Stylus drag is more audible to some than others - I am very timing sensitive. I have a low torque high mass deck, a high torque belt drive, an idler and some DD's. The low torque deck sounds great, but when it comes to busy passages it is audible and you can notice the struggle. A good tester for this I find to be the track 'Steppin Out' at the start where the piano starts wavering on my belt drive. With the greatest of respect Anvil. EMT have produced various great decks, the 927, 930, 950, 948. Have supplied radio stations the world over - made DD's, belt drives, phono amps, and cartridges. Not sure if you have the provenance of knowledge with which to dismiss the EMT analogy as hyperbole so easily...