One of the ultimate LP record players launched shortly before digital disc would definitely change the landscape.
It isn't 'the' absolute LP replay machine (absolute-ness isn't of this world) but measured performance is simply stunning and, unlike what its looks may indicate, the DP-100 was targeted at the consumer market.
The center of the DP-100 : a 15 x 14cmstator, leaf spring + oil decoupled 6,850kgtwo-piece platter and a 13 x 13cmrotor holding 21 coils. The shaft is 1,4cm in diameter.
At the center of this is the AU-169 Unit motor, which was first presented by Denon at the 1979 Japan Audio Fair and developed for cutting lathes - hence the presence of that all too often used icon on each of the many ads Denon published in Japan.
Albeit enormous, the version inside the DP-100 is however somewhat smaller than the AU-169 - especially its power-supply !
The top frame is made of a c. 1..4cm thick single diecast aluminium piece, rectified and finished in hammered style with a varnish added. Although not Denon's forte, ever, this one color + finish team is absolutely beautiful.
The four feet mix springs, an articulated piston and oil to isolate a total mass of 48kg.
The speed locking system is equivalent to that of any 1970s Denon or Sony turntable : a 1000 magnetic pulses are printed on the platter's rim, read by a magnetic head and fed into a Quartz PLL loop.
The small front lid hides the secondary controls : speed selection, pitch control, anti-skating & lifter speed (for the DP-100M) plus two controls which only the stock tonearm allows - Cut off frequency between 3Hz and 13Hz and Q Damping to tame the inherent 8Hz resonance of the tonearm.
The tonearm installed on the DP-100 is of the Dynamic Servo Tracer kind : filled with coils, magnets and sensors to effectively follow the groove in an 'active' manner. Like a Sony Biotracer but simpler.
Wands are interchangeable : medium weight in 'S' shape or low-weight in straight shape ; the straight wand is made of 'a special light alloy which has been heat-treated, like a cartridge cantilever'.
The DP-100 is the barenaked arm-less version but, like the DP-100M, it has an interchangeable armboard to fit any other tonearm of almost any size : the original one measures 28,2cm.
An optional DK-1000 wood+leather enclosure pushed the bill to 1,100,000¥ but only about one on ten DP-100 was fitted with it.
The total production run for the DP-100 and DP-100M is anybody's guess but should be around 250 pieces.
The highest serial number spotted in Japan (on a 100) bears an 11 8 118 ('11' means Denon factory, '5' is product run (or month ?) and '118' is the actual s/n) ; another (on a 100M) has an #11 3 088. The highest DK-1000 serial spotted is #67 so either more DP-100/m were made or more DK-1000..
From these and others we can guess a production running over several months, each run quite possibly launched when enough orders had been received.
Denon in Japan doesn't remember anyhting but Denon in Germany recently unearthed a forgotten demo sample in its warehouse (!) and it bears a n°3 serial number (probably a pre-prod. sample).
The last prototype, shown at the 1980 Japan Audio Fair, was at the same time completely different and somewhat equivalent : more obvious consumer design (less 'streamlined') and smaller in width, depth and height but the link between the two is evident (unlike the original L-07D 1978 proto' and the final product).
It should be noted that around 1991 Denon planned and built a fully finished and functional studio turntable prototype named DP-X to try and come back into high-end LP replay.
This DP-X was however not produced : ten years was too long an absence for a come-back.
A real 100M here, with serial #11 2 003. ('11' is the regular Denon prefix, for all that was built in-house ; '003' is the actual s/n).

The last thing I was thinking about doing today was buying a new turntable. I was at the thrift store looking for a weed wacker and I spotted this turntable on a top shelf.

Right away I recognized it as a Denon. I always loved that raised platter/flying saucer look. Took it down. $19.95 price tag. My heart skipped a beat. I plugged it in. Adjusted the strobe.

Denon DP-1000 owners manual, service manuals and schematics are for reference only and the Vinyl Engine bears no responsibility for errors or other. Aug 11, 2017  I don't know if the Denon you may be getting will come with a manual, but if not, set-up is a bit different from more traditional TTs. You only use the counter weight to 'balance' the tonearm, which is said to be 'balanced' once the tip of the stylus is.

Held speed perfectly. Ran to the cashier with it. Cosmetically, it was about a 7.5. But with some TLC, now its a 9. Just a bunch of old stains and gunk which polished out beautifully on the aluminum platter. A little paste wax on the wood.

It looks great! I added a Ortofon OM20 I had laying around and BINGO. Just a great match. It looks like it has a nice Audio Technica arm on it. I downloaded the manual and the DP-1100 came supplied with an an arm.

The DP-1250 (same table) without an arm. Anyway, I gave it a spin, as I said, and I think it sounds great. So easy to set up and get going. My Thorens TD125 was an endless struggle to make sound good. This thing was just plug and play.

I havent done a head-to-head between the Thorens and Denon, but I'm thinking the Thorens might have a tad more 'delicacy', but for a second table and one which is so easy to set up and obviously rugged, I'm loving the Denon.I don't know much about Denon turntables, and can't find jack about this model. Anyone have any knowledge of this table?

The car stereo may not function properly if the connectors between the unit and the front panel are not clean. Follow these steps to troubleshoot this issue:IMPORTANT: Consult the operating instructions of the car stereo for model-specific information. In order to prevent this, do the following:WARNING: There is a risk of personal injury.