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  1. #1
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    Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    I've had this TT in my basement storage room thinking I'd never use it. It originally belonged to my sister and brother-in-law. They bought it in a whole system package from Best Buy in the late '80s to early '90s. They hardly ever used it. In fact, I'm not sure they used it at all. It's in mint condition but very dusty. It badly needs cleaning up and may need servicing, I'm not sure. It has the original cartridge. It's missing the original cables and ground wire.

    I'm getting back into high end audio after about a 40 year hiatus. I'll be purchasing a top notch system based around a Luxman L509X and Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary Edition speakers, along with streaming hardware/software, and CD ripping/storage hardware. I wasn't planning on getting into turntables and vinyl but if cleaning the Technics TT up and servicing isn't too expensive, and it produces great tone I might reconsider.

    What advice, comments, suggestions, questions, do you have regarding this TT? Would this be considered a "vintage" TT? Will it sound as good as modern TTs?

  2. #2
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    I like Ortofon, they have a broad line so something will fit your budget. I've not used one personally but people really like the Denon carts.

    That table would be alright to get your feet wet but I wouldn't put it on par with the rest of the gear you are looking at, IMO.
    Aurender ACS10 w/Audioquest Diamond USB, Esoteric N05xd
    Mark Levinson #526, 534 & JBL 4367's
    Clearaudio Performance DC w/Maestro cart
    Clarus Concerto & their Crimson cables

    HT: Marantz AV8003, Linn 5125, JBL SAM3ha, Revel s30,
    SVS PC13 Ultra
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  3. #3
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody View Post
    I like Ortofon, they have a broad line so something will fit your budget. I've not used one personally but people really like the Denon carts.

    That table would be alright to get your feet wet but I wouldn't put it on par with the rest of the gear you are looking at, IMO.

    Yeah, I wasn't expecting too much. It was considered a great TT for it's time. But I wasn't expecting it to compete with today's high end TTs. It'll be interesting to see how it sounds.

  4. #4
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Anyone else know anything about late '80s/early '90s Technics TTs and how they might sound with Luxman amplification and Harbeth speakers?

  5. #5

    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Quote Originally Posted by bluegrassphile View Post
    Anyone else know anything about late '80s/early '90s Technics TTs and how they might sound with Luxman amplification and Harbeth speakers?
    Look at their current selling price on EBay and that will give you some insight into what people think of them. For example, your Technics is currently bringing between $50-$75 on EBay.
    Micro Seiki SX-8000 air bearing table, SME 312s arm, SME 3012R arn, Dynavector XV-1s cartridge, Lyra Etna SL cartridge, ARC Ref 3 phono stage, Otari MX-55 2 track R2R, Ampex 350 tape repros, Roon Nucleus Plus music server, HiFi Rose 150B DAC, ARC Ref 6, ARC Ref 75 with KT-150s, Parasound JC5 amp , JBL 4345 speakers, Viero Equilibro Level 3 speaker cables, and Definitive Technology Ref subs.

    Reviewer for Positive Feedback

  6. #6
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Thanks guys, I appreciate all the info. I'm not going to expect too much. I think at those Ebay prices it wouldn't be worth the money to do much upgrading, if any at all.

  7. #7
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    What would be a ballpark figure for cleaning and servicing of the Technics DD33 mentioned above...as long as nothing needs fixing?

  8. #8
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Anyone else know much about this TT? Thanks for the info.


    Tom

  9. #9

    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Quote Originally Posted by bluegrassphile View Post
    Anyone else know much about this TT? Thanks for the info.


    Tom
    I just checked again and two of these tables recently sold on Ebay. One sold for $53.00 and the other one sold for $56.00. I doubt this is a table that many people on this forum have experience with. Unpack it, plug it in, and see if it turns on and comes up to speed. If it does appear to operate, dust it off yourself and buy a cheap Grado cartridge and install it. Unless you consider this table to be some type of family heirloom, I wouldn't spend much money on it based on what these tables are bringing on Ebay.
    Micro Seiki SX-8000 air bearing table, SME 312s arm, SME 3012R arn, Dynavector XV-1s cartridge, Lyra Etna SL cartridge, ARC Ref 3 phono stage, Otari MX-55 2 track R2R, Ampex 350 tape repros, Roon Nucleus Plus music server, HiFi Rose 150B DAC, ARC Ref 6, ARC Ref 75 with KT-150s, Parasound JC5 amp , JBL 4345 speakers, Viero Equilibro Level 3 speaker cables, and Definitive Technology Ref subs.

    Reviewer for Positive Feedback

  10. #10
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Quote Originally Posted by mep View Post
    I just checked again and two of these tables recently sold on Ebay. One sold for $53.00 and the other one sold for $56.00. I doubt this is a table that many people on this forum have experience with. Unpack it, plug it in, and see if it turns on and comes up to speed. If it does appear to operate, dust it off yourself and buy a cheap Grado cartridge and install it. Unless you consider this table to be some type of family heirloom, I wouldn't spend much money on it based on what these tables are bringing on Ebay.

    Yeah, I'm not going to spend much, if anything, on the TT. It has a cartridge, so I'll just do as you suggest and try it out. If it was a better TT I might consider a cartridge upgrade. But I think that would be a waste of money.

  11. #11
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    I'm going to try and revive this thread to see if anyone has any new thoughts or info about this TT. Anyone run across one? I'm going to clean it up and give it a try.

    Mike, is there a particular way I'm supposed to hook this TT up to the INT 250?
    Amplifier: Pass Labs INT 250 integrated.

    DAC/Streamer: MSB Discrete Dual Power Supply.

    Server: Roon Nucleus with lifetime subscription.

    Speakers: Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary
    Model.

    Headphones/Amp: Focal Stellia phones, NAIM Uniti Atom Headphone Edition headphone amp/music player/server/streamer.

    Cables: AudioQuest Rocket 88 speaker cables,
    Mackenzie interconnects.

    Speaker Stands: HiFi Man.

  12. #12

    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Quote Originally Posted by bluegrassphile View Post
    I'm going to try and revive this thread to see if anyone has any new thoughts or info about this TT. Anyone run across one? I'm going to clean it up and give it a try.

    Mike, is there a particular way I'm supposed to hook this TT up to the INT 250?
    Do you have a phono preamp?
    Micro Seiki SX-8000 air bearing table, SME 312s arm, SME 3012R arn, Dynavector XV-1s cartridge, Lyra Etna SL cartridge, ARC Ref 3 phono stage, Otari MX-55 2 track R2R, Ampex 350 tape repros, Roon Nucleus Plus music server, HiFi Rose 150B DAC, ARC Ref 6, ARC Ref 75 with KT-150s, Parasound JC5 amp , JBL 4345 speakers, Viero Equilibro Level 3 speaker cables, and Definitive Technology Ref subs.

    Reviewer for Positive Feedback

  13. #13
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    AudioKarma is the place to talk vintage anything
    -----------------
    Brian

    Main System -
    Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables

    Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables


  14. #14
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    you were going to clean it up and try it out over a year ago, did you ? Regardless, waste little to any $$ on it IMO, it's no where near a '1200' in quality
    Cheers ! …. Dave

  15. #15
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Quote Originally Posted by mep View Post
    Do you have a phono preamp?

    No.
    Amplifier: Pass Labs INT 250 integrated.

    DAC/Streamer: MSB Discrete Dual Power Supply.

    Server: Roon Nucleus with lifetime subscription.

    Speakers: Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary
    Model.

    Headphones/Amp: Focal Stellia phones, NAIM Uniti Atom Headphone Edition headphone amp/music player/server/streamer.

    Cables: AudioQuest Rocket 88 speaker cables,
    Mackenzie interconnects.

    Speaker Stands: HiFi Man.

  16. #16
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    I dunno...with the responses I've received so far I'm thinking what's the use? Other than to satisfy my curiosity. Not that it's very strong. Right now I don't even have any vinyl. I was just kind of hoping it was a better quality TT. Technics was a very highly thought of brand, especially in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. I know the audio magazines (back then) liked Technics/Panasonic components. They must have fallen in quality and from favor in the '70s through the '90s?
    Amplifier: Pass Labs INT 250 integrated.

    DAC/Streamer: MSB Discrete Dual Power Supply.

    Server: Roon Nucleus with lifetime subscription.

    Speakers: Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary
    Model.

    Headphones/Amp: Focal Stellia phones, NAIM Uniti Atom Headphone Edition headphone amp/music player/server/streamer.

    Cables: AudioQuest Rocket 88 speaker cables,
    Mackenzie interconnects.

    Speaker Stands: HiFi Man.

  17. #17

    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Quote Originally Posted by bluegrassphile View Post
    I dunno...with the responses I've received so far I'm thinking what's the use? Other than to satisfy my curiosity. Not that it's very strong. Right now I don't even have any vinyl. I was just kind of hoping it was a better quality TT. Technics was a very highly thought of brand, especially in the '70s, '80s, and '90s. I know the audio magazines (back then) liked Technics/Panasonic components. They must have fallen in quality and from favor in the '70s through the '90s?
    The problem is your particular Technics model wasn't within 10 zip codes of the best tables Technics built. This was one of their cheap tables designed for people on a serious budget. Technics tables didn't fall in quality, their tables were just built to serve different price points and markets. There is a reason why the Technics SP-10 MKII and MKIII tables are still highly sought after. You won't find them on Ebay going for $50.00.
    Micro Seiki SX-8000 air bearing table, SME 312s arm, SME 3012R arn, Dynavector XV-1s cartridge, Lyra Etna SL cartridge, ARC Ref 3 phono stage, Otari MX-55 2 track R2R, Ampex 350 tape repros, Roon Nucleus Plus music server, HiFi Rose 150B DAC, ARC Ref 6, ARC Ref 75 with KT-150s, Parasound JC5 amp , JBL 4345 speakers, Viero Equilibro Level 3 speaker cables, and Definitive Technology Ref subs.

    Reviewer for Positive Feedback

  18. #18
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Tom, there are plenty of decent entry point TTs out there if you just want to get back into playing records a bit. Used is even better for cost.

    For what you might need to pay someone to go over and repair the old one, you could just get a new TT and not worry.
    -----------------
    Brian

    Main System -
    Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables

    Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables


  19. #19
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    Re: Technics L DD33 direct drive, automatic turntable.

    Yeah, I'm convinced. Not gonna waste time on this TT. I'll hold out for the real deal.
    Amplifier: Pass Labs INT 250 integrated.

    DAC/Streamer: MSB Discrete Dual Power Supply.

    Server: Roon Nucleus with lifetime subscription.

    Speakers: Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary
    Model.

    Headphones/Amp: Focal Stellia phones, NAIM Uniti Atom Headphone Edition headphone amp/music player/server/streamer.

    Cables: AudioQuest Rocket 88 speaker cables,
    Mackenzie interconnects.

    Speaker Stands: HiFi Man.

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