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Denon DP-2550 + Excel ES-801 Turntable and Tonearm Package Great customised manual setup. Denon DP-2550 deck including DP-2000 motor unit (which was sold when new, without an arm), plusExcel ES-801 tonearm with cable. All working perfectly, and sounds excellent. The DP-2000 turntable unit was fully recapped, and serviced with new transistors as well.SME headshell pictured with Ortofon Quintet Blue cart are NOT included in the sale, but will demo with it on to show correct function. All in exceptional cosmetic condition for age with very little use.Pickup only from Keysborough 3173.Cash on pick
AUD $680 for an excellent DP-2550 looks like a fair-to-good buy rather than a steal. I’d call it sensible money for a desirable vintage Denon direct drive: not cheap, but well within the range I’d expect for a clean, working example in strong cosmetic shape.
What makes it worthwhile is the combination of quartz-locked speed stability, solid Japanese build quality, and a platform that can sound genuinely composed and authoritative with the right arm and cartridge. If it’s truly excellent, that matters more here than chasing the absolute lowest price; just confirm the platter starts quickly, holds speed, and that any arm and automation functions are behaving properly, since those are the things that most affect real-world enjoyment.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Denon traces its origins to 1910, when American entrepreneur Frederick Whitney Horn founded Japan's first audio equipment company, Nipponophone, initially focused on gramophones and records. The Denon brand emerged in 1939 from the merger of Japan Denki Onkyo—combining "den" for electricity and "on" for sound—with other entities, marking a shift toward professional audio development. This heritage includes pioneering Japan's first professional disc recorder in 1945, used to capture Emperor Hirohito's voice, and launching the nation's first long-playing records in 1951.
The brand excels across a broad spectrum of hi-fi categories, from amplifiers, turntables, and tuners to loudspeakers, cassette decks, and phono cartridges. Denon's innovations extend to digital frontiers, such as the world's first practical PCM recorder in the early 1970s, the inaugural CD player in 1981, and early home theater systems with Dolby Digital in 1995. Today, its lineup encompasses AV receivers, headphones, wireless streaming solutions like HEOS, and high-channel processors, blending professional-grade components with consumer accessibility.
Denon holds a commanding position as a mid-to-high-end mainstay in the hi-fi market, revered for its blend of technological firsts, robust build quality, and balanced sound signatures that appeal to discerning enthusiasts. No longer a vintage collector's niche, it competes confidently against premium rivals, backed by over a century of audio leadership and strategic partnerships like its merger with Marantz.
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