Victor TT 101 vs TT 81

Thanks Halcro.  You are right, initially I thought I would go with the TT 81 if it was the same, but I think in the end my bias towards coreless will reign.  TT 101 it is.

I used the Classic Direct base

I do not know what it is? A company, a product or what?

Do you have a link for me?

I have thoughts of taking it back to Bill, now that the problem is sure to occur in his hands. He is a superb guy in all ways. However, I thought perhaps you may have a guy who is steeped in servo technology who might provide some insight.

did you solve the turntable problem with Bill Thallman?

After this thread died a natural death, I found JP Jones via this forum and via DIYAudio, as well.  JP gained fame among DD-philes by deconstructing the single chip that makes Technics SP turntables run properly and without which they don't run at all.  The chip is no longer available from any source, so JP is a life-saver of sorts.  JP's chip is constructed from discrete parts on a small PCB that is no larger than the original chip when it is mounted on its PCB.  What's more, JP's chip is a tad more accurate than the original in controlling speed.  Anyway, I contacted JP, and he fixed my TT101, nearly two years ago.  It's been running fine ever since.  I was not wrong in my hypothesis, sort of.  JP found a hairline crack in one of the PCBs in the TT101.  A line of solder covers the crack such that when the board was flexed it caused a short circuit that was nearly impossible to see or detect, unless you knew where to look, which JP did.  JP can be found on-line at Fidelis Analog, but alas he is apparently very busy these days.  Still, you could contact him and ask.

@lewm the situation went well for your TT101, the break of the pcb is deduced from what was caused? Old age, bad manipulation or something else?

If I’m non wrong I read something of the chip developed by JP for the Technics but if I remember correctly it was for the MK3 much more complicated than the MK2 .... I remember well?