The urge to tinker is awash. What TT might better mine and why?

Why is direct drive incompatible with an air bearing? Are you aware of a few of the vintage direct drive turntables that use magnetic levitation so that the vertical bearing is not doing much weight bearing.?

It's not incompatible, IMO, but I've never seen it done. I'd like to. Bear in mind that there are two sources of friction and noise: thrust, which is obvious, and radial to stabilize the platter. Even some air bearing turntables don't bother with radial, and the challenges of going contactless with DD, with any economy at all, seem daunting.

I have heard of the partial maglev technology, and even thought of using it in my DIY, but it's still a case by case thing, the devil being in the details. I've never heard of maglev used radially - sounds impossible to me. So we are left with two surfaces in contact, therefore a potential for noise, and I think that plastic bearings tend to produce noise.

Bottom line to me is whether there is bearing noise and whether it is imparted to the platter. I think that any bearing noise is transmitted, and hypothesize that it's the source of tizzy digital type sound. What are your views of the results of a bearing noise which is audible?

The Denon showed up this morning and have it spinning tunes right now.
Nothing much to dislike about it apart from I feel the dl103d cart is not the best choice but hey that is what it came with.
It is definitely brighter with less bass than my NA rig but that could be as much the cart.
Next move will be deciding on a good suitable mm cart... Or two ... Lol.

I would audition a suspended deck. If you like the characteristics a used Oracle Alexandria might be budget friendly. If you can find MK III or MK IV, they are more reliable and easier to set up; but hard to find. You can add your choice of tonearm, but there are some weight restrictions with all suspendeds. Of course if your budget allows, the Delphi is well worth a listen.

Of course, you could go Thorens or Linn, if you don’t mind being one of a pack.  ;^)

Uber

interesting thread:  a year ago I swapped out my spacedeck/spacearm (9”) for an ace spacedeck and ace Anna 10” arm; at the same time I added the Kiseki purple heart ns cartridge which replaced a cadenza bronze 

i use a walker audio motor controller and a Cary ph302 mk ii phono stage with a factory added external power supply ( similar to those used on the Cary slp98 pre amps ) - I put 4 circa 1950 vintage nos 6sl7 tubes in the phono stage

when all was said and done I achieved noticeable improvements in all areas of vinyl sound reproduction - incredibly low noise floor, great dynamics, detail, soundstage, you name it - the improvements were not subtle 

personally i love the Nott sound and didn’t want to get away from it, so I just got ‘more of it’

i think it’s the same with a speaker sound you prefer, if you like it and want ‘more of it’ just move up the line