Are more turntable motors better?

"One direct drive motor is better."
It can be better than some other individual designs, depending on the implementation. Then again, it may present yet another set of problems. For example, if the direct drive motor uses a correction loop, an analog sort of jitter can be detected. That may cause a noticeable lack of dynamics, or even smearing, in some setups. Another example would be that if a motor is used that is too noisy or weak, the result wouldn't be optimum. My belief is that any drive type has certain caveats when carelessly implemented. A turntable, like your system, is a whole entity that is as strong as its weakest part. The drive can be near perfection, but if all the other aspects of the build are not properly addressed, the end result isn't the best it could be.

I will say that when I added the Micro Seiki HS-80 passive flywheel to my (obviously single-motor) thread-driven RX-5000, the background was as quiet as ever, but the solidity of piano notes was even more impressive. A clever solution to keeping it simple yet providing even more system inertia.

Dear Klinerm: Each motor is a different kind of distortion source three motors are three distortion sources.

Anyway, you have to try in your TT and decide if it is better or not.
I try it ( two motors ) in my AS and MS TTs and I can't detect a quality improvement ( I'm using a thread of aramid fiber to drive. ), but as always is system dependent.

Now, there are some TT designs that are/were designed taking in count more than one motor, these TT dsigns certainly will peform better with more than one motor.

I think that there is no one Universal/absolute answer on the subject and like almost always your ears are the best judge, it does not matters other/different opinions about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Same experience with me by adding a second platter as flywheel and rim drive, using the same motor.

kipdent,

the point some of us are trying to make is that extra motor may solve/mask the issue of a single motor. However, if the single motor had been had been a better choice the additional motors would not be needed. As Mosin posted it all depends on the implementation. Sometimes if you add additional motors and belts the effects of motor cogging are spread out so they are less audible.

It is a nice solution for particular motor/drive issues, but it is a solution the manufacturer is asking the customer to pay for because they do not supply a motor/drive that works well on its own.