Direct drive/rim drive/idler drive vs. belt drive?

Dear friends: Atmasphere is spot-on in the subject. The fact that almost no one of you already have that kind of experience does not means he is wrong and you are right, please let me explain on it:

in the deep research that we make ( and still doing. ) in our self tonearm design one of the main factors for achieve our main tonearm target ( a Universal tonearm where any cartridge shows its best like in no any other tonearm. ) is the build tonearm materials especially at the headshell/arm wand.

Testing different available build materials we can't find the one that help totally to achieve our main target so we have to start a whole build material research that bring us to " build " by ourself the main tonearm build material: this is a propietary blend.

Well this propietary blend material help us to achive our tonearm main target.

Through all that research that take us several months we learn the critical importance that have the build material where the cartridge is attached ( tonearm ).
The cartridge is like a very sensitive micro that detect tiny very tiny ( microscopic ) resonances/vibrations/distortions that you and me are not aware even exist and that affect the quality cartridge performance in almost the same way between the TT plater and the cartridge.
Today I can say that that tonearm build material makes a paramount difference in the cartridge performance.

Well, I ask my fellow Guillermo why not try that same tonearm build material in a TT mat/pad and VOILA!! the differences ( in six different TT's. ) in dynamic, tonal balance, transparency, soundstage, focus, top to bottom coherence, in any single performance parameter improve ( not only different but better. ) like night and day!! lowering ( almost disappearing. ) distortions/colorations level to almost CERO!!!!

I can say that this is a unique experience and that's why I understand in a precise way what Ralph posted about that almost no one of you can't understand till you have/hear that experience.

For months and in different threads ( mostly on tonearm/TT's related subjects. ) I posted ( anyone can read it. ) the critical/crucial importance of the tonearm/TT build materials that makes a difference for the better, till today no one ( but Ralph ) gives the right importance to this main factor and you can see in this thread: everyone speaking ( one way or the other ) about motors, belts, bearing, drive system, etc, etc. I'm not saying that all those factors are not important certainly are but till today no one ( tonearm/TT designer/manufacturer address seriously ( I mean in the right way. ) the item build materials.

I know ( Lewm. ) that exist several commercial mat/pad options but no one is near of what Ralph or I already experienced and know about.

I know too that is a little frustrating for almost all of you don't have an opportunity to hear that unique " audio experience " but if in anyway serve for anyone of you my audio system is OPEN for you anytime you want it.

In the midtime we are almost finishing our tonearm design and starting our TT design ( with that propietary blend material. ) along a cartridge.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Hiho: It is obvious that a TT build material ( any ) can't fix a mediocre motor that ca run on " speed ", but I think that is not the subject on what Ralph want to share with all of you.

I can tell you that through my TT experiences through the years ( dozens of TTs ) almost all main factors on TT performance are already addresses but the TT right build materials.

You can find several threads like this one speaking one and again the same TT topics with no single real advance out there.
I know that everyone has a lot of fun reading and making some TT changes on its systems but that main factor ( TT build material ) remain almost untouchable: I wonder why?. The " sad " issue is that almost all analog people does not care about just like you.
It is obvious that maybe does not care about because don't understand the critical importance on the TT build materials that like I posted the differences in quality performance is: night and day !!

I understand too that because almost no one already experienced what Ralph and I " live " there is not to much of what to talk/share from almost all of you.

IMHO and like Fm_loging posted: we have to evolution if we want to grow up and if we want to improve what we have.

I'm on evolution and that's why I share with all of you my findings. Stay steady where you are is up to you and fine with me.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Lewm: +++++ " reveal the nature of these especially good tt mats. " +++++

that mat/pad with our build blend material is only the tip of the iceberg in relation with build materials and its importance in TT- tonearms - cartridges and maybe some other items. The mat is only one kind of use in the audio world.

No, the material that Ralph describe is different from the one we own, between other things ours has a lower weight due to the blend material used.

IMHO I think that the real importance of that build material subject is that we are starting to talk about when one or two years ago we did not heard nothing on this build factor.

Sooner or latter the TT and tonearm designers/manufacturer ( mainly ) must take " the bull by its horns " if they want to offer better quality performance products to we the customers.

I posted several times that we deserve the very poor non-evolution audio products we have because we the customers never ask for more: sometimes because a very poor know-how, sometimes because we don't care about and sometimes because we are thinking like 30 years ago ( with no evolution attitude. ). Of course there are some exceptions on both sides: builders and customers.

Here in this thread we have a precise example of that " old thinking " way: where Quiddity try to expose and sustain with numbers a few subjects/factors the next post to it say something like this: " if we go for the numbers a Yamaha will be better than a Lamm unit ".

Well I say that almost any audio " stage/performance " can be numbers related ( here and now ) if we know what to measure, where and how to measure, when to measure and with which tools/instruments we must to measure.

Lew, we are talking in this thread ( like in many other ones. ) of products designed 30-40 years ago that are competitive with today designs: turntables, tonearms and cartridges, with almost no evolution in the audio industry, why is that? I ask, who has the culprit? manufacturers or customers, I think both but mainly the customers that are manipulated by the " professional " ( some corrupted with intention and some " corrupted " by non know-how. ) magazine reviewers and that are ( the customers ) the ones that buy those very poor audio design items, yes we deserve what we have!

I think there are a lot of talent out there for design and build a lot better audio products in any single link of the audio chain but unfortunately we customers don't give to them any " sign " that motivate them to be better than what they are showing today, we are proud with what we have.

Anyway, continue with the thread subject.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.