I can't agree that all the great decks are of the suspended variety, however.
Hi,
Perhaps I should have said all the great VFM turntables are suspended subchassis IMO.
Not all subchassis types are great, by any means, some have quite blatant design faults.
In my youth I was quite perturbed that locking the suspension on my HiFi-Choice "Best Buy"
Philips (GA-222) suspended turntable seemed to make next to no difference in sound quality.
Consequently through experimentation and modifications and tweaks I've formed my own
set of opinions about what really works and what doesn't. And there is more than one
way to skin a cat, I prefer the suspended route as the best path to navigate to quality.
The solid plinth variety of turntable is a conumdrum. Go the Rega route with a low mass
chassis - which has similarities to subchassis design - or go the massive plinth route,
the favoured approach for idler wheel drives, and generally also direct drives.
No-one seems to report a halfway house approach between the two works.
For all its sins the AR XA can show a thing or two to most other types of turntables,
and is an eye-opener for some about what suspended suchassis turntables can do.
YMMV but I look at the energy loop from tip, through the cartridge, through the arm
through the subchassis, through the main bearing, through the platter and mat and
back to the tip. It all matters, including the outside interference from feedback.
I wish I had more experience with the solid, high mass route, sadly not enough.
rgds, sreten.