Direct Drive vs. Idler Drive vs. Belt drive


I'd like to know your thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of each drive system. I can see that direct drive is more in vogue over the last few years but is it superior to the other drive systems? I've had first-hand experiences with two out of the three drive systems but looking to learn more.
scar972

Showing 3 responses by billwojo

"The problem with Direct Drives is a big oscillating magnetic device directly under a very sensitive magnetic device."
Magnetic fields are easy to locate and measure. If this was really a problem the British audio press would have been posting about this on the front covers of there magazines. They tried everything to kill off the DD revolution that stormed the world back than.
Nothing could ever be better than the idler and belt drive tables they produced, just like the cars and motorcycles from that era. They did everything they could to protect their industry and lied to all of us.  They wrote so much negative and false BS that for some it became a truth. A lot of those myths are still around today as can be seen from the quote above.
I owned a few British motorcycles and they were built crappy, very crappy. Needed constant servicing. I didn't know that till I picked up a BMW motorcycle. Latter a Japanese motorcycle. They were like an appliance. They always worked and worked well. Very minimal service needed.So the British audio press is responsible for all the miss information that keeps getting regurgitated over and over again.
A lot of the higher end Japanese DD TT from the later 70's onward were truly state of the art back than and even today. It takes a lot of money and engineering skill to better them.
Back than, Japanese audio companies were competing with each other and it was company pride that drove them to produce statement tables that sold at a loss. Yes they cost more to produce than they sold for. They didn't care, the sales of the lower tier tables more than made up for it.
Today most TT are belt drive, companies don't have the dollars it takes to develop state of the art DD motors and controllers. Plus it's easy to just route a plinth out of a sheet good product and slap a nice coat of paint on it. Add a cheap motor, bearing and a rubber band and your most of the way there.
Those cheap belt drive TT are not even in the same ball park much less the same zip code when it comes to keeping speed like a older DD table will. A lot of them even refuse to publish basic specs like wow and flutter.

BillWojo





One thing I have found in common with all of the popular British TT is the constant need for upgrades.
There are dozens of threads on the audio forums with folks constantly talking about upgrading the popular Rega tables. Did you know that if you upgrade the stock belt that comes on the Rega table to the better white belt that they sell it helps regulate the speed better! Than put it the F*** on from the factory! Or the stock power supply that comes with the table is so weak it won't hold proper speed so you really need to buy an upgraded $400.00 power supply from them!
Oh, throw away the stock plastic sub platter because it sucks and upgrade to the aluminum one that they make for the upgraded model. Than they want you to purchase a new platter to use on your new sub platter. It never ends.
A couple of different post about sagging plinths on the Rega Planar 6, seems the foam core plinth doesn't always hold up well. Even the better Rega models don't have adjustable VTA, you need to stay with Rega carts or start shimming.
And the owners will defend Rega all the way to their next upgrade with glee.
It's the Rega Merry-Go-Round.
Oh, by the way, Linn just came out with ANOTHER new spindle bearing! Yup, all the Linn owners are busy buzzing about it.
So I just play my rock steady, Japanese, speed stable, fully adjustable, dependable JVC QL-A7 DD turntable that I purchased for less than a Rega P3 and enjoy the music.

BillWojo



Thanks chakster, I didn't know if I would get beat up by my opinion but figured I'd be safer in this post than expressing it on a Rega post.
And it's a daily occurrence if you read several audio forums like I do, either the need to update or complaining about a problem. And there are lot's of problems it seems.
The Rega defenders absolutely adore Roy Gandy and his approach to making the TT non adjustable. Seems he doesn't believe that you need to adjust VTA.
Have you seen the prices on the upper tier Rega TT? You can buy a nice machine for that kind of money. It makes no sense to me at all.
BillWojo