Any vintage Denon turntable owners here?

S

Steve

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I love the look of many of the vintage Denon direct drive turntables and have always wanted to find a good collectible for a second system...

Denon tables were popular at radio stations. Many were loaded with features such as auto lifters or were even fully automatic.

Who here has a vintage Denon table?

What is your favourite DP model?

How quiet were their direct drives?

Post your Denon table pics here.

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I inherited my father's Denon DP-62L and added an Ortofon 2M black to it as a cartridge. Definitely not SOTA but I like the sound. Upgrading is on my list of things to do down the road once other parts of my system are finalized.
 
I run a DP-1250 with a Sumiko MMT and Ortofon 2M blue in my 2nd system. It's one of the pieces I have had the longest, and it's not going anywhere. Reliable and great sounding.

- Woody


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I've got two Denon DP-52F's one with a DL-302 and the other has a DL-103.
 
I am hoping to someday find the time to refinish the plinth on this DP-3000. I love the look of this table. this one is excellent mechanically, just needs some TLC.


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I own a DP-755 Denon direct drive TT. Recently installed an SME M2-9R tone arm and Rega Exact cartridge. If memory serves, I bought the Denon in the 1980’s. While it was in moth balls, I was using a Thorens with a bouncy, Linn Sondek type suspension. Was so happy to go back to my Denon. All that rubbish in the 80’s and 90’s about the horrors of direct drive and the redeeming quality of belt drives. I wonder who started that rumor. Well I guess you can tell my feelings about that lie. Sorry to say I fell for it.

When I went back to my Denon It surely did not sound like the Thorens. Inadvertently I swapped the platter mats and the Denon sounded every bit as good (and better) than the Thorens. I love the tork of the Denon and of course the impeccable speed stability. I am constantly reminded how good my analog rig sounds. I will admit it’s no VPI Avenger or VPI Prime Signature for that matter, but so what. It’s like the rock of gibralter.
 
I've got a Denon Dp-62L that I bought from the original owner about four years ago in near mint condition. It was was replaced by an even rarer JVC QL-Y7 but it is still around until I decide to sell it or put it back in rotation. The current manufacturers are still trying to figure out how to replicate the DD motor stability from the peak of Japanese TT manufacturing. That has been replaced by fancy plinths and space age tonearm materials with inferior motor systems. It's the reason that Technic's turntables are back and they were nowhere near the cutting edge in that era, but they still had the ability to re-start production while the other leaders in the field did not.
 
Jack said:
I've got a Denon Dp-62L that I bought from the original owner about four years ago in near mint condition. It was was replaced by an even rarer JVC QL-Y7 but it is still around until I decide to sell it or put it back in rotation. The current manufacturers are still trying to figure out how to replicate the DD motor stability from the peak of Japanese TT manufacturing. That has been replaced by fancy plinths and space age tonearm materials with inferior motor systems. It's the reason that Technic's turntables are back and they were nowhere near the cutting edge in that era, but they still had the ability to re-start production while the other leaders in the field did not.
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Seriously? You don't think the SP-10 MKII and MKIII were at the cutting edge of DD tables when they were being manufactured and sold?
 
Mark

I am well aware of the technical merits of the Technics "professional" line of DD tables, but that is not what the average consumer equates with the Technics brand and not what they started their re-entry to the field with. Instead they started with their "famous" model from the SL line most consumers saw and used. Many of the other Japanese brands of that era also had "professional and broadcast" models that rarely saw the light of day in the US.

OBTW, congrats on you retirement and move.
 
Jack said:
Mark

I am well aware of the technical merits of the Technics "professional" line of DD tables, but that is not what the average consumer equates with the Technics brand and not what they started their re-entry to the field with. Instead they started with their "famous" model from the SL line most consumers saw and used. Many of the other Japanese brands of that era also had "professional and broadcast" models that rarely saw the light of day in the US.

OBTW, congrats on you retirement and move.
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Thanks. Things are coming together nicely and we love our new home and location. The new SP-10 that Technics is bringing to market now is supposed to be an improvement upon the SP-10 MKIII and we all know what they have been selling for on the used market. Those prices might fall apart now that the new table will be available.
 
Glad things are working out for you in the new situation. Are you still happy with the KO's in the new room? I've been kind of considering changing from time to time but wonder how much it would cost to do much better unless I went in a different direction all together like the AG's.
 
Petro85 said:
id love to get my hands on a nice vintage denon table. my buddy who moved a few years ago had one, i tried to buy it off him, but he took it with him.
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I can understand how you feel, I have 4 Denon TT, (2) DP-52F, a DP-59L, and a DP-61F, all are running Denon MC cartridges...I have been very happy with the Denon brand for many a year. My first table was a DP-52F (still have that table) that I bought in 1982...:celebrate008_2:
 
I bought a DP 40f in 1981 and am using it regularly. The tone arm has a mind of it's own and wont go where I want it to so I just move it manually.
 
wjw300tt said:
I bought a DP 40f in 1981 and am using it regularly. The tone arm has a mind of it's own and wont go where I want it to so I just move it manually.
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Sorry I cannot be of service, but my guess is that the setup may be out of kilter. But I honestly never owned a Denon tone arm.

I am still playing the Denon DP-755 that came sans a tone arm. I have tweaked it somewhat. I am using an SME M2-9-R tone arm. I replaced the stock VDH501 phono interconnect with an Audioquest (don't know the model) and used 90° switchcraft RCA connectors on the tone arm side. Unfortunately SME got stuck with this old design of using RCA connectors instead of DIN. The Denon has very little room to accommodate RCA's. But the Switchcrafts are a match made in heaven. I replaced the Rega Exact with a Nagaoka MP500 MM cartridge. The Nagaoka's high frequencies are so good (especially with the Audioquest phono interconnect) I would compare it to any MC cart out there. It goes to the stratosphere. This TT rig will be my last. I am that happy. But I must admit to going through great pains to eliminate RF and hum. I eliminated all switching power supplies from the sound room, and converted the TT lamp to battery power. The TT is now as quiet as a church mouse. No, analog is not a walk in the park.

Oh yea. I bought this TT in 1979.
 
The control for the arm is a knob you rotate to move the arm. I think it is a common problem with the model as I have read of other owners with the same issue. I may get some deoxit and try that on the control.
 
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