Sell Me Your Women, Your Children, Your Vintage Turntable...

Actually mijostyn you can modify the platter drive to drag the platter vs PUSH the platter.

That drive boggy on a Thoren or Russco/QRK/Sparta is swapped to an aluminum pully / bronze bushed and super soft silicone rope o-rings.

The platter is easy to dampen and drop balance AFTER the dampening is added.. Flex seal works wonders to quiet the whole thing down.. Chassis and all

Dimple roll the stuff it’s even quieter, but it's not the prettiest, when you dimple roll.. The plinth stabilizes too NO more growing summer to winter.

Regards

 A line almost from the infamous Captain Sensible,Women and Captains first.Modern technology from a turntable specialist.If you buy quality it can hold its resale.https://www.rega.co.uk/products/planar-10.Whatever you buy its still the vinyl that sits on it thats most important.

That’s wisdom. I built my collection with vintage and quality new vinyl before I did the 401.

Now I’m hearing my original mono blonde on blonde promo vg++ for the first time really, and that’s just one example.

Different strokes for different folks.
If you don’t see the appeal in vintage turntables go for one of the modern designs, there are many good options to choose from. From your list, I’d probably go with the SME.

@rooze I have a modern turntable and vintage as well, they are very different in everyday use, the way Garrard switches clang, there’s nothing modern like it. Idlers do sound a little different from belt drive and to some a more engaging sound…only you can make that decision for yourself. Rumble is not an issue and such an easy fix, I don’t get why it’s mentioned so often.

@scar972 

Different strokes for different folks.
If you don’t see the appeal in vintage turntables go for one of the modern designs, there are many good options to choose from. From your list, I’d probably go with the SME.

Thanks for the suggestion on the SME.

I guess there are various considerations when selecting a table/arm, certainly budget is the prevailing factor, then, when you get down to individual assessments, there's performance, aesthetics, reliability, ease of use/setup, availability of parts, etc.

Just focusing on performance and aesthetics (which in my case are the two most important aspects, in that order), I WOULD SACRIFICE AESTHETIC FOR A DOLLAR TO DOLLAR IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE.
People seem reluctant to say that a well-restored vintage deck will generally sound better than a similarly priced modern unit. SOME OF YOU HAVE, but mostly the issue is skirted around. Some of you are alluding to "I built it with my own hands", "It looks wonderful" etc, but not so much "It just sounds obviously better".

So, I'm taking from this that there isn't really a consensus on SQ, and that it's generally down to personal preference, dictated by whatever heads up your list of personal priorities. OK, no real surprise.

So, no one has 'sold me their vintage turntable', per the original challenge. Maybe we can do better with your womenfolk and children... :)

Rooze