Vintage Turntables compared to modern?

I think it all depends on the tt's being compared. No blanket statement like vintage beats modern, or modern beats vintage is true.

While it may be true that some of the vintage idler arm tables beat some of the modern tables, I doubt they beat them all. A direct comparison of the tt's in the same system is the only means to a worthwhile judgement.

Having said that, my VPI Scoutmaster (Valhalla tonearm wiring, Dynavector 20xl, SDS) sounds much better than my Harman Kardon T60 or totally modded Thorens TD160 (every mod I've seen on the web, plus 3" solid cherry plinth, stock arm and modded Rega RB20-Incognito wiring, Pete Riggle arm stub and counterweight, all new internal wiring with IEC).

I would love to do a direct comparison to a Garrard 301. If anyone living in the Ann Arbor, Mi area is up to one, throw me an email

I set out last year to upgrade a 20 year old high end deck. After the dust settled I am listening to a 30 year old one. Go figure... If you want to do a little work and reep great reward for small $$ rebuild a Lenco or a Rek o Kut, or any other early quality idler. If you have the bucs and no desire to tinker, go with a Garrard and have it rebuilt.

This question is still relevant 10 years later :-)

I have owned my 1979 vintage Pioneer Exclusive P3 for 9 years next week.   Its never missed a beat and sounding superb coupled with a Lyra Etna SL.

6 months ago (I bought a SP10mk3) I sold my Pioneer Exclusive P10 to a friend of mine who was not that happy with his higher end Rega table -  he sold the rega with a couple of weeks, made a profit and is loving the DD P10 - better  bass, better control, better attack, better speed control.

My high end TW Acoustic AC3 table is relegated to playing some 50's and 60's jazz and alike as I prefer my vintage P3 and technics SP10mk3.

There are many vintage mid to high end DD tables from Pioneer, Denon, Luxman, Victor that will wipe the floor of current model belt drive tables.  Open your ears to trying vintage DD and you will be surprised.

cheers

It's not just vintage DD tables that have this ability to 'wipe the floor'. Last year I decided to replace a TW Acustic Raven GT SE (with AC-3 plateau and Black Night controller) with a Micro Seiki RX-1500 (with stainless steel plateau, R-15 mass loaded feet and CU-180 copper mat), one of the vintage belt drive tables from the late '70's.

I kept the same tonearm and cartridge (Reed 3P and Colibri XPW), so the comparison between both tables was very straightforward. I've never looked back.....

I have ditched modern decks for vintage but with modern arms. I am using a totally hot-rodded Thorens TD124 mated with a 12" Reed 3P and I have a mint grease-bering ivory Garrard 301 being worked on with a 10.5 Reed 3P. The Thorens has a much more robust main bearing that was custom designed by Greg Metz of STS/Classic Thorens and implements a ball on ball design and as you can see, a heavy cast aluminum top-platter. On the Garrard I am also replacing the main bearing with a more robust one made of brass from Peak HiFi in England and also from England is a matching PSU from Classic HiFi in England that will reduce motor vibration as well as controlling speed. 
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