Stylus-Drag..Fact or Fiction?

Anvil, any added friction is going to slow any table down a bit unless it has a compensatory mechanism. Most tables create an equilibrium situation which in table like the big Kuzma is probably strong enough to overcome stylus drag. In some tables like the older SOTAs you can adjust the equilibrium with the stylus down but the table itself is not compensating. This is not the case with the new ones. The Monaco is fascinating because it's resolution is so high but it is direct drive and unlike mikelavigna I do not like big magnetic things under my cartridge.

mike, there is such a thing as "carrying it to far." Why don you just stick your turntable in an isolation camber so airborne vibration doesn't get to it? I bet if you sit on one of those tables your hearing will improve:)

Ralph, What are you doing with a lathe? Atma-Sphere going to start making records? 

Mike

IIRC, Ralph has made a number of records.

mike, there is such a thing as "carrying it to far." Why don you just stick your turntable in an isolation camber so airborne vibration doesn’t get to it? I bet if you sit on one of those tables your hearing will improve:)

in a thread about ’stylus drag’ you are complaining about ’carrying it too far’? really? i think any participants in this thread would be considered by non audiophiles as ’carrying it too far’. it’s what we do here.

i will shamelessly admit to likely being at the far end of the ’carrying it too far’ bell curve.

i have 5 of those modified active platforms in my system; under both of my mono block amps, under my preamp, under my dac, and under my turntable. they are awesome tools to eliminate resonance. the musical connection they allow, especially when the music gets very dynamic and soars, is worth it. you can see pictures of those platforms if you look at my system page.

'carrying it to far. i'm the poster boy for that.

Very nice looking system Mike!

Those platforms are indeed impressive.

OK, enough BS about setting RPM with or without a record being played. Any decent TT has one of several motor-speed control methods to lock-in on or close 33 1/3 (or 45) RPM. Having arrived at "any" RPM setting/value the motor-speed-control compensates for stylus drag or lack thereof. That's why its referred to as speed-control. The Raven exemplifies the precision of its "speed-control" in the video. Because the laser point "changed position" due to stylus drag or lack of is only proof of its existence for that brief interval before compensation is made. If the RPM be exact the point after negative feed back should remain steady which it does. Because it has moved to right or left is not an argument but holding steady under varying loads is testimony to the TT's motor-speed-control's accuracy. The beauty of the Timeline is to allow you to set the Raven's RPM as close to 33 1/3 as possible and doing so with or without drag is BS. Video shows the laser point holds rock steady 33 1/3 RPM under all conditions including no drag. If the point moves with each subsequent revolution of platter it indicates other than a 33 1/3 RPM but says nothing of the TT accuracy of holding a desired higher or lower RPM setting. That's what's important.The timeline is nothing but a clock flashing every 1.8 seconds. Stick your finger on platter and you change laser point position and MSC should keep it steady where ever this dot ends up. Because the dot has changed original position only indicates a sudden load event has occurred. If perfectly set at 33 1/3 and dot is stationary after initial load change dot on wall will remain at position. A movement of dot merely indicates other than non attainable perfect RPM which isn't the most important thing here.