Why will no other turntable beat the EMT 927?

Hi @thuchan .

Do you happen to have a speed deviation measurement device like a shaknspin?

I believe the magic number lies in the speed deviation %. That which Idlers rule above other drives with their high revving motors. Yes DD drives are also high torque and so can overcome stylus drag but they fail at that measurement also.

Not only is the 927 an idler drive (the best idler drive) but it also happens to have a 16" platter which gives it even more superior stability.

I may be wrong but I believe i’m answering the question you presented in this thread.

Think about it. Modern turntables of today come with tighter bearing tolerances. Much heavier platters. Vacuum suction. Air bearings. Magnetic bearings. High torque motors etc etc. Yet all fail at that test. Take a look at the measurements of all the last uber decks including Airforce Zero, Oma K3 and SAT in stereophile. Constant speed deviations of 0.25% / 0.30% / 0.35%. 

I would bet your 927 is going to show you a deviation of 1/10th of those numbers. My humble TD 124 shows me 0.04%. Timing is everything!

And yet the TD124, when compared to even the top level of pedestrian idler drives, like the Garrard 301 and the Lenco L75, comes in third in terms of sonics. to my ears in my system.  Moreover, I have liked many other belt-drive and DD turntables over the TD124, as well. So, either your numbers are questionable, or speed stability is not the paramount determinant of SQ, or we just hear differently. (This says nothing about the EMT 927, which I have not heard.)

Vintage turntables did have heavy platters, vacuum suction, air or magnetic bearings, and high torque motors, although no single one of them had all those supposed virtues (all of which come with some trade-offs.)

Well said, @lewm .