Best vintage DD turntables from the 70's and 80's?

@lewn I would like to correct you that the M-S DDX-1500 is quartz locked. The moniker DD# is no indicator that it is not Quartz Locked. Check it out...

@harold-not-the-barrel

Chakster, yes that´s reasonably priced but its 110V so fits only in US and Japan. AudioScope´s is 230V for European audiophiles + has a warranty. How many vintage hyper decks have a full warranty ? Not so many.

It’s actually 100v for Japan market, 110v for USA is another one.
And 220-240v is the rarest, but i use my 100v Luxmans with step-down transformer from 220v to 100v, i’m using local step down transformers and they are retalively cheap, i have one 1000w for two Luxmans (this is an old photo, you can see my TT-101 in the corner, i don’t use those tube amps anymore :).

Japanese Toyozumi Dengenkiki step-down transformers are quieter, more expensive and probably much better, but i’ve never tried them.

People are crazy about step-down transformers when it comes to the Japanese amps, but i don’t think it’s so critical for a turntable, it’s all about correct voltage just to rotate the platter, there is no audio signal.

However, Nelson Pass told me it’s fine to use step-down trans for my 110v US version of First Watt F2J power amp, so i bought another 1000w step down trans (240 to 110v for US electronics). Maybe i will just ask his to ship me a trand for 220v to replace mine in the amp one day.

If someone is thinking that using a trep-down transformer for a turntable is bad idea please explain why ?

Dear @knollbrent : No, the motor did not comes from MS.

All MS belt drive motors came from /PanasonicTechnics ( Matushita group. ) and all the MS direct drive motors came from JVC. So that Luxman motor came from JVC. Micro Seike just did not manufacturer TT motors.

Technics, Denon, JVC were the main motor supliers in those times.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

As good as these turntables are, equally as important were the arms. Unfortunately, not all manufacturers were able to match their bases with good arms. Probably the best arm to come out back them was the MS MAX-237 followed up with the venerable MS-505 in its various variants. Then to round out the experience you needed to match a good cartridge of the era.

Luxman sold PD-441, PD-444, PD-555 were naturally engineered by Micro Seiki : the PD-441 and PD-555 bear MITO T-Tags (MIcro Tokyo) on top of the "official" LUX T-Tag while the PD444 has an MTC T-Tag - which is also Micro. Check the source here @knollbrent

So the turntable engineered by Micro Seiki, but if the motor comes from JVC for Micro Seiki then i love it even more! It would be nice to have some proof of it, however.