Is Direct Drive Really Better?

OY! The suspense is killing me. 4yanx, who is it? Who brings greater credibility?

Naw, I ain't bitin'. Like tables, if you're happy with your pick, I'm happy.

Thanks. Very interesting. It'd be fun some day (this is pure fantasy) to have a show-down of the three formats (idler included). Everyone bring their tweaked, DIY examples, categorize them by some leveling criteria (price?) and let it rip. Of course, we'd have to hire enough security to keep things peaceful, but it'd be a hoot to hear the show. And congrats for nurturing a most entertaining and educational thread.

It wouldn't prove anything I don't think, but it certainly would be interesting. You would want identical arms and cartridges, equally broken in and meticulously set up to the same exacting parameters. But even if you couldn't manage that, you would probably discern the differences in overall sonic character between the three. Doing it blind would be a good thing since many of us clearly carry expectations with us when it comes to this topic. Does anyone here have the wherewithal to organize such a comparison?

Drubin,
You've hit upon a great idea. Talk about a crowd attraction. Denver is pretty central in terms of U.S. geography and RMAF in October would be a terrific site since it is likely that the principal competitors might all be there anyway. The only hangups would be classification and maybe ground rules.
Should we start a new thread for this topic or just keep going here? Obviously we would see older and probably reconditioned models for Idler Drive and no holds barred new stuff for belt. I imagine that it would be NOS DDs unless the Monaco might show up. Who are going to be the judges? Will it be a panel like in the Olympics where each judge holds up a card with their score and then we average them?
More comments and ideas, please.