My personal experience with Direct Drive versus Belt Drive

Dear @stringreen : Appreciated. The deep main subject is that almost no one cares, really cares, about MUSIC only " sound " but as I posted in other thread a simple piece of paper can makes " sound ".

Several audiophiles has not as their reference LIVE MUSIC and several of the ones that " say " that's their reference never attend more than 2-3 times a year to listen and experience the true and only audio/sound reference: LIVE MUSIC. Better if we ofent are experienced with near-field LIVE MUSIC from sole instrument to a whole sophisticated big orchestras.

Reproduction of MUSIC is a very serious and hard task that if we do in the " rigth " way the rewards are just amazing and with a lot more fun that playing with audio-toys as almost all audiophiles.

Cheers,
R.

Dear @enginedr1960: Yes, always near field live MUSIC is the perfect REFERENCE for audiophiles and yes listening to other audio systems ( as many we can. ) always helps and is a main part of the audio learning curve.

Yes, there are not only " so many variables " but I think that are to many and we have to live with more trade-offs that what we like it. The audio and especially the analog experience is way imperfect and through those imperfections is where the trade-offs are generated and the critical issue here is each one whole abilities to choose exactly the ones that overall does less harm to the MUSIC enjoyment.

All those is a continuous quest to be " there ", it's a continuous day by day learning till we are really/true satisfied with.

Always a challenge for any of us and that's why many of us are buying new audio items ( cartridges, tonearms, cables, TTs, electronics, speakers and the like. ), we mantain this kind of behavior always looking for the " new kid on the block " and we can't stop to do it ( and always we found out some fun in that looking of " self satisfaction ". ) and we can't stop because our system is far away from that elusive " THERE ".

Take a look on some today threads where even people with what we can think " dreaming audio systems " the owners ( wealthy ones. ) are buying all the new cartridges ( always. ) and everything on the topic.

All those gentlemans have a problem: they don't even imagine that their audio systems are really aways to be not " perfect " but not even near that perfection. Many times their systems are even several steps down yours or other humble systems.

When I came for the first time at Agon ( many years ago. ) I started to post several " new " topics/audio subjects that ( like even today ) gone against what almost all audiophiles learned through their audio lifes. They treat me as if I was some one with out experience and no understanding of what surrounded the audio experience.

They ask several time that I disclose my audio system and I did not because I thought it can't help too much but finally I did it and many gentlemans said: wow ! . They thought that I was an audio items collector with out understand the why's of that and today ( almost same. ) system.
The real subject was that even on those " old " times I was near that " there " and needs not any more to look for the new " kid on the block ". I already passed for it and after that
 I " only " was an am fine tunning very fine tunning the same system and today I'm almost " THERE " and the level of MUSIC enjoyment is something really dificult for me explain it.

Today I'm not even for curiosity to listen this or that new item " designs " because in reality exist no true " new designs ": " new " tonearms are more of the same, " new " cartridges are more of the same, cables too and TTs/everything. Exist nothing really NEW. No single audio item shows something real better but only different ! ? ! ? ! ? !

Have fun been truer to the recording.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC not DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @pbnaudio / @rotarius : I own and owned very good and not so good samples of DD and BD TT where with the good design the steady and speed stability never was or is a problem when in the not so good design it's.

I think that's not only a matters of TT price ranges but the quality of the TT design and critical and very important the manufacturer execution quality on that TT design. No less important is the customer overall TT set-up.

In the other side ( @harold-not-the-barrel  ) you are rigth: how the music/sound flows but this main whole audio system target is not a matters of this or that audio link in the system chain but a precise overall audio system set-up with " perfect " ( price define almost nothing. What define all is each one of us knowledge levels and each one " tools " about. ) choosed  links in that very complex audio system set-up.

I think that we can't be really sure of audio items comparisons of every kind if our system is not " there " when it's not TRUER TO THE RECORDING that's most be the main target for any music lover/audiophile as us.

 We want really enjoy the MUSIC not to all those DISTORTIONS that are imposible to avoid ( but only try to mantain it at minimum. ) and that always surrounded all audio systems.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC not DISTORTIONS,
R.

Dear @fjn04 : As @lewm pointed out the first and main TT target/task that's that the LP runs steady exactly at the required rpm's with no speed fluctuations and as he said that can happens with any well designed TT does not matters its kind of drive. No, idler drive are no better thyan DD/BD on this critical regards.

Now, to make any single audio item comparisons first premise that we have to have is to have a real REFERENCE and for me the only valid true-REFERENCE is: " near field live MUSIC ". No, other audio systems are not valid for a reference.

The other premise we have to take in count is each one live MUSIC experiences that most be at least one time each 1-2 weeks.

Third premise is  ( I know lewm could be angry about. ) that the audio signal been not touched by a single tube that can't " honor " what's in the recording.

After that and if our TTs all achieve that " perfect " speed the main critical stages are: tonearm/cartridge combo matching, tonearm/cartridge/TT overall set-up and phonolinepreamp. But all system links are important as are our ears and preferences . Main system target must be " truer to the recording " and for that the system has to have very high resolution with a wide frequency range.

So could be a little futile making comparisons with out several main premises and a true REFERENCE to make those comparisons.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC and not DISTORTIONS,
R.