Denon DP-3000 project

[helma]

I decided to post a new thread about this table which made me ask about 100V step-down transformers earlier. By the way regarding that, I've got a cheap transformer based device coming from Japan soon, should be good enough to run a 14W TT. Shipping costs to Finland for the Airlink ones were a definite deal-breaker.

I've got the DP-3000 mounted in a 43*48*9.6cm particleboard plinth - I chose particleboard for the supposedly good damping properties and I can say that seems to be true. Getting a nice finish is a pain though, still not there but need to give the paint some days to dry so I can sand it again and figure out what to use to fill the tiny holes in the sides to get an even finish. First go with acrylic mass was not a success. I'll eventually post some photos if I ever get there with the paint job... it's going to be a black hammertone finish which will go well together with the DP-3000 chassis, perhaps a bit boring choice but I'm wanting something "universally good looking" for this one.

I haven't been able to plug the TT into the main system yet but been using it in my bedroom setup and it seems a very nice table. Also has a certain synergy going with the DA-305 tonearm, which I used to not think that much of with the funky design of inserting some sort of damping material between the armtube and bearings - with the Lenco it had a tendency to sound a bit 'meh' with generally a bit overly soft sound and less than stellar dynamics. The first impressions using the Denon designed pairing is the two certainly go well together. The arm might work wonders with a DL-103 which I've read likes somewhat 'lossy' coupling (according to Marco? or someone else?) - currently using it with an old Glanz "moving flux", which are really nice cartridges btw, sadly there are no source for replacement styli.

The Denon is definitely more massive in the flesh than you'd might think from photos, the plinth I made gives a sort of 'compact' look paired with the DP-3000 chassis, but putting it next to just about any 'standard sized' TTs will completely dwarf them.

[paulf-2007]

Some photos now would increase interest Kai and maybe some advice about the paint finish. I don't know how you got to the paint but it's normal to fill holes with car filler or primer filler before the paint finish. The preparation should be as perfect as possible before a thin finish is applied.

[helma]

Hi Paul, yeah I know what you mean about the photos, maybe I'll take some later. The problem with the paint job is I was winging it too much :) I used acrylic paste to fill the 'holes' - the side cut of a particle board is full of them. I thought it was a good plan, I applied a layer of the acrylic, let it dry and sanded everything down to a smooth finish, yet upon painting a lot of holes appeared. Not quite as much as without applying anything at all, but still a lot. I'm not sure what exactly happened. So plan B is to sand the sides down again and apply something else. I was thinking wood glue but maybe that would be another disaster waiting to happen and I'd be better off with the car filler you suggested or similar.

[helma]

I used a different sort of filler for the sides that worked better, it was still tricky - while at it I experimented with creating a sort of swirly finish for the sides. It doesn't picture well and the effect ranges from unnoticeable to somewhat striking depending on the lighting conditions. Not sure yet if it was a good idea or not, I'll have to give it some time. I like trying different things, but I'm beginning to loose count how many cans of paint I've wasted on the plinth... here's a somewhat murky photo of how it looks at the moment. The plinth is painted using "hammertone black" spray, but it doesn't really look like traditional hammertone, the effect is quite subtle - it's not really that much different from a metallic dark grey.

http://i.imgur.com/cvXGAXS.jpg

[Floyddroid]

How would you describe the ssound?

[helma]

How would you describe the ssound?

I haven't been able to hook it up to the main system yet after plinthing it, I've only listened to it in the bedroom a bit, but first impressions are good. Very solid bass and drive to the music. It's sounding very 'precise' overall, nothing sticking out at least on a quick listen.

[helma]

Finally hooked the Denon up into the main system. Impressions remain highly favourable - I never thought that highly of the DA-305 arm, while a good arm and excellent on bass and very smooth overall, I felt it lacked a bit in some departments, mainly dynamic punch and overall clarity. Switching a Fidelity-Research FR-54 in place of the Denon on my Lenco was a clear improvement on almost every aspect of performance - however with the DP-3000 the DA-305 is making some very sweet sounds and is very snappy in a good way. Several possible factors I suppose, but the DP-3000 was offered as a full DP-3700 system which included the DP-3000, a plinth and the DA-305 arm, so at least Denon thought they mated well together :) Particle board as a plinth material seems very good, other than the fact it was a major pain to get anything resembling a nice paint finish on it. I'd do better now having more experience with the material, but I suppose there's a reason when particle board is used in pretty much anything it's under something - either wood veneer or some kind of vinyl wrap or layer of laminate.

This Denon definitely blows anything else I've owned out the water (or I'm having the 'new-toy syndrome'...), with the exception of the heavyish plinthed Lenco L-75 (and the idler Duals with certain reservations - ok "blows out of the water" was a strong experssion to use, but the point is I think it's the best or 2nd best TT I've had) - the Lenco sounds very good already, but I feel it has still a bit more in the reserves since I've been fettling with the idler alignment and I don't think it's yet 100% spot on. The Denon is very quiet and has good detail, very good bass delivery also. A very 'precise' sound overall, I don't think I could point out at once which I prefer, the Denon or the Lenco, would need to live with the Denon a bit longer. Where it might loose out to the Lenco is ultimate 'authority' in the bass region, while the bass is very clean, controlled and goes deep, it *perhaps* doesn't flow in such an effortless manner the Lenco can manage. Also the overall sound seems perhaps a bit sterile in comparison with the Lenco, but honestly I'm not sure yet if that's a good or bad thing - it could be it's just more precise and accurate, or it could be something else.

Worth noting it's not completely apples to apples comparison - different arms and cartridges, DA-305 w/ Glanz MFG-31E on the Denon and FR-54 w/ Ortofon MC10 Supreme on the Lenco. Frankly the Ortofon is the better cartridge of the two, but the Glanz is a real gem of a MM - relatively low inductance and the closest to MC like clarity I've heard in an MM/MI design, but still carrying over the pleasant warmth typical to many MM/MI carts.

I suppose more coming after I've got some more hours listening to the Denon on the main system. But I think it's safe to say it's a very good turntable and worth grabbing if one gets your attention. As far as direct drives go, it's hasn't got that much torque and has a relatively light platter - if I understood the google translated japanese stuff, it seems Denon decided to go with AC motors because though lower in torque apparently they suffered less from cogging than DC motors. Maybe coreless & whatever advances during the 70s/80s changed that for DC motors, but Denon seemed to stick with AC all the way up to the DP-80, which had a 3-phase one, like the DP-100.

Btw. the aforementioned "anything else I've owned" includes some mid-fi japanese belt & direct drives from the 70s/80s, Dual 1229/1019, Telefunken S-600 (Ortofon AS-212 arm) & a Thorens TD-160. The Thorens is still the master of that euphonic sound that so many similarly suspended belt-drives seem to exhibit, but after hearing the authority and focus in the bass that the good idlers & DDs exhibit (and effortless dynamics), I don't think I could go back to the Thorens. It's great in the things it does well, but ultimately it has some short comings that suck the fun out of certain types of music.

And a better photo of the finish (the arm rest is a temporary affair):
http://i.imgur.com/PToPB0x.jpg

[paulf-2007]

That finish looks like a rock face but I suspect that is a photographic illusion, but I like it very much.

[helma]

That finish looks like a rock face but I suspect that is a photographic illusion, but I like it very much.

Thanks. That's how the finish looks when the light hits it from the right angle - in different light the effect is not that pronounced and in completely indirect light it's barely noticeable. It was an experiment, but I think I like the way it turned out. It was done making the surface slightly uneven before painting (using acrylic wood filler paste), then after applying the paint the finish was sanded with a fine grit paper so that only the more elevated parts were affected. I used 600 grit paper and a soft touch, so all the sanding really did was affect how light is reflected. The top is just a smooth paint surface, no trickery.

On a different note does anyone have good suggestions for feet, preferably cheap? :) At the moment I'm using hockey pucks with some latex foam on the bottom, fastened to the plinth with double sided foam tape. They do work pretty well, but I think at some point I'd like to experiment.

[paulf-2007]

I would isolate the plinth from any rack or table with sorbothane hemispheres.