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Systemdek revisited

I think that a lot of this has to do with marketing at the time. I've had a few (and still have one) LP12s going back to the mid 1980's. When properly set up, the LP12 is a fun listen for sure. The Systemdek III though is also highly enjoyable and its suspension is less of a bother - once set up, it seems to stay that way.
As mentioned earlier, very important to use the right type and viscosity bearing oil for optimum sonic output from this TT (probably due to its special bearing design). Also; if the rubber platter damping ring has dried out, replace it with a fresh one - it makes a difference too.
Happy listening!
 
I had one of these in 80s,lots of comparing in Hi-Fi Corner between it and an LP 12 both with Mission 774 arms.
Chose the Systemdek and it kept me Happy for 18 years. Foolishly sold it when I won a Logic DM101 in a competition.
Owned another a few years back which needed refinished and refinished a couple more for people.
Still prefer the Systemdek to any of the numerous LP 12s that have passed through here.Possibly not as incisive
detail as a well fettled LP 12 but always thought it produced a much larger/wider soundstage with more body to the
performers/instruments Dressing the arm cable properly was way more of a p.i.t.a. than an LP 12 and the thick cables
supplied with the 774 helped not a jot.
 
I have three of these stored away. One has the aforementioned Syrinx PU2. Alas it has no mass ring. Maybe you could send me some dimensions Robert and I’ll turn one up.
 
I got my Systemdek in December 1980 and it looked identical to the picture above...a fuzzy suede finish (?Nextel?). I got it from Elena Mae in Dundee, and had a Syrinx PU2 tonearm. Needless to say it trampled all over the Michel Focus One/Hadcock 228 I had been using.

I didn't know at the time that the Systemdek oil had to be replaced fairly frequently...unlike the LP12. So I noticed that over a year of so, the performance became decidedly worse. One summer I took the train carrying my Systemdek to a hifi show in Maidstone and hand carted it into the Dunlop room, expressing my dissatifaction. I was very cordially greeted by one of Peter Dunlops sons, who treated me as a valued customer...and even swapped the bearing/inner platter of the Systemdek model at the show out for mine.

When I attempted to leave the show, again carrying out my Systemdek, I was accosted by the security team who thought I had stolen it from an exhibit. Fortunately Dunlop Jr. vouched for me, and all was well.

A couple of years later I drank the Kool-Aid that any LP12 deck is better than anything else, so I tried to replace the Systemdek/PU2/Entre One with a LP12/LV-X/Basik. The latter made drums sound like coins rattling in a tin-can.....inspite of having the annointed LP12 as the source. It took moving from the LV-X (which was quite screechy and bass-free) to an Ittok to even come close to the Systemdek/PU2. And it took a Karma to outdo the Entre One; the Linn/AT Basik. AT32E, Dynavector Ruby and Asak were all inferior to the Entre. In fact I preferred the MM Supex SM100E to the Ruby and the AT32E.
 
Sounds as if my Systemdek could do with an oil refresh - can someone let me know which oil to buy and any tips on applying it?
 
No instructions in the Systemdek Transcription manual at VE.

The manual for the Systemdek II and III says .8ml of H.P.90 oil. I understand that this is motor gear oil. The manual also says that oil replacement should only be necessary due to transit loss or spillage etc. Personally I am not convinced by the comments above that regular replacement is necessary but shouldn't do any harm.
 
There’s no reason why the oil in a turntable bearing should become dirty and need frequent changing unless something is wearing away! A fully synthetic version of EP90 gear oil might also be good in a turntable bearing.
 
We had ours in about 1981 so I'd have been 15.

I've told the story before but the then Popular Hi-Fi editor Chris Frankland used to visit a friend of the family just a few streets away. One day I was invited over to meet CF, and of course i was thrilled!
I was then utterly mauled for not choosing the LP12, and told very plainly that I wasn't listening to the right things......
Needless to say, I was a bit deflated.

He was right though.
I met CF yesterday. He's doing a bit of writing for HiFi Critic nowadays. I imagine quite a few here would be surprised by his taste in turntables amps & speakers now. ;)
 
Presumably, hi-fi critic CF will provide his own hi-fi review in which he let's all and sundry know whether or not he is finally getting the flat response that he'd always dreamt of.

The curse of the claw!
 
He must have been quite young when doing all that. He almost seemed oblivious to the influence he'd had!
 


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