Direct Drive

@mahler123 If you possess an indelible recollection of a very good impression left from experiencing a DD TT in use and find the thought of using DD as a Turntable an attractive idea.

The chances are that there is not too much more to do, you have discovered the TT Drive that one can Wed themselves to.

Why not see if you can create an opportunity to share in the experience once more, the outcome might be that ’socks might struggle to remain on’.

I have a history that is loyal to LP as a Source. I am deeply rooted in using a LP as a source material and did not become a DD TT user for many years.

Belt Drive was the first motor drive and was in use for some years, Idler Drive Superseded the Belt and remained in use for many years, and now DD is the TT of choice, and I won’t be going back to the other drives as the main motor in use.

I can still use an alternative motor drive, but mainly put one to use occasionally, for nostalgia and sharing the experience of using one with others.

Digital arrived much later for myself, and I am now at a place with it, that is very satisfying. CD has of recent years, proved to be a very good source material; I have no concerns for it being in partnership with the LP source.

One of the inherited conditions offered through using a DD TT.

One that is for myself quite satisfying. Is that when adopting a DD with Servo Motor Control, concerns for the Speed Control fall away.

In my long period of using other Drive TT's somewhere into the owner ship the accurate speed control becomes a subject that is required to be investigated.

It is soon learned that a Speed Control Device to be added to another Drive TT, whether Idler Drive or Belt Drive can easily amount to the cost of DD TT that has the Speed Control built in.

If Speed Control is a concern and budget is limited, a DD TT is not too bad a place to be in selecting a TT.  

The TT > Tonearm and mounting method for these two items are all equally important.

A poor functioning TT will not allow the Tonearm to present to it best.

A poor functioning Tonearm will not show the TT when at its optimum performance to be presenting at its best.

A poorly thought-out mounting method will not enable, either TT or Tonearm, if both optimized in their design and setting up, to present at their best. 

When this Trilogy of mechanical interfaces is produced to a standard that is sympathetic to the optimised function of each.

It then makes sense to concern oneself about the other ancillaries to be used, i.e, Cartridges and the remainder of the Signal Path. 

My experiences have shown myself, that a sub £1000 Cartridge can prove to be as attractive in use as a £4000+ Cartridge when used on an optimised TT > Tonearm Set Up with careful consideration put in place for the Signal Path materials.