JVC TT-71 project

[david counter]

my latest project,
a 1970s direct drive t/t, ok so the plinth is not that good (notice the rustic pine look), it could have done being ply/mdf sandwich but still it's quite impressive,very even handed across the frequency band, it doesn't sound too far behind my 401 which is interesting, I was expecting a light weight sound,

it just goes to show you don't have to spend a fortune to get a good sound it only cost 25 quid,

[Gerry]

Looks good David.

Reminds me that I ought to get my TT-71 out of the attic and have a play.
I have kept meaning to re-do the plinth on mine which is the original JVC rosewood veneered chipboard.
I always thought it was a good TT but believed the plinth to be the weak point.

Regards

[spikeyfaz]

I've stripped my Kenwood KD-2077 out of it's chipboard plinth and it's now running naked . I can detect no loss of bass in this form which makes me wonder just how essential a heavy plinth is with direct-drive tt's and whether your JVC's would benefit at all from heavier plinths.

I am tempted to tidy up my Kenwood or go for one of the more expensive Kenwoods' but I do worry about spending money and then having some obsolete and irreplaceable component fail. Thoughts are turning to a Technics SL1210 as they are at least still being made, so parts backup shouldn't be a problem. More money though....

[david counter]

got a photo Spike?

the plinth I made is laminated pine boards so not exactly heavy but it is quite stiff, if that makes a difference, I am convinced that with these motor units that a laminated plinth is the way to go, the chipboard one that JVC used was just too flimsy, the Kenwood has a chassis which may mean the plinth doesn't contribute much to the sound,

although the TT-71 was sold as a complete deck with an arm (called the QL-7) I bought mine just as a motor unit so I had to build a plinth,

I've been playing with an acromat which has tightened the sound a treat, seems to me that possibly the platter is a bit on the light side,

I'm not too fussed if it breaks down, it was cheap, if I was going to invest a lot of money it would be in something like a SP-10 that spares are available for,

[spikeyfaz]

Originally Posted by david counter

got a photo Spike?

the plinth I made is laminated pine boards so not exactly heavy but it is quite stiff, if that makes a difference, I am convinced that with these motor units that a laminated plinth is the way to go, the chipboard one that JVC used was just too flimsy, the Kenwood has a chassis which may mean the plinth doesn't contribute much to the sound,

although the TT-71 was sold as a complete deck with an arm (called the QL-7) I bought mine just as a motor unit so I had to build a plinth,

I've been playing with an acromat which has tightened the sound a treat, seems to me that possibly the platter is a bit on the light side,

I'm not too fussed if it breaks down, it was cheap, if I was going to invest a lot of money it would be in something like a SP-10 that spares are available for,

Still haven't got round to getting a digi camera so I cannot as yet post any pictures (shame on me).

My Kenwood doesn't have a metal sub-chassis as it's one of the mid-range models. It still pumps out a fair amount of bass; limited I suspect by the Goldring 1042 cartridge I am currently using.

David, have you compared the sound of your JVC motor unit in and then out of it's plinth?

[david counter]

the 71 is a motor unit without an arm just like the Garrards or the SP 10 so you can't run it out of a plinth of some sort, mind you it might look quite good in some sort of skeletal plinth with just the arm mounted on it and maybe made out of acrylic, I suspect though it wouldn't sound as good as a plywood plinth,

[Basil]

David

Interesting to hear what you say on the JVC compared to the 401, what is the arm board made from?

Now that I have bought a decent circular saw (a Christmas present using the money my Mother-in-Law gave me) I intend to make a new plinth which will hopefully have straight edges for my JVC QL Y55F. The Rose wood plinth - good looking as it is - rings badly. Unfortunately, the deck does not lend itself to be mounted in a skeletal form due to the fact there is a huge PCB to mount and it will be difficult to hide.

Out of interest what thickness Acromat have been using? I have a 3mm mat which I purchased a few years back and am impressed with the sound, it just seems to clean up the sound.

Regards

Basil

[david counter]

Hi Basil
the armboard is 6mm mahogany raised up and decoupled on some tap washers, I don't know how effective it is but I needed to accommodate the tonearm nut, in theory though it should be quite good,

the Achromat is 5mm thick

I'm very impressed with the TT-71, there are a couple of others in the 71 series the 81 and the 101, the 101 is a superb T/T in the same class as a SP10,

JVC are very under rated and are an area where bargains can still be had,