That's absolutely correct. Now, if all of you will just accept the fact that the Dual CS-5000, fitted with a Stanton Collector's Series CS-100 cartridge is the ne plus ultra of turntables, unsurpassed anywhere, ever, ever, ever, and never to be at any time in anyone's forseeable future, we'll all get along just fine! And I know this to be so, too!

Right. You got it. That´s the spirit.

Ok, what kind of car are we driving. Better yet what does my new wife look like.

Jim

Eat your hearts out.........

You got a new wife?

You lucky bugger. Just like my car, mine´s beginning to show her age.

Larry,

Will you, please, stop tormenting us?

It's fun to take a thread off in another direction, especially when it just gets deliberately silly. Still, I have to say that I am very happily married to the same woman I married almost 22 years ago, and that we are spending our retirement here in South Carolina (we moved from Colorado in July), and will likely do so for our remaining days.

So to all of you members, eat YOUR hearts out! And, I know this to be so, too!

Congratulations Ed, you are in an elite club in this day and age.

I know Larry celebrated his 25th Anniversary a couple of years ago, my bride and I celebrated our 25th Anniversay last fall.

Jim

Plus Scott ( Dingus ) and myself following close behind you on our 23rd, I believe.

Though from different cultures and parts of the world, many of us share some affinities here.

A perceived issue with direct drive is that, as the industry developed, lots of cheap direct drives were being produced, and with less than perfect results. Of course there were also some nice direct drives offered by these same companies. Boutique companies, with smaller bank accounts but more time and the element of personal skills, true craftsmen, could use a belt drive system- more cost effective than having a platter custom-machined for their direct drive motors- and then spend the time to address the minute details.

Also, the platter of a direct drive is an important factor in the DD design. Cheaper tables compromised and used a motor with less torque and overall performance, and couldn't handle the quality heavy platter, so a lower weight platter was used, thus causing a source for more feedback. The quality Direct Drive tables retained their heavier platters and torque-rich motors.

So, the mass-produced Japanese TTs with direct-drive started to seem less appealing than the boutique belt drives, their lower prices and for the lower end of the line, cheaper construction.

Truth is, a well-built direct drive is a nice turntable and worthy of consideration. The early Technics units featured an incredibly simple motor and platter design, the motor had plenty of start-up torque, and for some models, like the SL-1100 I may be getting, a heavy, oversized and quite massive platter.

I've owned belt drive and direct drive tables, and have liked them both.

Most of the belt drive tables I had were problematic, but that had nothing to do with the fact it was a belt drive. A Philips 312 that had internal switching issues and a 212 that had issues with it's suspension and occasional operational glitches.

The B&O Beogram worked well, but in my old apartment, the arm was quick to jump.

My first cheap Technics was a belt drive, and sounded decent, but was extremely light and a P-mount.

There were a few others.



Direct drives I've owned are a pair of problematic Sony PS-X5s- great tables, but maybe a bit over-designed. I've got a third parts unit I've traded some spare drivers for, that's on it's way, that should fix the other two. Heavy platter, plinth is made of this composite "space age polymer" that's incredibly heavy and "dead", and the quartz lock is very good on these early Sonys. Great tables indeed.

I've an SL-1300 that's rock-solid, second tier member in standing of the Technics line, with a motor just a bit less robust than the SL-1200-1500-1600-1700 series, and a little less damping (easily cured with some modding), but a stellar performer.

I gave a pair of woofers to a friend, and in return, he has surprised me with boxing up a Technics SL-1700 (same powerful and torque-rich motor as the SL-1200) and it's currently on it's way.

Lastly, a bit of horse-trading may land me a Technics SL-1100, grand-daddy to the SL-1200, and with the optional SME arm. Although the SME arm is now a bit out-dated, it is still a great performer, and the SL-1100 table is rock solid.

So, I'm a fan of the Direct Drive, and have not felt it to hinder performance of my record enjoyment in the past.




If I were to buy new, though, I'd easily consider the Music Hall MMF-5 or Rega 3 Belt drive. No glaring issues with the performance of these two belt-drive beauties.

I'm not desperate and dying to get one, but also would quickly, gladly welcome them to my home.

Thank you for kindly bring us back to topic.

Jim

I've always liked my direct drive turntables, but there seems to be a bias toward belt drive. Is the primary reason the (alleged) isolation of motor noise?

Anyone else here actually a direct drive fan?

I owned a Direct Drive kenwood KD-650 just before I bought my Belt Drive Linn LP-12.

I´ve listened quite extensively to a DD Technics SP-15 and an Iddler Wheel Garrad 301 in friends systems.

I now own one mix Belt / Idler Thorens TD-124, one belt Drive Lenco GLS-85 and two two MOTL japanese DD´s.

They all sound great.

I´ve also heard very bad implementations of all types. As long as they are well implemented all of these systems have the potential to sound really very good.

A lot of other factors count in the whole sound of a TT, which is quite a complex system as a whole.

So, just like with the dicotomy between blondes vs. brunnettes, I like them all.

Jorge

There are supporters for both systems, and the animosity that can develop between the opposing views can be pretty intense.

I posed a thread elsewhere entitled, "WHY is Belt-Drive Better, or is it?" I base my own opinion on my recently-acquired Dual CS-5000 which is far and away the best sounding turntable I've ever owned, and I've owned quite a few, most of which were direct drive. While there are many attributes of the CS-5000 that result in the fine sound obtained from it, I suspect that belt drive is definitely one.

I received a few responses from belt drive afficiionados, explaining various and sundry reasons why belt is better (less vibration, better bass response, etc.) but received an unbelievably vicious attack from another member who felt that not only was direct drive the best thing ever invented since sliced bread, but that the turntable that has never been surpassed - ever, ever, ever - by anyone - is the DJ favorite: The Technics SL-1200.

You can imagine how the thread deteriorated. While the SL-1200 was a superb turntable in 1972, it has been eclipsed many times over by newer, and better units, many (or even most) of which are belt drive.

So, my vote goes for belt, especially since out of all the truly high-end turntables available at The Needle Doctor, not at one is direct drive. There has to be a reason for that.

I agree with emaidel.
My vote goes for belt with DC motor.