Is the Teres a

Whether some folks would admit it or not, or whether they'd actually try to disprove it or not, there is a great deal of merit in what Jean has to say. I will not attempt to compare the object of his challenge to any super high-end tables (e.g. a Walker or the like) because I have not done such a comparison myself. But, hey, Albert has a mighty fine Walker and he took the challenge, with a pretty damn favorable overall report, I might add (but not in direct comparison to the Walker, though). I have personally compared a couple of my own creations to a number of what are considered here to be mid-priced tables. Yes, I recognize that PRICE is not an absolute indicator of quality (as I have sadly found out on more than one occasion). However, anyone who has, say, a $2000-$5000 table and is still searching for the MUSIC, you would be well served to give his challenge, well, a challenge before spending another grand on that utopian cartridge or arm. Might not beat EVERY table in this class, but it won't cost you much to find out and I'm wagering you will at least get close, if you let your EARS do the deciding. Of course, it does take a modicum of skills to accomplish and, lacking that, maybe find someone to help. Else, feel free to over spend in comparison to several otherwise well regarded tables! :-)

I will agree that there are a variety of factors that combine to make a turntable PLEASING. I also do not particularly like the term PRAT, because it means different things to different people. It is kinda like some art. You know the old sating - I don't know what it is, but I know what I like. I also know that MUSIC is about MUSICALITY, and I know it when I hear it. Search for it, find it, and enjoy it, regardless of the package! :-)

Of course, this has nothing really to do with a Teres (a fine table) and the subject of the thread, or Art Dudley, a sidetrack in this thread, other than I think his focus on musicality is a good thing (while not agreeing wholly on his reviewing methods).

Regarding the Teres and the subject of PRaT, I was a Linn LP12/Ittok/Karma or Asak owner for about 11 years, worked as the analog set-up man at some high-end shops which sold Linn tables(and others), was taught LP12 setup by Ivor, and probably know something about the subject, based on some experience.

My Teres 245 is better than any Linn LP12 for PRaT. It also is better in virtually all other areas that I can think of. Significantly better.

Regarding the matter of "belt stretch/release" as a "bugaboo" of belt-drive turntables, this is entirely a matter of the belt materials used. While many older belt-drive designs used rubber or rubber-like belts, some now have moved away from that toward non-stretch belt materials.
Notably, the Teres models use a mylar tape belt, which is very non-stretch and provides a wide surface for preventing slip. Tensioning is not a problem. The heavy platter provides enough inertial force to overcome the stylus drag issue, and the DC motor is non-cogging. There is an optical reader with a strobe pattern on the platter, which ensures correct speed during playback. While correction is possible in extreme circumstances, my deck does not make any corrections during the playback of my LPs during the entire side of play. Corrections can be seen by the lighting of the red LED on the motor/controller housing, and it does not light up during play on my deck.

In addition to rubber belt stretch/release problems, 3-point spring-suspended decks add to the problem of the "RC tank" speed control issues, by also getting into motion with the stretch and release of the belt. Unsuspended TTs like the Teres do not suffer from this problem.

With the Teres, the use of a high quality non-cogging Swiss DC motor, a non-stretch Mylar tape drive belt, the heavy platter, and the unsuspended solid base design, all work together to make a very precise speed during the playback of the LP, and virtually all of the problems that plagued the previous belt-drive turntables have been largely overcome.

While I do recognize that the benefits of the high-torque idler wheel drive systems like the Lenco are very good at maintaining the speed during passages likely to produce stylus drag, they are not the only ones which can do this.
However, they are probably the most affordable ones, and that is a good thing.

After all, only 1/2 of the musical information is on the record, and the other half(time domain info - including frequency and PRaT) must be supplied by the speed stability of the deck. The record pressing company provides half, and relies on the consumer's deck to supply the other half.

I like your half and half motto, Tom!

Excellent summary Tom. I've been fighting this battle for the importance of speed stability for a year now! And yes, the two - PRaT and speed stability - are intimately connected. The Roksan mounts their motor so that it can revolve around its vertical axis, so the motor will turn instead of the belt stretching, thus preventing the belt from stretching and leading to better attack and information retrieval. This solution placed them ahead of the then-reigning LP12 and by doing this practically started the whole high-end 'table challenge to the classic Linn formula. I have heard again and again the great PRaT (which by the way isn't a hazy notion, only being so by our habit of saying/writing PRaT rather than Pace, Rhythm and Timing, which is quite precise) of classic 3-point suspensions, and believe that this PRaT is there because the suspension accidentaly (it wasn't intended) mimics the Roksan trick to a certain extent, revolving in the direction of the tension on the belt to mitigate belt-stretch and thus speed instabilities. This discussion of PRaT and speed stability is very refreshing, especially as it relates to music! Just in case somebody misinterprets me (somebody always does), I'm not against expensive state-of-the-art assaults on what is possible in music reproduction, what I'm against is design specifically aimed at justifying high price tags, which is certainly a problem in the high end, and I'm also against placing such things as detail and imaging above musicality and PRaT, by the age-old trick of claiming these things are subjective and therefore unimportant. The state-of-the-art 'table that is also musical is a triumph, but let's not pretend that all such assaults are musically successful, and so indeed successful at all. Vive la music!

Well Jean, I'm glad you're fighting it too.

I've been on the bandwagon for over 20 years now.
I admit that my focus has been on belt drive tables for virtually all of this time, and I've been trying to look at ways to solve their problems, and with some tables, they actually have been solved.

With the non-stretch drive belt, it is necessary to have a non-cogging, almost vibrationless motor, so that there is no transmission of the cogging or vibration effects from the motor to the platter via the non-stretch drive belt. Then all that is left is the stylus drag issue, and that can easily be solved by enough rotational mass in the platter, and enough torque in the motor. Once the cogging is gone, then all the rest of the stuff falls into place. The only problem with the non-cogging DC motors is the cumulative slowdown which can occur from the additive effects of stylus drag over the course of the LP side, but this seems to be able to be overcome by this system, because on my Teres it isn't occurring(and I use low compliance cartridges which would exaggerate stylus drag more than most other cartridges). Interestingly, the Teres bearing uses the viscous drag of the lubricant in the tightly toleranced bearing to keep the platter constantly in a slight state of drag, so that the motor is pulling at all times, and no "freewheeling" occurs to mess with the speed. Perhaps this is why the stylus drag issue doesn't have the same effect as it does on other table designs.

I'm convinced that alot of what goes on in high-end audio stems from "traditions" like "that's the way it's always been", and only a few mavericks have broken from this with new designs over the years. But, as we go on, more and more people are trying new(or old cast off) things in an attempt to move toward better sound. It's a good thing.

As I've been known to say, "I don't care if there is a hamster in an exercise wheel in that box, if it sounds good, I'm for it."