Do top Idler drive tables fall short to top belt drives in any particular area.

Listen to a well restored Lenco L75 or GL78 some time.  Also "different" from all the rest in how the idler works.
Hiho, I don't see how the Garrard geometry alleviates the issue of out-of-round wheels.  If its interfacing rubber wheel goes out of round, you would have speed instability just the same.

Arthur Salvatore doesn't think so. Have a read of this:

http://www.high-endaudio.com/RC-Lenco.html

Thanks for all so far.  Interesting where Mr. Salvatore has the "Unavoidable Caveat" section where he says Idlers have the highest performance potential, BUT require the most attention in order to maintain that level. Can anyone elaborate on that one. (-:

Ochre and fjn, My reference to the Lenco L75 was by way of complimenting it and recommending it to anyone seeking an idler-drive turntable as best bang for the buck and (in my opinion) better than the usual suspects, depending of course upon the extravagance of the restoration and modifications to a Lenco vs to a TD124 or 301.  Mr. Salvatore happened to fall in love with one particular version of a refurbished Lenco.  I don't disagree with him that the Nantais Lenco is excellent (but not the absolute best iteration, IMO). 

I don't know what AS is talking about as regards the need to pay attention to an idler.  All turntables require some level of maintenance.  For an idler, it's the motor and the idler wheel, but the Lenco and Garrard motors are truly built like tanks, have lasted already several decades, and can easily be rebuilt to as new.  Idler wheels wear out and can then be replaced or restored.  These things take several years to happen.  For a belt-drive, many users are constantly fretting about the belt, replacing the belt, upgrading the belt, changing from one type of belt to another, etc.  Then too, the motors on average are less robust than those of the vintage idlers, bearings get noisy, etc.  I am not saying one is worse than another, just that audiophilia nervosa is a risk in both cases.

Any good turntable requires some TLC, as it should be. It's a hobby. I wouldn't want something that didn't need intervention occasionally.

 I don't think there's any right answer to the idler wars. I think any idler can be made to sound great. I would chose by looks and the sensory process of playing a record, if I were you. We all hear differently so what I think sounds good may just not reach your ears the same way and if you want brighter or a different soundstage, there are so many variable elements so you can get what you want on the table you love as a piece of art.