Top ten DD turntables of all time?

It is a mystery to me how a belt drive table "sounds" compared to DD?

Shouldn't all tables sound, well like nothing?

I have a belt drive table. With a good quality pressing, all I hear is the record as delviered by the cartridge in the tonearm. I hear nothing extraneous from the tt itself that I can identify.

I used to sell various belt and direct drive turntables years ago and also do not recall hearing any inherent differences between the two drive mechanisms. I don't even recall other knowledgeable salespersons making such a claim. The turntable was either quiet or not and the sound was a result of the cart, tonearm and record playing.

Nsgarch

From page 80 of a recent Audio Advisor catalogue:

"It's no wonder so many people embraced CDs when they were first introduced. Their turntables sounded terrible! If you've still listening to an older, direct drive turntable, you've never really heard the music on your records."

For me, this was a new low for AA, in a descent which began circa 2004, perhaps when they hired the business genius who also writes copy like HUGE SALE! UP TO 10% OFF ALL RACKS.

Mapman

"Quiet or not" is an excellent point which perhaps sums up the whole debate very nicely.

My memory however is that starting with the cult like promotion for the Linn LP 12, a generation of listeners was somehow led to believe that direct drives were only suitable for basement party disc jockeys and the shame of any golden eared audiophiles. Plenty of salespeople and audiophiles made this claim.

I have always found this fascinating because I loved my Kenwood KD 500, I enjoyed my Yamaha PX2, and I hated my Linn LP 12 - the worst turntable I ever had.

FWIW, the best times I spent with a TT was when (in the late 70's) I had a Technic's 1350 TT Quartz DD with a Grace 9E. Looked great and played records just fine. Lots of great analog nites. Then I read about high end belt driven TT's and MC cartridges and moved 'up' to an Oracle Delphi and Accuphase cartridge and it was never the same again. Spent far more time fussing with set up, etc and less time actually listening to music. I've been tempted, but someone said that 'you can never go home' so I haven't, but I do wonder. :-)

In my opinion??? It is ReVox, Denon and then Technics EXACTLY in that order.

I put together my first system back in 1983, and that unfortunately was completed with the addition of a NAD 5255 Compact Disc Player back in 1985. Had I went the vinyl route and decided to go with a turntable back then, if it had to be a Direct-Drive, then I would've looked for a vintage Denon with a wooden plinth, the controls at the front edge of the platter, and an "S" shaped tone arm, and would've mounted a Sonus or a Grado M/M Cartridge onto it.

Now.... I have a Thorens TD-165 and a VPI Scoutmaster with a JMW Memorial 9 Arm and a Grado Prestige Gold on the Thorens and a Sonata Reference on the VPI/JMW (both which are Belt-Drives). After spending time with these tables, I don't think I can go back to a Direct-Drive.

Can You???

--Charles--

Cwlondon et al:

RE: April 2 '09 post in this thread, mentioning JA Michell TTs: Wrong name! I meant WALKER TT, NOT Michell. I apologize.

To explain --not to excuse-- I was tired, writing late into the night. I thought to have fact-checked, but not enough.

A lot is at stake for audio designers, hence my retraction: particularly when quoting someone else, I want to be accurate. I recounted an anecdote comparing Technics SP 10 TTs, and the Walker Proscenium TT, NOT any of the JA Michell products.

Cheers, David