dear @slaw
I have a heavily modified Rock Elite:
1. Berher Lahrs motor (from a DPS)
2. Acrylic platter
3. origin live belt
4. Bernard Fuss two phase power supply.
I have posted to @bdp24 about this before.
My actual reasoning is as follows.
To my ears the only weakness of the elite was what I associate with most belt drive decks, and that is that under load they suffer stylus drag. The only deck that does not have the drag that I had heard was a DPS model 2.
Someone had a DPS model 2 motor and speed control up for sale.
The DPS motor is a high torque Berger lairs that runs at 500 rpm. Thankfully the motor came with the pulley and the pod.
The Elite platter has a wider diameter at the bottom compared to the top, so I needed a platter that would allow a peripheral belt so I got one made to the same thickness by TizoAcryl - they also drilled the hole so as to go on the same spindle.
I use a very thick bearing grease on the spindle to provide more resistance to the driving belt (this was to follow the DPS theory)
I was researching two phase power supplies and found a German review on one made by Bernard Fuss - It was considered to be a good upgrade on a transrotor power supply.
In respect of the belt I unfortunately order one that Is way too long - requiring that the motor pod is placed a fair bit from the main chassis. I went for origin live coz I heard good things about it.
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The result was exactly as I hoped, in simplistic terms it is analogous to focusing a lens. What happened most clearly was that when passages got heavy and complex there was no slowing down. This meant that bass was much better defined and in fact deeper. I also found that the soundstage became more stable.
I would love to hear it against any other Townshend because but for very recent Rock 7's which I believe have DC motors (please do not quote me on that) the rest have all used the Phillips/Airpax motors which have very little torque.
To my ears at least I am a timing freak, and a bit of torque in the drive system really works wonders - it's where I think why so many people like Idlers and DD's.
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In terms of tonearms I have a Mission/Jelco mounted at present, however, I use a Nordost tyr tonearm cable.
In addition to this I have a brand new Helius Orion that I got Geoff to make has ceramic bearings as opposed to ruby bearings. I also have Moerch DP6
That said I think @slaw touched upon the fact that Max does rate the bearings on a Rega arm and the way it transfers energy. So maybe an RB1000 may be the way to go?
All said and done - the trough very much takes the arm out of the equation - I will report back on this, because the Jelco's have good wiring internally.
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To conclude - I have a real soft spot for this turntable. I always wanted a Townshend from when I first saw one in a magazine aged 17 - when I had the money - Townshend were not making any decks - so I got something else - which I am also very fond of.
I bought my elite second hand and it came with a Pickering XSV4000 MM - another discovery - but that's a story for another day
