Stylus Drag

Dover,

If belt drive DC motor driven TT's use a closed loop, why do Halcro and I observe that the speed changes on the Raven AC TT with the needle in the groove?

Andrew

Hi Folks, thanks for your comments so far. Some comments from me:

I agree with Halcro that the Raven slows down when the needle hits the groove. I base this on the shift in speed as observed with the KAB strobe disk. So I usually set speed with the needle in the groove. So clearly stylus drag is impacting speed, but I can't tell if it deviates based on the fluctuations in modulation of the actual record on speed has been set taking average drag into account. But it apprears Halcro has observed changes in speed with havily modulated sections of the record using the TimeLine. The key question is whether or not this small change is audible.

I agree with Atmasphere and Mosin (in the other thread on turntable speed accuracy) that the best way to listen for speed stability is by assessing the soundstage expansiveness and the small, faint micro-dynmaic and timberal details in the recording, in addition to the sheer dynamics. These come across more clearly than possibly changes in pitch.

The best description I heard about TT's is that they are "rotating resonance machines". Very true! We need to worry about both speed and resonance.

Andrew

Hi,

As this is verging on speed stability, i'll post some new comments on the turntable speed accuracy thread.

Andrew

I assert that small changes in speed caused by stylus drag can be heard. Frogman is heading in the right direction.

I would also agree with Tonywinsc that pace/rythm is another way to gauge the effect of speed stability. In my experience, a table which is less sensitive to speed variation caused by stylus drag during heavily modulated passages tends to preserve both the dynamics and timberal aspects of crecendos and dynamic passages.

I believe it also preseves the detail of micro-dynamics...and i think this is where Atmasphere and Mosin may be referring to.

Andrew