Ok, not sure why I bother in this rather circular argument but I will add my 2 cents.
Every direct drive turntable I've read about and seen measured has lower wow & flutter and better rumble figures than most any belt drive unit. They also have in the magnitude of 10-100 times better speed stability. Now both properly made belt drive and direct drive turntables will have most/all sonic flaws be below general audibility. So we are talking for typically a debate only.
Direct drive turntables DO NOT have the motor in any direct contact with the platter. Any vibrations of the motor can only come through the bearing mount and the rest of the chassis. Engineers can reduce or mostly eliminate much of that. Since a direct drive motor turns 1:1 speed any first order vibrations will be at 33.3 or 45 rpm only. Well below what most of us will normally hear, at least as problematic.
Belt drive if engineered well can provide superb playback but all belt drive motors are coupled to the platter, yes a rubber belt acts as an isolator but it does attach the motor to the platter. On top of that most belt drive motors are 300 or 600rpm design. The vibrations they give in the first order will be at 300 and 600 rpm and if not filtered out/down well may be heard by normal human hearing.
This is why again pretty well any good direct drive turntable measures better W&F and lower rumble numbers.
I've owned both drives, both can sound great and can provide years of enjoyment but quite simply if engineered properly a direct drive turntable is a superior playback machine for all crucial specs, W&F, speed stability, affects due to temp. and humidity and rumble. It is not even a competition. To argue against such makes no sense to me.
This said as long as the engineering understands things, a belt drive turntable can provide a sonic pleasure that most any human can enjoy and will be generally incapable to hear any of the playback back ills we do not like such as W&F, speed stability problems and rumble issues. But belt drive requires more routine maintenance such as replace the of belts due to use, and age. Belt drivers do not like huge temp. and humidity ranges and many lack torque to deal with stylus drag in groove modulations. The question is can this stylus drag in groove modulation be heard? Well that is another rather circular argument, much like debating $2000 power cords vs the $5.00 ones.
I have a classic, high end, vintage, quartz locked, direct drive turntable. Impeccably engineered when the Made In Japan Corps had huge amounts of cash to R&D these behemoths. It's has impeccable speed stability, suffers from no cogging nonsense, has superior W&F measured less than .025% wrms/.04% Din. It has a measured rumble of >78db. It has a speed stability measure at <.002%. Set up properly and used properly it makes no audible room incursion noises, it's dead silent as a drive system on LP playback noise. It's near maintenance free and I will put it up against any other turntable made. I'm not saying it will equal or best all, but that it will not be embarrassed by any be they regular priced models or even uber high end ones.
Sorry folks I once began to fall in to this higher end, audiophile stuff (err, mucho crappola) and eventually realized too much of it is snake oil. I'm a hi-fi buff and anal about care and use of all my gear. I have very good hearing and I am a rather critical listener to music. I am human and not perfect so as such these flaws affect listening and pleasure of music. I put good money for value and I do not (sorry if this offends) delude myself in to a world of uber high end, too much audiophile snake oil. But if such works for others SO BE IT! IT'S YOUR MONEY!
Every direct drive turntable I've read about and seen measured has lower wow & flutter and better rumble figures than most any belt drive unit. They also have in the magnitude of 10-100 times better speed stability. Now both properly made belt drive and direct drive turntables will have most/all sonic flaws be below general audibility. So we are talking for typically a debate only.
Direct drive turntables DO NOT have the motor in any direct contact with the platter. Any vibrations of the motor can only come through the bearing mount and the rest of the chassis. Engineers can reduce or mostly eliminate much of that. Since a direct drive motor turns 1:1 speed any first order vibrations will be at 33.3 or 45 rpm only. Well below what most of us will normally hear, at least as problematic.
Belt drive if engineered well can provide superb playback but all belt drive motors are coupled to the platter, yes a rubber belt acts as an isolator but it does attach the motor to the platter. On top of that most belt drive motors are 300 or 600rpm design. The vibrations they give in the first order will be at 300 and 600 rpm and if not filtered out/down well may be heard by normal human hearing.
This is why again pretty well any good direct drive turntable measures better W&F and lower rumble numbers.
I've owned both drives, both can sound great and can provide years of enjoyment but quite simply if engineered properly a direct drive turntable is a superior playback machine for all crucial specs, W&F, speed stability, affects due to temp. and humidity and rumble. It is not even a competition. To argue against such makes no sense to me.
This said as long as the engineering understands things, a belt drive turntable can provide a sonic pleasure that most any human can enjoy and will be generally incapable to hear any of the playback back ills we do not like such as W&F, speed stability problems and rumble issues. But belt drive requires more routine maintenance such as replace the of belts due to use, and age. Belt drivers do not like huge temp. and humidity ranges and many lack torque to deal with stylus drag in groove modulations. The question is can this stylus drag in groove modulation be heard? Well that is another rather circular argument, much like debating $2000 power cords vs the $5.00 ones.
I have a classic, high end, vintage, quartz locked, direct drive turntable. Impeccably engineered when the Made In Japan Corps had huge amounts of cash to R&D these behemoths. It's has impeccable speed stability, suffers from no cogging nonsense, has superior W&F measured less than .025% wrms/.04% Din. It has a measured rumble of >78db. It has a speed stability measure at <.002%. Set up properly and used properly it makes no audible room incursion noises, it's dead silent as a drive system on LP playback noise. It's near maintenance free and I will put it up against any other turntable made. I'm not saying it will equal or best all, but that it will not be embarrassed by any be they regular priced models or even uber high end ones.
Sorry folks I once began to fall in to this higher end, audiophile stuff (err, mucho crappola) and eventually realized too much of it is snake oil. I'm a hi-fi buff and anal about care and use of all my gear. I have very good hearing and I am a rather critical listener to music. I am human and not perfect so as such these flaws affect listening and pleasure of music. I put good money for value and I do not (sorry if this offends) delude myself in to a world of uber high end, too much audiophile snake oil. But if such works for others SO BE IT! IT'S YOUR MONEY!