. . . I thought I should go with the Audio Technica LP120 but I think I'm sold on the Denon. I've been noticing however that everyone who has this TT has it at $329. I saw on this thread it used to be much cheaper. I also noticed on the Denin site says its "out of stock". Does anyone know if this is in fact the case that the DP-300F is going out of production? If this is indeed goings out of production maybe I should consider an alternative. Any suggestions?
Parts availability down the road is a legitimate concern. Maybe all you'll ever need is a new belt occasionally, but it would be nice to think you can still get those from the manufacturer 5, 10, or 15 years from now. Being direct drive, the AT has the advantage of not even needing the belt. You might try calling Denon and asking about the future of the DP-300F; even if it is to be discontinued, parts may be available for quite some time. Some parts, especially belts, are often shared with other models, and there are two other current Denon turntables that use the same belt. On the other hand, PacParts (whom Denon referred me to for ordering an extra headshell) lists the DP-300F motor as discontinued, a pretty important part should it fail at some point.
Alternatives are hard to suggest, especially if you're looking for a new turntable at a reasonable price with automatic operation and a built-in phono stage. No one can know the future, but if you want to maximize your chances of long-term parts/service availability and can live with a much simpler design, an entry level Rega might be a good choice. For my bedroom system, the advantage of auto operation and convenience of its nice-sounding built-in phono stage made the DP-300F the best choice for me.