Direct drive vs belt vs rim vs idler arm

Well, I'm going to put my vote in for the Trans Fi Audio Salvation direct rim drive tt (with Terminator T3Pro linear tracking tonearm).
I'd been running a belt drive Michell Orbe/SME V for 10 years, and investigation of uber pricey belt drives like the SME 20/30, TW Acustic AC3, Brinkmann La Grange /Balance etc showed an incremental improvement, but not enough to go with the upgrade. And, this in tts costing $20000-$40000.
But I then came across the Salvation, and wow!
I'm NEVER likely to go back to belt. I'm getting a unique combination of the best of analogue ie bloom and tonality, with an almost digital-like accuracy and neutrality.
It's unlike anything else I've heard when playing vinyl.
Getting away from belt related speed drift really produces a fantastic unwavering solidity to music, most noticeable on rock solid piano notes, even as they decay away in the soundstage, and no audible wow and flutter as lp side end approaches. Previously I would always be aware of fluctuations as piano played, especially individual notes, but not anymore, and often I'll be suprised that I haven't picked up on side end groove modulation as the stylus plays the last few seconds of the end of sides.
I've run a thread on the tt/arm giving a more in depth appraisal of my experience.

My thoughts on my direct rim drive is that it's torque is of a magnitude greater than comparable belt drives which rely on platter mass and momentum to maintain speed.
The Salvation's high torque smooths out the speed inconsistency I became more and more aware of with my belt Orbe. This enables the Salvation to deal with groove modulation effects much better than my Orbe.
It's been a total revelation to hear piano notes solid as a rock when struck and as the note decays. My Orbe never quite managed this trick.
I'm convinced eliminating groove modulation timing variability eliminates a whole series of artificial warmth artifacts, and allows a real cognitive ease when listening to vinyl.
But Pete, I'm sure you're correct other factors eg isolation etc. contribute to the overall sound. However my paradigm shift moving from belt drive has convinced me that high torque average speed stability and instantaneous resistance to groove modulation is critical.

Dover, with my Salvation, correct speed is normally reached within 3 seconds, as opposed to the 10 seconds plus my belt drive did. And additionally, it takes a LOT of manual pressure to slow the platter down in the Salvation, a lot more than my belt Orbe. I'll take that as a high torque system. Certainly higher than any of the more expensive belt drives I auditioned. But I'm sure it's not quite in SP10 Mk2/3 territory.