One of the best Direct Drive : Kenwood L-07 D

[shakti]

During the last years I spent my time mostly with Belt Drive turntables, but whenever I had contact to a proper Direct Drive, I am fascinated.

Currently I do use the Micro Seiki DQX 1000 and the DDX 1500 direct drive , at my friends home I can listen to Technics SP10 MkII and the Brinkmann Bardo.

All of this Direct Drives have something in common, they play piano with brute force and crazy dynamics while having a very clear tone.

I am using the Japanese Three Blind Mice Jazz records to compare, as nearly everyone I am visiting has this records in his collection.

4 weeks ago I was invited to a shoot out, some actual turntables in the 20k region, some vintage turntables, belt drive and direct drive.

As all of the turntables have their own fan boy culture, I am not going to list them up. But important for me was, that I was familiar with the different turntables,
but not with my personal "winner" of the shoot out. The former reference product from Trio / Kenwood:

Kenwood L-07 D

The Kenwood played the different Three Blind Mice Jazz records in a way, that I had to listen to them again and again, finally I made to the owner an offer and
went home with the Kenwood L-07D in my car

At home I started the google research about this turntable. Nearly all and everything is documented on this page, which was very helpful :

Kenwood L-07D Turntable Web site

I learned, that I have an early version of the turntable and that the optional accessory kit was missing.

Finally I found the matching

Kenwood DS 20



outer Ring (in the Netherlands) , and the related

Kenwood DS 21

platter weight (in Hongkong)

and finally the

Kenwood TS-10

Ceramic Platter sheet (in Germany).

Still missing is the centering tool to better place the outer ring, if used on top of a record.


Placing the L-07D was easy , as I still have the HRS M3x platform , originally designed for a Brinkmann balance, which fits the L-07D like designed for this turntable.

As the Kenwood list of accessories shows thick rubber feet to be placed underneath the turntable feet as well, I used the GRS Nimbus feet under the Kenwood original feet.

The 7 Kenwood engineers involved in the Kenwood 07 project did a lot of basic research to design this turntable, so the heavy plinth is made from different materials.



The tonearm

Kenwood TA-07 J

as such is similar complex, but easy to handle. VTA can be adjusted during playback.





The standard Platte sheet is from Stainless steel, the optional from Ceramic.

On vinyl Engine a link to the manual can be found, showing some measurements as well.

Kenwood TS-10 Ceramic Sheet Turntable Mat | Vinyl Engine

www.vinylengine.com

same for the outer ring

Kenwood DS-20 Disc stabiliser Vibration Suppressor | Vinyl Engine

www.vinylengine.com

It is possible to use the steel and the Ceramic platter sheet as a composite, so I tried different set ups.

My current "best" looks like the following sandwich:

baseplatter, than ceramic platter. centered by the ceramic platte the outer ring is placed. On top of the ceramic platter comes the steel platter.
And the last add on is the thin brown Micro Seiki Leather topper , which I like on steel platters.

But maybe this set up will change, as the platter weight is not yet arrived and I am using a different weight.

To get a start on this vintage table, I am using the

Acoustical Systems Fideles

6mv output cartridge. The heavy Titanium body fits nicely into the over all Design of the Kenwood turntable, but finally I will fit a contemporary cartridge into the L-07D.

Now I am listening and enjoying music with the new member of my turntable collection

The first impression matches my listening experience at my friends home, now I understand better, why you can find reports from other shoot outs,
seeing the Kenwood L-07D far ahead over the Nakamichi TX 1000 , another nice example of Japanese engineering quality of this decades.

Looking about market pricing, the Kenwood L-07D had a factor of 5x in market price increase over the last 10 to 15 years (in Europe),
which is still a conservative curve compared with Micro Seiki RX 5000 or SX 8000 residual value development.

If you are looking for such a turntable, you should know, that in some markets the L-07D was sold as "Trio L-07D" and not as "Kenwood L-07D"
as example in the UK.

 

[shakti]

some pictures of my Kenwood:

 

[pcosta]

It's time to get that second arm mounted on the rear armboard

 

[shakti]

It's time to get that second arm mounted on the rear armboard

unfortunately this is not a full armband, only a decorative cover .

I looking forward to find in the market one of the tonearm specific armboards, than the project of a second arm can start.

if someone has one on offer, please PN

 

[pcosta]

What would you want to put on it if you did get an armboard.

 

[shakti]

What would you want to put on it if you did get an armboard.

From my available Tonearms the Fidelity Research FR64 FX in black would be a nice fit.

 

[Lagonda]

Really nice looking TT Jürgen ! Do you use the mitlaufsbesen ? On a non feedback TT i speculate it slows down the speed, does it have a positive effect ?

 

[shakti]

The "Mitlaufbesen" is only a contemporary accessory, which is not in use at all.
But it reflects the habits of listening to Vinyl in Germany 40 years ago
I own it since than, original Transrotor.

 

[Direct Drive]

Welcome to the club. The L-07D is a hell of a machine. I have had mine for years. The one TT I will not let go.

 

[Direct Drive]

I have to say I was never convinced by the ceramic platter (which I have). The DS20 does work well but one needs to be careful with certain cartridges.
Funk Firm Anachromat works well on it.

 

[Direct Drive]

From my available Tonearms the Fidelity Research FR64 FX in black would be a nice fit.

FR64x works very well.
I would suggest a 8mm thick gun Metal or brass board be made (they are not difficult)....need some weight to get the most out of the FR64x if mounted on the rear.
Mine from a few years ago:

 

[shakti]

FR64x works very well.
I would suggest a 8mm thick gun Metal or brass board be made (they are not difficult)....need some weight to get the most out of the FR64x if mounted on the rear.
Mine from a few years ago:

View attachment 76956

Great!!!
Thank you for sharing, exactly this is, what I want to happen

My FR64 FX is in near NOS and will look great! I do plan to use the heavy FR N60 nut to fix the FR64fx and to get some weight on the base. Without N60 or B60 I do not like FR or Ikeda arms too much. I agree, they do need some weight.

 

[assessor43]

I do not doubt that this table performs very well. I am a firm believer in a well thought out direct drive or Idler drive turntable. I have the new technics 1200G that I believe sounds more like live music than any of my older belt drive tables. Live music does not sound as smooth as the coloration of most belt drive turntables until you get into the upper echelon and higher end belt drive systems. Real music has drive and leading edge transients that most belt drive tables IME just do not convey unless you want to spend 10"s of thousands of dollars. Maybe 6 figures. I go to and see classical music performances often and the technics gets me closer to the venue than modest priced belt drive systems.

 

[shakti]

Today the searched for collectable arrived , the Kenwood / Trio ST 20 (later ST -21 named) platter weight .

I have tried different platter weights out of my collection and I was not expecting anything special, as some of my Platterweights do have a more advanced engineering, like HRS or Harmonix.

But the ST-20 showed again, that joined engineering can produce synergies, even if simple methods do apply.

The ST-20 is the definitely the "better" platter weight, if used together with the outer ring and the ceramic platter.

I am using the outer ring not to flatten my records (fitting takes too long ), the outer ring is placed on a lower level, that it only increases the inertia.

Using the Acoustical Systems Fideles Cartridge the Kenwood L-07D (in my set up) is playing on the darker side,
compared to my AF5P. To make a better comparison, I should align the headshell / cartridges.

I will try in the near future some other headshell on the Kenwood arm, unfortunately the L-07D was shipped to me without the original Carbon/Boron fibre headshell. May be the Carbon Headshell from Yamamoto (using the heavy copper "S" version is a little bit too much pf damping. Although the "S" versions of the Yamamoto headshell do play on the dark side, the Fideles as well... So some things to change and to find out.

A contemporary Headshell is already waiting, a SAEC ULS 3 ceramic headshell. But may be a little bit too heavy.
I try to avoid new designed Headshells, but a Mutech ceramic Headshell is waiting as well and might be the better alternative to the Yamamoto "S" type Headshell.

Focussing on this level of fine-tuning means fro me, that the turntable as such is a robust base and nothing more need to be done. Drive, Chassis and Tonearm do work on the highest level together, so the little things do make the difference.

... still not yet looked for a "better" power chord

 

[Superdad]

I have to say I was never convinced by the ceramic platter (which I have).

Have tired many platter mats.
On my L-07D I use The Goldmund Relief Mat made of metacrylate.
Hard to ind nowadays but extremely worthwhile!
Here is an old classified ad listing with photos: https://www.audiogon.com/listings/t...atter-mat-2017-04-29-analog-95125-san-jose-ca

Also, the stock tonearm wires--both inside the arm and from the arm to the preamp--are major impediments to hearing all that this turntable and are capable of. Back in my Hovland Company days my partner rewired his arm (with very fine silicone insulated silver-plated wire), designed a brass fitting to allow for change to a standard Tiffany-style tonearm DIN socket, and connected our famous MusicGroove 2 tonearm-to-preamp cable (the design, materials, and rights to which I sold to arm-maker Robert Graham when Hovland closed.

Some Googling will turn up all the above, but you can look to the Owners Gallery on the L-07D web site to see pics of my partner's table at CES and a shot of the underside with MusicGroove2 coming out. A few years ago I had a dozen of the brass DIN conversion adapters milled by a local machine shop and offered them up to L-07D owners. Sold out in a flash! I'll ask my friend if he would mind if I put the drawings for that adapter into the public domain.

 

[shakti]

On my L-07D I use The Goldmund Relief Mat made of metacrylate.

great product!,
It is fitted on my Micro Seiki DDX 1500 direct drive and works very good!

 

[Direct Drive]

A contemporary Headshell is already waiting, a SAEC ULS 3 ceramic headshell. But may be a little bit too heavy.
I try to avoid new designed Headshells, but a Mutech ceramic Headshell is waiting as well and might be the better alternative to the Yamamoto "S" type Headshell

I played around with a lot of headshells. Oyade CF worked okay Phasetech DLC was dark, the Audio Technica Technohard and LS15 gram headshells work a treat. But the the original Kenwood is the best.
I don't think the SAEC will be a good match.

 

[shakti]

than I have to look for the original headshell,
thanx for the advice!

 

[Direct Drive]

Have tired many platter mats.
On my L-07D I use The Goldmund Relief Mat made of metacrylate.
Hard to ind nowadays but extremely worthwhile!
Here is an old classified ad listing with photos: https://www.audiogon.com/listings/t...atter-mat-2017-04-29-analog-95125-san-jose-ca

Also, the stock tonearm wires--both inside the arm and from the arm to the preamp--are major impediments to hearing all that this turntable and are capable of. Back in my Hovland Company days my partner rewired his arm (with very fine silicone insulated silver-plated wire), designed a brass fitting to allow for change to a standard Tiffany-style tonearm DIN socket, and connected our famous MusicGroove 2 tonearm-to-preamp cable (the design, materials, and rights to which I sold to arm-maker Robert Graham when Hovland closed.

Some Googling will turn up all the above, but you can look to the Owners Gallery on the L-07D web site to see pics of my partner's table at CES and a shot of the underside with MusicGroove2 coming out. A few years ago I had a dozen of the brass DIN conversion adapters milled by a local machine shop and offered them up to L-07D owners. Sold out in a flash! I'll ask my friend if he would mind if I put the drawings for that adapter into the public domain.

Thanks.....I bought one of the brass adapters for the arm to accept a Cardas din from you quite a few years ago, off of the Yahoo group (Howards).
Still haven't got around to doing the rewire!!! Must do so.

 

[Superdad]

than I have to look for the original headshell,
thanx for the advice!

Good luck with that! I have been looking for years for an original L-07D head shell and am still empty handed...