Melbguy1: "It is really simplistic to simply say direct drive is superior to Transrotor's TMD. That is like saying Lexus is superior to Rolls Royce."
I did NOT say direct-drive is superior to anything. I own all three drive systems: belt-drive, idler-drive, and idler-drive. All three are capable of good sound. But when it comes to direct-drive, I hear the same argument against it over and over again, i.e., if the platter is directly attached to the motor then therefore it will have vibration and no way of isolating it. My view is that the motor and platter share the same bearing and it has only one single moving part which is running at such slow speed at 33rpm that vibration isolation is not even needed. I see the mechanical simplicity as a plus and hence my fondness of it. Of course there are other issues that can haunt a DD system such as cogging, servo speed, magnetic shielding, etc... and those are valid objections. Nobody said it's perfect.
The TMD system is very clever and to me more elegant than their FMD or the one used in Clearaudio Statement or EAR Disk Master. I have no doubt it is a quiet table and offers the mentioned good sound and I am happy that you're enjoying it. Hell, I would like to try one myself. Again, my comment was directed at TR's response to the DD motor/platter isolation issue, which is a non-issue to me, and hope people can just move on to addressing other meaningful analog issues. I am certain people will bring up the same argument again and again... just like life.
Audioquest4life: "In fact, the combination of TMD and outboard motors used caused quite a stir in a German magazine a few years ago due to the extremely low measured distortion; comparably lower than some direct drive models."
Do the said direct drive models use the same bearing as the TMD? I rest my case.
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