also very good if properly plinthed and isolated.