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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.
halcro
banquo363
371 posts
 
see above:

09-12-15: Banquo363
hi Lewm,

You could try talking to the guy, Dave Brown, who fixed my tt 101. He wasn't taking new clients last I checked about 6 months ago, but he might be more open now. He's already famillar with the table and has perused the manual, so that saves a lot of time. You can find his contact info here. Good luck.

He's in Oregon, so you'll need to risk shipping the table.
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
Lewm,
From what my Tech showed me, I'd be firstly inclined to not worry about the values you are getting when you test some of the ICs.
He showed me three or four values in the Service Manual that he said bore no relationship to those he measured.....and the ICs he measured, actually worked perfectly once the solder joint problem was remedied.
As I surmised above....with the TT-101, firstly suspect a poor solder joint before thinking 'bad' IC or transistor.
richardkrebs
353 posts
 
Halcro
Can you expand on the comment re VPI cutback in production of their DD TT
I understood that they were selling well. It has certainly received good press.

Thanks
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
VPI Direct only made to special order now by Harry himself
HERE
Apparently not selling so well....
halcro's avatar
halcro OP
2,289 posts
 
I can't imagine on the other hand, that the market for $30,000 turntables would be sizeable.....even with the current vinyl revival.....❓
Continuum will apparently only make a Caliburn if three are ordered together..
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