Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

Dear �Nandric, Go ahead and buy that TT101, if you want it. Here is a URL for the owners manual AND the service manual, which can be downloaded from Vinyl Engine:

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/jvc/tt-101.shtml

Armed with the service manual, any really good technician worthy of the name can repair the TT101, save for the "unobtainium" chips, that might not be so unobtainable. To add to Ralph's cautionary comments, I would say that the first thing to do after acquiring a vintage dd with unknown service history is to have all the electrolytic capacitors replaced. After 20-30 years, it is quite likely that at least some of the caps are leaky or otherwise defective. Leaky caps can lead to destruction of one of those precious ICs. Also note (Mgreene) that no vendor asked me to purchase the Denon chip in bulk. I had the choice to buy only one or as many as I wanted.

In the US, Bill Thalmann of Music Technologies in Springfield, VA, can repair any of these tables, is extremely smart and honest, and is an audio hobbyist as much as we all are. Music Technologies has a website.

Dear Lew, I am not a brave man and have no intention whatever to prove enything. This peculiar TT 101 was already bought and returned to the seller by Halcro. I would never dream to prove Halcro wrong in enything. But I thought that you wanted to prove something so this info about German ebay was meant for you. Ie I am willing to buy the thing for you but this would be an unnecessary
postage complication: from Hong Kong to Holland and than
from Holland to the USA. You can buy the thing directly by
the seller in Hong Kong (Foxtan or so).
However I need to mention that I just got from Moldova
( no typo) the plinth for my SP 10 MK II. For $ 180 all included. With 4 leayers of MDF and black spray. The problem however is I have no idea what to do with this TT.
No place in my living room for a second TT and my bedroom
is already occupied with some other stuff.

Regards,

Dear Nandric, I read a little about the new data that call into question the actual speed of light. Compared to other previously existing data that confirm the Theory of Special Relativity, I think the data from CERN are rather weaker. I am going with Albert on this one.

Relatively speaking, dealing with any vintage gear is riskier than dealing with new.

Value may be more as a collectable to a very narrow market than anything else with old stuff, no matter how good it is.

But, where there is a will, there is usually a way. You just have to be dedicated enough to find it.

I would personally take a chance on a vintage DD turntable perhaps but only if I were to find a very good deal. I am not a dabbler anymore when it comes to turntables.

If Lewm is right, then Mr. Cheuk should terribly regret "throwing out" two (!) TT-101s.

Incidentally, his site presently has one for sale for anyone who likes to live dangerously. [I have no connection to that site or the owner]