Holbo airbearing turntable

@pmcarro the forum @terry9 is an advocate of Air Bearing Technology used in a TT.

Maybe @terry9 can investigate the TT and give you a basic outline of what to expect, I am sure he can comment on ay concerns about static.

For me the Air Bearing is a method to use a supply chain as a method to by pass the usual machining required for a TT mechanical interfaces, where very tight interface tolerances are to be produced. The Air Bearing Manufacturer is producing the mechanical interface to a very tight tolerance, leaving the TT manufacturer to be more concerned about rigidity of Structure and the important Geometric Dimensions between Platter Spindle/Platter and Tonearm/Headshell. 

Longevity of the critical tolerances dimensions being maintained are always a concern, certain Brands, have offered quite costly Models, where many of the well used TT's that have imploded in this area of maintaining a tolerance tightness.

History will strongly suggest it is always best to question the longevity that can be achieved for the critical mechanical interfaces being maintained to the tolerances in place when new.

Big Name Brands have been responsible in the past for producing TT's that have had very short lived mechanical interfaces where excessive movement developed after not too long periods of usage.

@terry9  - @frazeur1 Both your reports are enough to further stimulate my interest already expressed in the recent past about an Air Bearing used on the Platter.

The idea of having one of these TT's to be as the TT, that is assisting my return to using a Belt Drive is of interest, as I am without regular use of a Belt Drive for many many years.

The Linn used a few decades ago is stored to be used for a periodical demo' but I can listen to Linn Decks in other systems so do not hold too much interest in them.

An Idler Drive TT, is also a relatively easy to produce Belt Drive TT, the design lends itself to being dual motor drive option, where a Standalone Pod Motor is utilised.

As discussed on here on quite a few occasions there is seeming a risk of convection when Standalone Pods are used with a TT, so in about a 1000 years a Speed Stability issue might be a concern to a museum housing the archaic device.

Where the Holbo generates the real interest for myself, is the idea to Modify its method to drive the platter, make use of Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood to produce a Structure that is very attractive to myself and introduce the Signal Path to PC Triple C Wire.

The above mod's used in conjunction with the not so common Bearing Design, might easily produce a TT, that will fend of the $50k+ Belt Drives.

My Hiatus from the Analogue section is beginning to feel a little  Whack-A-Mole 🔨