Is Direct Drive Really Better?

Ok, how about "humbled"? Anyone is welcomed to go hear these tables and apply whatever adjectives they wish. The point is that once we had gone through the progession of 280-320-380 no one needed, or wanted, to go back and confirm what they thought they were hearing between the 320 and 380. The difference was profound. Macrojack is correct that the difference in tonearms and cartridges does account for a good jump in dynamics. However, this difference does not accout for the superior tempo and attack to just about every note that is reproduced by the 380. It is definitely a Teres, but it is also a Teres with a great deal of snap and live-ness. Chris demonstrated the effect of applying more torque (there is a pot on the controller for this) so there was no doubt in my mind where this increase in performance was coming from. Cb does have some more refinements planned but I doubt these will change the basic presentation. Sorry to use a cliche, but this new Teres does strip away another layer that I doubt any of the other models can touch being as they all use the same motor, controller and belt drive.

Dan, don't take personal offense, please. My only point is that, especially as one "climbs the ladder" in this hobby, differences (good or bad) generally become a matter of smaller and smaller degree (unless someone totally blows a design or comes up with something truly revolutionary). For there to be THAT much difference between the 320 (the accounts of many claiming it the best table they EVER heard - look up the comments) and the 380 leads me to believe (yes, IMHO) that either the 380 is the best thing since the invention of music (which I doubt) or that the 320 was not all that good to begin with (which I also doubt).

4yanx,
I can't place either the 320 or 380 in the hierarchy of world class turntables. I imagine they belong there but I don't know the competition at all. Relative to each other, the difference is obvious and convincing. The 380 was easily the best turntable at Chris Brady's house that day. We now have established that one manufacturers only DD is better than his best BD. Does that bring us any closer to a conclusion about the opening question?

One word regarding your question, MJ.

No! :-)

No offense at all, 4yanx. I understood what you meant and what the point of your question was. Macrojack is correct that the word humiliated can have a malicious connotation, but it also means humbled, which is the meaning I had in mind. I do accept that it may have sounded a bit sensational of me to use that word so that's why I suggested humbled. Enough with the semantics. :)

I went in expecting to hear a difference very much along the same lines as what 4yanx's describes. That is, I expected to hear a small difference but more on the lines of a cartridge swap. But the difference was much more profound. Perhaps this is because we don't often hear this level of change in the tempo of music reproduction. There is also, I believe, much more brass used in the platter so it is not the same as just taking a 320 and installing a direct drive motor. Again, this could help explain the obvious increase in dynamics along with the Reference arm and Universe. I was having too much fun just listening to enguage Chris in a detailed discussion.

I agree that CB's accomplishments don't prove that DD is the only true path to perfection and I can't say how the sound of the 380 might compare with a Walker or Rockport, etc. Perhaps the difference between a 360 and 380 is less profound but I suspect that the increase in snap alone will easily seperate the 380 from the other Teres models.