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A Denon – and that alone was enough to establish its reputation. This is a manual direct-drive turntable which, at the time of its release, was one of the best-known and most highly regarded models, a benchmark for many enthusiasts and professionals. The machine represented a combination of two components that Denon had also made available separately: the DA-305 tonearm and the DP-3000 motor. Combined into a single unit, they were designated as the DP-3700, a system that perfectly embodied the brand’s technical philosophy during the golden age of Japanese hi-fi.
The build quality placed it firmly in the premium segment of direct-drive products, with a solid construction and an elegant, understated design destined to stand out in the landscape of the time. The model on sale retains these harmonious proportions and a striking presence that immediately evokes the refinement of Denon’s creations.
In this machine, the turntable speed was electronically controlled, whilst the rotational speed was detected by a magnetic sensor capable of regulating the motor’s performance with a precision rarely matched by many contemporary solutions. The principle was based on pulses recorded magnetically along the inner circumference of the turntable: the magnetic pick-up detected them and converted them into a voltage proportional to the frequency, which was then compared with a reference voltage to modulate the motor’s power supply. There were 1,000 pulses with a margin of error of 0.01%, a level of accuracy that ensured extremely rapid servo control and, consequently, excellent wow and flutter values. Rotational stability was maintained even as load conditions varied, such as stylus pressure, whilst the servo circuit automatically compensated for temperature variations and the stabilised DC power supply prevented any influence from mains fluctuations.
The drive motor utilised a solid-rotor AC torque motor, a technology which at the time offered smoother rotation and was less prone to vibration than synchronous or DC motors. The AC power supply with a shaped waveform also contributed to a virtually imperceptible level of rumble.
The DA-305 tonearm featured an S-shaped geometry with lateral balance designed to accommodate even low-tracking-force cartridges. Tracking force adjustment was of the direct-reading micrometric type. The horizontal bearings were premium-quality miniatures mounted in a double housing, whilst the vertical rotation combined an angular bearing isolated by elastic material with a precision-hardened and polished pivot, a solution aimed at minimising friction, ensuring stability against vibrations and shocks, and limiting tonearm resonance.
It was a device of considerable size and weight, designed to be installed in a stable and permanent manner. The model on sale retains its original imposing presence, with a width of approximately 53 cm and a weight of approximately 16 kg, characteristics that underline its status as a significant object, representative of Denon’s engineering of that era and now intended for an audience that recognises its historical and collectable value.
A collector’s item, refurbished and in excellent condition.
