Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 times have changed December 22, 2008
Our old turntable was 34 years old. At the time it was a high quality one. Over time of course we had replaced the cartridge many times. I was amazed at how great this turntable sounded. Our records are old and worn and yet even they sounded like we had never heard them before. We particularly liked that it was an automatic turntable. I would highly recommend the Denon DP 300F to anyone looking to replace their turntable with a good one at a fair price.
 Good Entry Level AUTOMATIC Turntable November 29, 2008
This is a good sounding entry level AUTOMATIC belt driven turntable best used for LP transfer or casual listening. However, the supplied cartridge is nothing special. Installed a high output moving coil instead. Now it sounds excellent! The integral pre-amp feature is pretty handy for digitizing/archiving or connecting to a receiver/amp without a phono input. Overall, the Denon DP-300F is a reasonably well constructed unit albeit with a rather poorly damped plinth. Be sure to install the table on a very stable platform to keep it well isolated. It picks up acoustic and mechanical vibrations real easy to the distraction of your listening. The automatic on/off/return mechanism works quietly and smoothly. If you're looking for a good automatic (you don't have to baby-sit it) turntable to transfer some LP's or just listen to some of your own vintage vinyl and don't mind installing a better cartridge, this is the turntable to get. Don't waste you time and money on lesser quality (and priced) turntables (Denon included) if sound quality is valuable to you. Be careful when you move it-the tonearm rest doesn't have a locking clasp-go figure! Overall, not a bad entry level "audiophile" turntable-probably the best for the money.
Very good fully automatic turntable October 23, 2008
I purchased this unit to replace my Technics SL-1200. Being disabled, I needed a turntable which would turn itself off at the end of a record.
I did not try the built in preamp, so I cannot comment on that; my Denon receiver aready has a built-in phono preamp. The cartridge, however, I found to be substandard. I resurrected my old Shure V15-IV with a good quality MIJ replacement stylus. The sound quality is excellent now.
However, there was a 60-cycle hum present. This was easily corrected by adding a grounding wire and plugging this turntable directly into the power conditioner used on my audio system. The only remaining problem is that it is not at all well isolated from external vibration. I will need to get some isolation feet to place this on.
Fully automatic turntables tend to be not as good as their fully manual brethren. However, this is probably the best one out there, and considering my needs, it is perfect for me (though not for dedicated, descriminating audiophiles).
DP-300F February 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I purchased the DP-300F after my 25+year old Scott PL880 started having speed control problems. When it arrived I was pleased with the rich, glossy base and solid constuction. After setting it up,it operated flawlessly. The installed cartridge(I think it is made by Denon),was good,but lacked some.I installed an unopened, vintage audio Technica AT-12-, SWEET!! My Pioneer receiver has phono input,and although there is no ground wire,and I have a Polk RT-10 nearby,I have no problem with hum or feedback. Sometimes these problems occur from nearby transformers,fluorescent lights,or unstable furniture. This is a well made,fully functioning turntable and for the money I highly recommend it.
Rocking out with vinyl again and loving it January 4, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
After visiting my parents house over the holidays and noticing my old albums that have been sitting forlornly for 20 + years, I decided it was time to try spinning them again.
I looked at all the recommendations on Amazon and decided to get the Denon DP-300. My choice was based on getting the best performance for the price (<$300). I might have opted for some of the competitors but the Denon was fully automatic and that was something that I wanted.
After setting it up, (it wasn't much different from setting up a turntable 20 years ago), I didn't notice any problems with responsiveness. The place was literally hopping; everything vibrates with a good album and bass cube.
I'd recommend this turntable. I don't know how it compares to the rest of the market, but I sounds at least as good as the Technics that I had 20 + years ago and it is FULLY AUTOMATIC, which I think is a pretty nice feature.
One item I did notice right away is that the start button gives off a mechanical-sounding "ping" when you press it. It surprised me because it sounds like a cheap mechanical actuator. Otherwise, the turntable is a pretty nice package.
You can tell they've taken cost out of the product over the years, (compared to my old Technics, this unit is more light-weight), but it is fine for my home use.
I'm rocking out to the oldies, Steve Miller band, Fleetwood Mac, and Clapton. Santana is on tomorrow.
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