A simple one- your favorite build/style of TT ...

Your favorite build style/approach of TT...


  • Total voters
    182

thedelihaus

Nocturnal transmissions
Allright,

This one should be pretty cut and dry.

Your favorite TT style, in general terms-

1) The direct drive, controlled by a center-mount (or close to) motor, where the platter is hooked through a series of intricate gears mounted over the motor and directly in the center of the turntable.

2) The rim drive/idler wheel turntable- a TT that utilizes an idler wheel that presses/locks up against a turntable's inner rim to spin the platter.

3) The belt drive/endless TT. This unit runs on a rubber belt, which wraps around a motor shaft (the motor usually isolated in some way from the platter), and then to a recessed inner rim of the turntable platter.

So, what say ye, and why?
 
Some of us are still up.

I voted belt drive. I like the isolation from the motor a flexible belt provides. It's also easier to replace a belt rather than an idler wheel.

Tom
 
TT pushers

After cleaning approximately 14,987 Gates TT's through the years
and scrubbing stylii, hosing off the nicotine grunge and putting up with
#10 axle grease on the bearings I voted for idler.

The DD story makes a pulse every time the electronics open the gate for horsepower to the slab. Can YOU feel the burn?

Rubber bands turn to cheese in free air. Fuhgeddaboudit!

So either we use a water wheel where the weight of falling water moves
the turbine paddles or we're going for the idler. The RtR decks have idlers, but they're on the take up, I know. As long as Parts is Parts we should be able to get wheels, neh? Being inside the slab keeps greazy fingers off the business end, too.

Hal
 
Belt drive is my choice too. It's just so freakin' simple. Both of the DD tables I have owned finally got to the point that I couldn't adjust to a steady speed (mind, this was when they reached 20+ years of age), but my belt drive tables have been reliable with only a couple of belt changes and attention to lubrication.
 
I like the simplicity of the belt drive, but my favorite players have been Direct Drive.

So, in theory, the belt drive units. In practice, the Direct Drive.

Never heard an idler wheel model, but have heard great things about them. Seems it may be thee best choice, but without personal ecperience, I dunno.
 
I went direct just because the best table I've heard are DD. I like my SL 1200 a lot. I like it better than my friend's Rega. But I'm not really being fair. I haven't ever owned a really good belt drive.
 
Eddie,

what model Rega?

I believe it is a Planar 2. He had quite a bit of trouble with it. Belt, then bearing grease, then some weird allignement problem with the new belt. It sounds fine, but it's a little whisp of a thing. My mighty Technics could fall on it and not notice.
 
I can't say that I have a favorite. There are excellent and poor examples of all 3 drives. I don't own an idler, but would love to have an old Garrard 301 or modded Lenco 75. I guess if I HAD to pick one, I pick DD for the low wow and flutter, speed consistency and general no fuss.
 
Belt drive for me. TT for me is the Marantz SLT-12 or 12U. When 1 of these is working there is nothing that can touch it. Next of the list would be the Empire lineup, any of them.
 
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