Help me pick between two "gifted" turntables!

I've managed to acquire two nice, perfect-working TT's and wondered what you folks think of them. I don't have very many LP's at this point (maybe 30, kind of a museum of younger-me music memories) but it would be nice to play them every now and then.

Denon Quartz Direct Drive DP-51f with a Grado G2 cart.
Kenwood KD-2000, belt drive. Has an Audio Tecnica cart that doesn't have any any identifying marks.

After just a few paltry minutes of A/B'ing with "Maggie McGill" from the Rhino WEIRD SCENES LP, I think I prefer the sound of the Kenwood, but I like the look of the Denon a lot more.

So…what would YOU do? "Keep them both" not an option...

 

You have 2 different cartridges...impossible IMO to pick a clear winner. Switch cartridges and then make another comparison.

 

Good idea…will do.

 

Cartridge has a lot to do with it. I had that exact Denon back when they were sold new and it was a really nice table, and very nice looking too (I'd love to have it back!). It should sing with a decent cartridge, perhaps Denon's own DL-110? Very reasonably priced and I use one on my Rega.

 

I like the Kenwood and it's sophisticated arm weight style settings. The Denon is nice but arm looks cheap to my eyes.

 

I prefer the look of the Kenwood. I never much liked the industrial look of those DD tables.

 

Both are good tables, you can't go wrong with either.

 

Keep the Kenwood, it looks better in my opinion, and the arm on the Denon looks very cheap.

 

I agree with others that the Denon arm is a bit cheesy.

 

The Kenwood does have the removable head shell which is nice if you want to try different cartridges.

 

I used to own a Denon like the one you showed. It was very good and had no tracking issues with the arm. It is fully automatic, which given your vinyl listening habits would work for you. You can also use it in a manual mode, as I recall. Mine did develop an electrical fault but it did not render the table useless. You can download a manual from vinyl engine.com. The Denon is the table I would choose.

FYI
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/denon/dp-51f.shtml

 

Looks can be deceiving
http://www.vinylengine.com/library/denon/dp-51f.shtml

Although, servo arms are not liked by everyone.

If I had both, i would play with each and work it out from there. The thing with using the same cart on both, is that it may be more suitable to one arm over the other.
But then the servo arms have a damping setting that is said to help with compatibility with carious carts, to a degree, so I have read anyway.

Also, some like the simplicity of a table like the belt drive Kenwood and It's arm, and worry about electronic failure with tables like the Denon......I recapped my DD Sansui to help avoid such down the track, I also fully recapped a friends Denon DP-45f

I would pick the one that sounds the best to me.


Edit: LOL.... You beat me to the punch with the link, Jack

 

Do either of these tables have a strobe to let you know speed is exact? Does the Kenwood have auto lift?

I don't have to have pitch control..... but strobe is very good to have and know what is going on with.

No strobe or pitch are not going to be my favorite tables in the world.

 

No strobe or pitch on either. Not a deal breaker for me.