Direct Drive


I am firmly in the digital camp, but I’ve dabbled in vinyl.  Back in the day I was fascinated by Technics Direct Drive tt, but couldn’t afford them.  I was stuck with my entry level Gerrard.  I have been sans turntable for about 5 years now but the new gear bug is biting.  I am interested in the Technics 1500 which comes with an Ortofon Red and included pre amp.  I have owned Rega P5 which I hated for its speed instability and a Clearaudio Concept which was boring as hell.

  Direct Drive was an anathema to audiophiles in the nineties but every time I heard  one it knocked my socks off.  What do the analogers here think of Direct Drive?  I listen to Classical Music exclusively 

mahler123

As I said. "The new Technics" this includes the SL-1200GR. slotless, coreless, 3 phase. Some versions available right here in NZ for $3000. 

The reference class Technics SL-1000R is available here in NZ for $31,999 ( Under US$20,000 ) 

The Pioneer P3 and the Victor TT-101 with slotless and coreless motors, also appear to be 3 phase, but I cannot be sure. Same would apply to the big Sony's 

If you widen the category to just 3 phase...pretty much every Technics DD ever made.

For vintage DD tables I look no further that Victor, better known to most as JVC.

My TT71 motor drive unit is a beautifully crafted and precise operating DD table that uses a DC motor. It's a 12 pole, 24 slot DC brushless motor with a frequency detection circuit that uses a 180 slot frequency generator yoke with a magnetic disc and a printed circuit board with 180 coils printed on it. Needless to say, speed is very accurate and wow and flutter is very low.

Most folks don't realize that Victor invented the modern quartz locked direct drive motor system. Victor was a engineering company that shifted it's focus from audio to video in later years and became leaders in that field as well. Victor supplied motor drives to other companies as well, Micro Seiki being one of them.

 

BillWojo

@dover 

"Any of the vintage use DD's use 3 phase motors ?"

This caused me to try to think for a moment of one that isn't at least three phase, and I'm coming up empty. 

A local dealer dealer just mentioned the Fender x MoFi PrecisionDeck Limited Edition Turntable is in stock.

For looks alone Fender's iconic Sunburst is truly amazing.

Differences between turntables often comes down to the cartridge.

In this case it is the Mofi MasterTracker Cartridge, which is almost 25% of the total cost.

 

“Differences between turntables often comes down to the cartridge.”  The same cartridge will sound different in a different tonearm on a different turntable.  The same turntable will sound different with a different tonearm and cartridge.  These variables are not trivial. And your general statement leaves out the tonearm entirely.