Pheonix Engineering Road Runner


This product was very popular when produced by Phoenix Engineering before they went out of business and seems to be even more popular after. My question is why hasn't some other manufacturer made something similar? The demand seems to be there.
sgunther
cleeds, What in your opinion are the "very best" belt drives? For me, the very best belt drive turntables cost at least $25,000, new.  Once you get up to that price point and above, you can buy some nice BD machines.  I have less than that tied up in four DD turntables, total.

Did you mean to imply by your response as regards the Phoenix Engineering products vs other outboard devices for BD turntables (which probably should not be called "controllers", since only the Phoenix and maybe also the new SOTA devices, actually do control speed when it varies over the course of playing an LP), that the PE stuff sounds inferior to a VPI SDS (for one example you chose to mention)?  Those without an external feedback mechanism like the RR still do employ a sort of feedback; you set the speed under a load or no load condition, and the controller relies upon the constancy of the AC frequency to keep the motor operating at a certain speed, always based on the pre-set condition. There's feedback going on, but it's referenced to AC frequency (or I suppose some other internal reference), and it is inflexible for responding to the variation in load due to stylus drag, etc.  Most listeners of my acquaintance do not love the VPI SDS, but I cannot say I have any opinion, since I never heard it.  I own a Walker Audio Motor Controller; it doesn't hold a candle to the PE stuff, which I also own and use to drive my Lenco.  Most reviewers said the WAMC was superior to the SDS.
So we have $10k tables that can’t regulate their speed. Then someone is making a $300 box that’s nothing but a spedo and doesn’t regulate speed.

I guess im shocked but then people will buy a $1500 McIntosh clock made from $15 worth of parts. So I guess maybe I’m not shocked.

Clearly I don’t fit into this racket/hobby
lewm
cleeds, What in your opinion are the "very best" belt drives? For me, the very best belt drive turntables cost at least $25,000, new ...
I'm not a member of the component-of-the-month club, so I really can't make a recommendation about today's best belt drive turntables. I use a VPI TNT Series III and haven't heard anything better - regardless of technology - since I bought it new back in the '90s. And I've been to the VPI house and heard all of their latest offerings, including the DD. (I did add an SDS to my VPI, which originally came with the older PLC controller.)

Did you mean to imply by your response ... that the PE stuff sounds inferior to a VPI SDS.
No, I didn't mean to imply that, but the one PE I did hear was not impressive. But that's just one data point, so I don't put much value on it.

Those without an external feedback mechanism like the RR still do employ a sort of feedback; you set the speed under a load or no load condition, and the controller relies upon the constancy of the AC frequency to keep the motor operating at a certain speed, always based on the pre-set condition. There's feedback going on, but it's referenced to AC frequency ....
To me, feedback implies a loop, so I don't consider that the PE Phoenix or VPI SDS units rely on feedback. They simply use the line frequency as a reference, as any typical synchronous motor does.

Most listeners of my acquaintance do not love the VPI SDS ...
I have no issue at all with the SDS, and I like that you can set the drive voltage to your preference ... although the detail on that isn't explained in the user manual.
gochurchgo

The PE Roadrunner was $400 - makes mine a bargain :-)  The benefit from these tachometers are that you can actually see at what speed your TT is running.

Good Listening

Peter