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How good is the Micro Seiki DDX-1000 Direct Drive turntable ?

Here is the MICRO DDX-1000 direct drive. Never tried myself, but it is the most compact DD designed for 3 tonearms.

*The question is how good this turntable really is, compared to some other vintage Direct Drives ?


Some information from VintageKnob website:  

The DDX-1000 is the original design, with two sculpted strobe markings around the 2kg / 31cm die-cast aluminium platter. The resulting moment of inertia is at 330kg / cm2 and the top mat in fact covers a thick cork sub-mat set inside the platter itself.

The DDX-1000, in real late 70s modernism is a direct-drive. The motor is a DC-Servo with FG frequency generator reference set through the strobe neon lamp which "checks" how many stripe it sees and rectifies if necessary ; the resulting speed accuracy is of 0,03%.

The starting torque is of 1,2kg / cm and load characteristics allow the DDX-1000 to remain below 0,04% deviation up to a 3g load set at the outer limit of the platter - specs-wise, we're here under the contemporary Sony TTS-8000 for instance...

The heigh-adjustable feet are typical Micro Seiki (or Luxman, of course :) and contain a mix of inert damping (neoprene stuffing) and mechanical damping (spring).

The is no Quartz Lock on the DDX-1000 ; the MD-1000 power-supply box holds the power on/off, start 33rpm, start 45rpm and stop buttons plus two ± 6% speed controls.

The AX-1G to AX-6G tonearm bases fit everything from the ubiquitous SMEs to the Technics EPA-100 or PUA-1600L.

Of course, the motor of the DDX was used as basis for the Marantz Tt 1000 (1979), and that of the DQX-1500 (an updated DQX-1000) for the Tt 1000 mkII (1992). And, as often, Micro's direct-drive motors came from... Victor.


DDX-1000/G :

April 1976 limited edition (really limited : 30 units) custom made in... bronze. Howerever, it is black-looking for the most part, with the bronze only kept visible for the top of the three feet ; the platter was kept in AL and the command box was anodized in all-black style ; even the AX-1/G was in-bronze-but-painted-black...
Names of the people they were made for (and offered to - these were gifts !) were silkscreened on the (bronze...) motor's cache (...but painted black) - a rarity to say the least.


The DDX-1000 naturally spawned a myriad of lookalikes and still does today - perhaps better than the original, perhaps not. Or not that much :) 

128x128chakster
chakster's avatar
chakster OP
6,144 posts
 
Actually i was inspired by this idea of using Micro Seiki bracket/armboards for other turntable, i also have Victor TT-101 (actually two of them).

This is not new because i’ve seen something similar before on Verdier turntables.

And then OMA turntable with similar arm boards too.

Pretty good idea ? I am not interested in anything but a Direct Drive, a turntable in the middle of this kind of "plinth" can be anything, like Victor tt-101 or Denon DP-80.

Long time ago i’ve seen a custom made plinth by Steve Dobbins, the arm board also cab be rotated and fixed by one bolt, just like on his Kodo The Beat turntable.

After all these i realized that Micro Seiki arm boards designed for DDX-1000 and related turntable is ideal solution and with an appropriate custom bolt cab be fixed to a custom plinth. Not bad, right ? Worth to ask about DDX-1000 turntable ?

Micro Seiki made several turntables for use with those nice brackets, the DDX-1000 is the cheapest among them. DDX-1500, very expensive SX-8000 and this monster also designed for the same bracket/armboard.

So i believe this method has been approved over the years not only by Micro Seiki engineers, but also by next generation of enthusiasts and custom plinth makers?

And there must be a better Direct Drive from Micro, which one ?

Thanks



lewm
12,445 posts
 
Others made the point that attaching the arm board to an outboard footer, as was done in some M-S belt drives, is not a good idea, because any energy delivered into the footer will make its way up into the tonearm.  I think that's a good point of criticism, but I have never owned any turntable built that way.  On the other hand, I respect Steve Dobbins very highly.  You can see that his arm board is really attached to the plinth, with a considerable amount of material between the arm board and the foot, such that the armboard is only subject to the same vibrations that also would affect the bearing/platter.  So perhaps he has foreseen the problem and taken steps to ameliorate it. The arm board on the Verdier is very problematic, IMO. But I cannot deny that the Verdier and M-S approach is convenient in many ways, as it allows for easy P2S adjustment.  I just don't think its structurally optimal.  If you want to try out a turntable built that way, maybe you can find a DQX1000, or better yet a DQX1500.  Those are theoretically "better direct drives from Micro".  Especially DQX1500.
genesis168's avatar
genesis168
408 posts
 
I’ve owned at least 3 of these. They are really pretty looking with a massive looking platter. That’s about it. . What I didn’t like.....

1. Lightweight platter
2. Weak motor
3. Aluminium Armboards come loose. The brass ones are good
4. Check the rubber feet. They disintegrate. 

If you can 
billwojo
397 posts
 
What a timely post as I to am looking at the Micro Seiki DDX-1000 and DQX-1000 TT with those arm mounts. So the general consensus is that they are more about looks than function.
I do have a friend that has an Oracle Delphi MK1 with an SME 3009 SII improved tonearm that he wants to sell. My main issue with that TT is if the motor fails. Replacement motors and drive electronics are VERY pricey. Aside from that issue it seems to be a very highly ranked turntable. He also has a Micro Seiki MA-202L tonearm that will need to be rewired, would seem perfect for my Denon DL-103 cart. I would have to machine a custom tonearm base for the Delphi to fit it.
Lots to consider...........
BillWojo
chakster's avatar
chakster OP
6,144 posts
 
Nice, thanks for information. I will pass on it.
Regarding the Micro arm boards i have noticed the best are from gunmetal, just like my favorite Micro Seiki platter mats. 
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