[etcarroll]

I pulled out my old Denon DP-52F a few months back, listened to it a little in my office setup.

Today I set up a new audio rack in main listening area, and want to place the tt on top shelf as crowning jewel.

I damp mopped it, then wiped it down with a lint free cloth. That's fine for appearance, but what else?

Bougth the tt in 1983, gone unused last 7 years, little use 6 years before that.

A Denon DL-301 mc cartridge, probably from 1988-ish, with Denon AU-310 SUT, bought with tt.

Another AC member made me a good deal on a TEC TC-760LC pre - thx drphoto - as my Superphon SP-100 has no tt option.

I set tracking and Q-damping to the values recommended in the DL-301 guide, and I d-loaded "A Beginner's Guide to Cartridge Setup" from this forum.

What else?

Gene

[TheChairGuy]

Providing your Denon (cartridge) innards haven't dried up...sounds to me like you have the underpinnings of a first class vinyl re-birth, Gene

The TC-760 has both a MM and MC section....using the MC section you should have enough gain...so you need not use the Denon SUT when using MC section.

There are a host of things you can tweek on any table (and the cleaning ritual, too)...but just listen to it again and see where your interest starts.

Welcome back

John

[Letitroll98]

Welcome back to black.  I would change the oil on the main bearing.  Any light weight (10W) machine oil should do fine as a replacement.  That's a fairly narrow profile stylus on the old 301 if memory serves, what protractor are you using for alignment?  I had a chance to buy a NOS 301 a while back, the original white plastic body like yours, not the newer gold colored one, and passed it up.  Kicked myself for that ever since, Denon's are some of my favorite cartridges. 

[etcarroll]

Providing your Denon (cartridge) innards haven't dried up...
Welcome back

John

What does 'dried up' mean, it doesn't sound good. Do you mean splitting/cracking of components within the cart. due to age?

[etcarroll]

Welcome back to black.  I would change the oil on the main bearing.  Any light weight (10W) machine oil should do fine as a replacement.  That's a fairly narrow profile stylus on the old 301 if memory serves, what protractor are you using for alignment?  I had a chance to buy a NOS 301 a while back, the original white plastic body like yours, not the newer gold colored one, and passed it up.  Kicked myself for that ever since, Denon's are some of my favorite cartridges.

Nope, no protractor in my possession.

How does one oil the main bearing?  Is it as simple as popping of the bottom cover, and looking for the words 'oil here' with an arrow pointing to a small port? I kinda doubt that.

[TheChairGuy]

What does 'dried up' mean, it doesn't sound good. Do you mean splitting/cracking of components within the cart. due to age?

Yeah, pretty much.  Every vintage cartridge internal damper system breaks down with age...some worse than others.  Moving Coils tend to have more damping (ie, rubber parts) internally than moving magnets...so, theoretically, they should age less well over time.  But, proof is in the pudding and listen for yourself

I own a Denon DL-160 and have had an extended audition with the DL-S1 cartridges and I think they just sounded great.  Terrific values all in all in that line...so if the internals haven't dried and cracked (happens less often in reality than theoretically, actually) and your stylus didn't get ground to a nub before you shelved your old friend...it should be a good start. 

Crank it up and play some tunes...the nuances of vinyl will likely come back to you as you play around with your old friend again and keep reading and asking questions here at The Vinyl Circle.

Nothing will blow up - so go play it and see where that takes you. You can diddle around with the nuances later (so long as you remember how to mount and balance a cartridge on the end of the tonearm?)

Manuals, if yours is missing: http://www.vinylengine.com/library/denon.shtml

Unfortunately, I don't see a DP-52F there...but there may be one of the same vintage with similar features among the long list there.  I think the Denon's of old had much in common with the JVC's...and they never required re-oiling of anything after it left the factory, so while Letitroll's advice is normally a good one, it may not apply to you and your Denon direct drive unit.

Regards, John

[etcarroll]

Got the manual. Didn't need the SUT. Did a quick hook-up and put on a little used classical album Pumpkinman gave me, sounds very nice. Next I have to do something with the cover, it's opaque from being banged around.

[TheChairGuy]

Got the manual. Didn't need the SUT. Did a quick hook-up and put on a little used classical album Pumpkinman gave me, sounds very nice. Next I have to do something with the cover, it's opaque from being banged around.

OK, a successful re-start

I've not had to use them, but if I did need cleaner/polish for scratched dustcovers...this is the brand I have heard of that works: http://www.novuspolish.com/

John

[Letitroll98]

Nope, no protractor in my possession.

How does one oil the main bearing?  Is it as simple as popping of the bottom cover, and looking for the words 'oil here' with an arrow pointing to a small port? I kinda doubt that.

How do you align the cartridge?  You can get some great ones on that site that shall forever remain unnamed in my posts, and the protractor generator from Conrad Hoffman is spectacular, although you do have to know the mounting distance of your arm.  All of these can be printed for free from your 'puter, I like to use photo paper, but any will do.  IMHO a properly aligned cartridge is critical to fully enjoy your table.

John certainly knows a lot more about vintage DD tables than I do.  I assumed all turntables needed lube, but perhaps I'm wrong there.  Certainly the manual will have something about it.

I've had very good luck using vintage cartridges and have yet to have any fall apart on me.  I would use your Denon with some minor care on the first couple of plays to see if there is any groove damage from a malfunctioning cantilever system, but otherwise don't stress.

[Wayner]

Usually by this time the needle bearing on the tonearm have become loose. Those are the 2 bearings on either side of the tonearm at the pivot that allow for vertical movement. Usually you need a spanner screw-driver to loosen the outer lock, then set the inner set-screw for zero slop when holding the pivot and arm assembly. Too tight and that will restrict the arms vertical movement. Tight enough for zero slop, loose enough to freely pivot. Your spring assembly for the anti-skate may also becoming less effective, but you need a blank disc to determine this. You want the arm to float in one spot on the disc (between null points) of your cartridge alignment.

Wayner

[pumpkinman]

Got the manual. Didn't need the SUT. Did a quick hook-up and put on a little used classical album Pumpkinman gave me, sounds very nice. Next I have to do something with the cover, it's opaque from being banged around.

Hi Gene I'd remove the the cover and use a cloth to cover your Denon while not in play.
There is a thought that the cover can act like a sail if up while playing,picking up sound and
transmitting it to the table. I just packed mine away and use a cloth................Bill

[etcarroll]

Damn I've missed my tt!

It sounds great with the Bryston pushing the analog out the Onix Reference 3s. I never had this much power before, and I don't think the AR 9LS speakers I had when I originally purchased the Denon were as musical as the Ref 3s.

I wish the  TC-760LC  had some documentation for the 2 pushbuttons on back.  Guess I'll vary them over time and see what I like best.

[etcarroll]

Ummmm.......    Bill.........

Couldn't you just put the cover down while playing, I always do.

I learned about an open cover transmitting vibration with my 1st tt in 1975, a B*I*C.

Did you have to much b-day cake today and the sugar clog your thinking??? 

Hi Gene I'd remove the the cover and use a cloth to cover your Denon while not in play.
There is a thought that the cover can act like a sail if up while playing,picking up sound and
transmitting it to the table. I just packed mine away and use a cloth................Bill

[TheChairGuy]

I take my cover off entirely (from the hinges) when in use.

It's an instant and free upgrade removing it entirely (that is, neither open nor closed, but off)

Every table I've ever known was easy to fix the cover back into the hinge grooves in the off hours.

John

[etcarroll]

My thanks to Pumpkinman for stopping by with his Mobile Fidelity GEO-DISC to check my cart. alignment.

I'm good to go!

[etcarroll]

Stage 2.

After getting the feel the sound wasn't quite there at certain ranges, I bought a NOS Ortofon MC 25E cartridge I just put on, new cables to connect the phono pre to pre, and a linear power supply in place of the wall wart that came with the TC760 pre.

Much better! 

Still, can't tell if the tonearm was level with the record surface on 1st installing the cart. with just the 'eyeball' test as my eyeballs just don't have it anymore, so I ordered a digital scale for checking tracking force.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16269