Denon DP80 vs Technics SL1200 mk3- any difference with the same tonearm???
- Thread starter Onebean
- Start date
Kit Carson
Active Member
A well decked out DP-80, with corresponding quality plinth tonearm cartridge, should come very close to a Technics SP10Mk3. The DP-80 was one step down from Denons DP-100 statement table, the SP10Mk3 was Technics statement table. In a matchup between the two statement tables I'd lean towards the Denon having the edge.
JP
7480 74111110101115
That’s one massive step. Ever had hands on any of these tables?
Wheres Mr Pig when you need him. In the thread "Denon dp 75/80 owners club" he talks about comparing the SP 10 to the DP 75.or 80 I forgot He has owned both at the same time I believe. You may be surprised. Oh wait a minute he's out in the yard chasing those nasty chickens.
Bkphoto
Super Member
Mine is a DP 1000, I wanted this project to have the least amount of electronics…all it has to do is spin at a constant speed and be quiet…as you go up the chain they get over complicated (in my view)
mockingbird did the resto, balanced the platter, recapped, sound isolation, he went through everything I’m really happy with it…plus it looks great…
it’s my 4th Denon…
mockingbird did the resto, balanced the platter, recapped, sound isolation, he went through everything I’m really happy with it…plus it looks great…
it’s my 4th Denon…
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
The SL-1200 Mk III is much more rugged, much more resilient, and sounds good. I also say this equally as a Denon DP-80 fan (but they're more delicate creatures). Enjoy them both, they compliment each other.
Mister Pig
Pigamus Maximus
This is right, I never had a SP 10 MK III, only a couple of the MK II. The Denon i owned was a DP75 in the original VPI plinth. I have friends who have bought the DP80, but i never owned one myself. The scuttlebut on the net from owners is that the sound quality from both tables is equal, but friends who had their 80 rebuilt report that the circuitry and motor is significantly different between the two tables. But my direct drive experiments ended at this point, and I have not explored that next level. Partially because the price of the SP10 III and some of the other top tier tables have gotten quite high and I am not sure how I would get them serviced.
I also wanted to explore suspended tables, and direct drives by their nature do not lend themselves to this architecture well. There have been some uses of sprung suspension with direct drive, but its a rarity, and the VPI plinth i had was temperamental in nature. These days I have two belt drives, one suspended design in the SOTA Cosmos Eclipse and one unsuspended high mass design in the Scheu Audio Das Laufwerk No 2. I am content with these tables. I considered selling both and consolidating to one table from a higher tier, however, I am unsure if I get tangible sonic improvements over what I have in context of this system.
flavio81
Turntable technician
I would also prefer the Denon, even though a SP10MK3 is a rare, massive turntable that is surely the desire of many people.
But the Denon uses an AC motor that (in my view) is intrinsically superior to the brushless DC motor on the SP10.
I wouldn't say they "don't lend themselves to this architecture". More like "they don't need this architecture", in my view.
Suspended tables are almost a necessity on belt-drive turntables, because you need to isolate the motor to prevent rumble. Sometimes only the motor is suspended, sometimes only the platter is suspended, many times both things are suspended.
On direct drive turntables there's no need to isolate any motor, the motor is fully coupled to the platter. So really no strong need to suspend the turntable except for isolating it from external vibrations.
I own a Sony PS2251 and it is a suspended DD table: The inner frame "floats" on three very nice springs, and holds both the turntable and the armboard. (BTW, the Sony and the Denon are very similar in that they use an AC motor, and in that the voltage, instead of the frequency, is used to vary the speed).
Mister Pig
Pigamus Maximus
Glad to hear you have tables you like. That is the great part of analog, we have so many choices to make on how we spin our vinyl.
I appreciate the tables I have and find the strengths of belt drive to be preferable. The motors and speed controllers do an excellent job. I am content. They do what I need and support my small collection of cartridges.
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flavio81
Turntable technician
It's ok, i don't have anything against BD tables, when well designed.
Did you sell your Denon DD?
Mister Pig
Pigamus Maximus
My Denon went to VPI for their display because I had one of the earliest and well preserved VPI plinths that was the companies first commercial product.
Idlenodrive
New Member
I owned both an SP10 Mk11 and a Denon DP-80 simultaneously and I now only own the Denon. Enough said I guess
absolon
Super Member
My recent experience has clearly established that mass has a significant role in PRAT.
Kit Carson
Active Member
Same results here as absolon re mass in both DD and BD tables, DD won out due to speed issues with BD. BD speed could of been equal to DD but the cost to do it wasn't economically practical compared to DD. Along with mass suspension added to the isolation. A forgotten jem a Technics SL-150Mk2 with a Technics EPA tonearm.
tabarddn51
Super Member
Hi, Its quite easy to do a direct comparison if you use a 12'' arm. A couple of years ago I did the same between a my SP15 with new chip & SP10 mkII using one of my Temaad Merlin arms, with an Accurphase AC2 MC attached. Result was that the SP10 was the clear winner, have done further research & the opinion is that a DP80 is at least as good or better than the SP10. So it's a no brainer the DP80 would thrash an SP1200. But the 1st thing you need to do with the 1200 is upgrade the arm as that is it's weakest part.
Cheers
Cheers
cafe latte
Addicted Member
One issue with all the Denons is the magnetic strip under the platter, when it gets weak the turntable is a door stop. The Technics be it sl1200, or SP10mk2 or 3 can be fixed this alone makes the Technics for me the better table to have. Ask me how I know this problem with Denons?
I have a refurbished Denon in the Garage which does not work due to the magnetic strip.
Cheers
Chris
I have a refurbished Denon in the Garage which does not work due to the magnetic strip.
Cheers
Chris
And yet not enough. I wonder what it is the DP-80 does that the SP10 does not. In their basic form, these both come with no plinth and no arm.
Kit Carson
Active Member
caffe late my Denon is 44 years old and the magnetic strip works fine having very accurate speed. Seen a lot of threads on AK and I can't offhand remember anyone other than you mention this. Sounds like your magnetic strip was damaged by very rough handling or cleaning with something corrosive.