My personal experience with Direct Drive versus Belt Drive

Dear @pbnaudio / @rotarius : I own and owned very good and not so good samples of DD and BD TT where with the good design the steady and speed stability never was or is a problem when in the not so good design it's.

I think that's not only a matters of TT price ranges but the quality of the TT design and critical and very important the manufacturer execution quality on that TT design. No less important is the customer overall TT set-up.

In the other side ( @harold-not-the-barrel  ) you are rigth: how the music/sound flows but this main whole audio system target is not a matters of this or that audio link in the system chain but a precise overall audio system set-up with " perfect " ( price define almost nothing. What define all is each one of us knowledge levels and each one " tools " about. ) choosed  links in that very complex audio system set-up.

I think that we can't be really sure of audio items comparisons of every kind if our system is not " there " when it's not TRUER TO THE RECORDING that's most be the main target for any music lover/audiophile as us.

 We want really enjoy the MUSIC not to all those DISTORTIONS that are imposible to avoid ( but only try to mantain it at minimum. ) and that always surrounded all audio systems.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC not DISTORTIONS,
R.

System building takes time and effort . The problem we have is a good reference yes live music is the best . I find great rewards in listening to other systems and trying to understand why they have certain strengths and weakness. I enjoy this quest as there are so many variables . The main goal is self satisfaction . Enjoy the music.    

Put four musicians in a room and ask them to play on four different consecutive days. They will play a different tempo on each day. Fill them with cappuccino’s before the fourth day playing and see what happens. Humans are not robots.

Yes, musicians can play at a different tempo but the notes will still be the same unlike a turntable which speed will affect the pitch.  In other words, not a very good analogy. 

Dear @enginedr1960: Yes, always near field live MUSIC is the perfect REFERENCE for audiophiles and yes listening to other audio systems ( as many we can. ) always helps and is a main part of the audio learning curve.

Yes, there are not only " so many variables " but I think that are to many and we have to live with more trade-offs that what we like it. The audio and especially the analog experience is way imperfect and through those imperfections is where the trade-offs are generated and the critical issue here is each one whole abilities to choose exactly the ones that overall does less harm to the MUSIC enjoyment.

All those is a continuous quest to be " there ", it's a continuous day by day learning till we are really/true satisfied with.

Always a challenge for any of us and that's why many of us are buying new audio items ( cartridges, tonearms, cables, TTs, electronics, speakers and the like. ), we mantain this kind of behavior always looking for the " new kid on the block " and we can't stop to do it ( and always we found out some fun in that looking of " self satisfaction ". ) and we can't stop because our system is far away from that elusive " THERE ".

Take a look on some today threads where even people with what we can think " dreaming audio systems " the owners ( wealthy ones. ) are buying all the new cartridges ( always. ) and everything on the topic.

All those gentlemans have a problem: they don't even imagine that their audio systems are really aways to be not " perfect " but not even near that perfection. Many times their systems are even several steps down yours or other humble systems.

When I came for the first time at Agon ( many years ago. ) I started to post several " new " topics/audio subjects that ( like even today ) gone against what almost all audiophiles learned through their audio lifes. They treat me as if I was some one with out experience and no understanding of what surrounded the audio experience.

They ask several time that I disclose my audio system and I did not because I thought it can't help too much but finally I did it and many gentlemans said: wow ! . They thought that I was an audio items collector with out understand the why's of that and today ( almost same. ) system.
The real subject was that even on those " old " times I was near that " there " and needs not any more to look for the new " kid on the block ". I already passed for it and after that
 I " only " was an am fine tunning very fine tunning the same system and today I'm almost " THERE " and the level of MUSIC enjoyment is something really dificult for me explain it.

Today I'm not even for curiosity to listen this or that new item " designs " because in reality exist no true " new designs ": " new " tonearms are more of the same, " new " cartridges are more of the same, cables too and TTs/everything. Exist nothing really NEW. No single audio item shows something real better but only different ! ? ! ? ! ? !

Have fun been truer to the recording.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC not DISTORTIONS,
R.

All of the above drive systems can yield excellent results, although I have found in my products, string drive has offered the least compromises. I will be unveiling a pretty interesting new design at Axpona this year. 
Anvil Turntables