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In Reply to: RE: Is belt drive really worth the extra $$$ ? posted by HiFiOd on January 12, 2015 at 15:26:20
I am not going into the belt drive, direct drive, idler drive argument. That's for those with nothing better to do.
But the way your belt drive TT was working was actually the proper way. You really don't want a total and full contact with whatever belt you choose to use, at least with a TT. As a matter of fact, the ungodly expensive TT by Lloyd Walker cannot start on its own just turning on the motor drive. The belt is so loose that the pulley on the motor will just turn and the platter alone is ultra heavy(about 50lbs.). All it is there for is to keep the momentum going once you push the platter as a start. With the motor turning you can actually hold the platter still and the motor will just spin without any really loss to the RPM's of the motor. It gives very gently shoves to the very heavy platter to keep the speed dead on. There is almost no resistance at all on the platter once the air is applied to the bearing. With no belt you can give the platter a small turn and it will spin on its own for about five minutes with minimal speed loss. The weight of the platter forms enough inertia to just need very light touches to keep the speed constant. Only issue with that system is that each time you shut it down and then turn it on you have to readjust the speed for a while until you get it right. But once you get it right it is golden. It's almost like nothing is turning the platter.
Follow Ups:
'I am not going into the belt drive, direct drive, idler drive argument'
The Nottingham low torque approach is the opposite of a high torque idler or direct drive. This approach prioritizes the minimizing of vibrations from the motor to the record surface> signal path, and that can be measured. What I learned/realized when listening to a high torque system like Garrard 301/401 idlers is that there is some resistance being put forth by the grooves countour and pushing the transducer through it makes a huge difference- the timing and 'continuity of the tones/notes is completely retrieved, the intention, emphasis, touch, rhythmic and pulse information is unlike what I heard from belt drives. That is where the music is to my ears. True they are not as quiet, but that is a trade off I am happy to make. D yourself a favor and go listen to a Shindo or even a Loricraft restored Garrard, for me there was no turning back.
Hi,
I actually do have a Thorens 124MkI totally redone by Jim Campbell. After listening to it I too have come to the conclusion that I like idler drive more but that's not to say it is better than something else. I just like it better. I was just commenting on the fact of a belt drive done properly(as in the Walker TT)in reality nothing of any consequence even comes near the platter. It's almost as if it were turning on its own. How he was able to accomplish that is beyond me. It definitely has something to do with the weight of the platter and the fact that it is air bearing.
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