Do like the minimalist plinth on your DP-1000. Have given some thought to having a plinth made out of granite at our local counter-top place. Their water-jet will cut about anything one can provide a design for.
Denon DP80 & DP75 Owner's Thread
- Thread starter MX117.MC7150
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Most popular............? Wide variation of TA/carts here.
Under $3K........? For me, that would be an SME 310 if you can find one since they stopped selling TAs. Likely easier to find a 309. They are truly nice TAs. There are any number that I would seriously consider for less. There are still some new 10" TK-Jelco out there for around $1K. Then the Sorane SA1.2 for about another $6-7 hundred or the 10" Groovemaster for about the same number. You 'might' be able to find a used Graham Eng'g 2.2 for that amount. Save a good bit of the $3K for a nice IC from the arm to your preamp. For the cart, an MC in the $1K range like a Sumiko Songbird or Benz Glider or the newest Hana would be nice. If your preamp can handle a LOMC that is definitely the way to go.
Under $3K........? For me, that would be an SME 310 if you can find one since they stopped selling TAs. Likely easier to find a 309. They are truly nice TAs. There are any number that I would seriously consider for less. There are still some new 10" TK-Jelco out there for around $1K. Then the Sorane SA1.2 for about another $6-7 hundred or the 10" Groovemaster for about the same number. You 'might' be able to find a used Graham Eng'g 2.2 for that amount. Save a good bit of the $3K for a nice IC from the arm to your preamp. For the cart, an MC in the $1K range like a Sumiko Songbird or Benz Glider or the newest Hana would be nice. If your preamp can handle a LOMC that is definitely the way to go.
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Thanks. Good to know.
Would it be in the same league as those SME and Jelco arms mentioned above? Or, not quite, but close enough?
Or, SME/Jelco arms are a level or two above?
It appears that DP80/75 are very well appreciated, but Denon arms (DA401, 30x) are not as much appreciated as the turntable itself.
The SME arms are definitely a 'cut above'. There is a good chance the Denon arms were made by Jelco to Denon's specs. For TAs, I'm a fan of those that use the SME universal headshell system. I would make an exception for the SME 310. The DA-401 & 308 are likely good TAs, but I find their headshell mounting sysetm somewhat suspect. I say that without having owned one. There are a few posts above from a member that found replacement bearings for his when he found they were bad.
BillWojo
Addicted Member
There are a number of vintage Japanese tonearms that are much better than the typical SME/Jelco arms. I personally like the top of the line Victor UA-7045 and UA-7082 tonearms. They can still be found fairly cheaply and have a lot of great features not found on newer tonearms. Very well engineered and super high quality build.
If I came across a clean DA-401 cheaply enough I'd grab it in a heart beat. Yes, it's a great tonearm. Better than the typical SME/Jelco arm.
Jelco tonearms look crude compared to a lot of the great Japanese tonearms from the past. Acros Lustre made some awesome tonearms like the GST 801 as well as $$$$ Fidelity Research. Wish I could afford either one of them.
Billwojo
If I came across a clean DA-401 cheaply enough I'd grab it in a heart beat. Yes, it's a great tonearm. Better than the typical SME/Jelco arm.
Jelco tonearms look crude compared to a lot of the great Japanese tonearms from the past. Acros Lustre made some awesome tonearms like the GST 801 as well as $$$$ Fidelity Research. Wish I could afford either one of them.
Billwojo
Billwojo - what are "typical SME/Jelco" tonearms?
BillWojo
Addicted Member
Look at the Victor tonearms I mentioned above. They use a collet clamp and it accepts any of the decently made SME type of headshells. It locks the headshell very ridgedly to the tonearm. Removes all of the objections to a quick detachable headshell except if your looking for a super low mass tonearm. Like I said, the Victor arms are superior to most if you study the engineering behind them. Victor was an engineering and manufacturing firm that supplied a lot of the top of the line components to other Japanese companies. They also invented the quartz locked motor drive's used by most companies.
BillWojo
BillWojo
Addicted Member
SME 3009 series and any of the Jelco arms they were currently selling before going belly-up. Not a fan of the SME knife edge bearings, I've not experienced it but from what I understand the SME knife edge bearings can "chatter" if to much energy is feed into them. Have read about it numerous times over the years. To me, it doesn't seem like a very stable design, probably more suited to higher compliance cartridges.
All of the newer Jelco arms I've seen pictures of have a bead blast finish to the parts, you can hide a multitude of machining sins under that finish. It's an easy way to finish ugly parts and make them look great. I'll use that method on occasion if my stock is scratched up and I don't have material to machine off for a nice finish. I learned that trick decades ago.
I've also read a few reports on Audiogon forum that they are not all what they are cracked up to be. Take it for what it's worth.
BillWojo
Many happy SME 3009 owners out there. Same with Jelco over the years up to the current models. Just because you are willing to cover problems with a bead-blast does not mean that Jelco (or others) will or did so.
This is a very subjective sport. You have your opinion and others have theirs. Many good TAs out there to consider. I'm quite pleased with my Stax, but do know there are better available.
This is a very subjective sport. You have your opinion and others have theirs. Many good TAs out there to consider. I'm quite pleased with my Stax, but do know there are better available.
I have the 2300 plinth ( very heavy panzerholtz multi layered )and a SME 3010R. This arm is far superior to the 401 arm I use to have. The 401 is more for high compliance cartridges. The SME R series arms are fantastic ( best for low to medium compliance carts) It rivals the 12" Moerch DP6 I have and is better in some circumstances.
Mark - any chance you could post a pic or two of your TT/TA. Sounds like a great set-up.
Very nice. 
Will add the 3010-R to my 10" tonearm search.
Will add the 3010-R to my 10" tonearm search.This may be a very subjective topic that may not have a definite answer. From what I've read, DA401 is a very good arm for high compliance cartridges with weight 4~10g, and it can compete very well with any tonearms costing up to $1,000. However, pricewise, SME 3010R seems to be 2~4 times more expensive, so it won't be a fair comparison. Maybe a fair comparison would be to SME 3009?
Personally, I have not experienced much of sound difference between tonearms if they reach to a certain level. For example, I have Ortofon RS212 and RMG309 with SPU gold and silver cartridges, but I cannot really tell the difference between those two arms. Maybe my listening capacity is limited or my other gears are not refined enough.
Again, thanks for all input.
Personally, I have not experienced much of sound difference between tonearms if they reach to a certain level. For example, I have Ortofon RS212 and RMG309 with SPU gold and silver cartridges, but I cannot really tell the difference between those two arms. Maybe my listening capacity is limited or my other gears are not refined enough.
Again, thanks for all input.