Speed accuracy- how accurate is accurate?

Speed accuracy has got to be very important and for me the best tool is the Sutherland Timeline.

Turntable speed accuracy need only be more accurate than the speed accuracy of the record mastering tape deck and cutting machine!

More turntable accuracy then that does not matter in listening playback sound quality!

Blue Wolf,

The Roadrunner Tachometer is better/easier to use than the Timeline.

Good Listening


Peter 

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@OP

zavato 

Certainly, running at 33.333333333333 . . . with a stylus in the groove is ideal

Not if the Music itself has been recorded a bit slow or fast

What IS important is to have easy control to make your platter faster or slower and ensure it stays there when set. imo.
 
Now if the turntable does not have this type of control, given a choice between running a little slow or fast - definitely faster is better.  

In my opinion....

Pitch stability is MUCH MORE about off-center holes than variations in properly performing turntable motor operations.  The difference between 33.31 and 33.35 is insignificant as long as the speed remains relatively constant in the short term.  Unless a listener is absolutely pitch perfect (very tiny percentage of listeners), they won't know the difference in the long term.  Even cutting lathes didn't maintain perfectly stable speed rates.  (The Beatles "Golden slumber / Carry That Weight / The End" seriously changes pitch increasing from slightly flat to quite sharp during the recording, but it quite listenable.)

In my opinion, the REAL issue is not about speed accuracy for A/C driven turntable motors.  It is ALL about A/C noise making its way into the platter or plinth.  There is a quite noticeable difference in noise entering "the system" when the turntable drive motor A/C voltage (VPI Aries and VPI modified TNT) is reduced by a variac from 120v to around 75v.  That is still enough voltage to maintain stable platter rotation to operate the table but the vibration generated by the A/C synchronous is dramatically reduced.  This can further be demonstrated by using different kinds of drive belts.  Reducing this noise floor makes a big difference in detail, soundstage, image tightness, instrument character and performance subtleties.      

Just my opinion and personal observation (as a former professional performing musician).  Your opinion may differ, your opinion may differ.