Should I keep the Turntable or sell it?

I’m not on the Audiogon Forum much. I get a weekly email titled Weekly Recap which has some of the top discussions of the past week, I guess.

I was very intrigued by this thread because I’ve had a Bluenote Bellavista Signature turntable for about ten years now.

I’ve replaced the U3 tonearm with a suped-up Rega RB300. Incognito wiring, Pete Riggle VTA on-the-fly adjustment and Michell counter weight.
Don’t think I can live without the on-the-fly Vta anymore. I found the unipivot a little to squirrely for me.

I recently had to replace the motor because the original crapped out. Luckily Goldnote (which Bluenote is now) had one left in their old inventory. I also got an original belt which is essentially a giant O-ring.

Anyhow, I noticed that it runs pretty much right on at 331/3 rpm but when I go to 45 rpm it runs fast. I’ve tried everything to get it to run correct at both speeds. The Bluenote uses a hollow belt spindle with a threaded insert that can be screwed in or out for minor adjustments of speed (it makes the belt spindle bigger or smaller). My thought was that if it’s right on at 331/3 rpm then when I move the belt to the 45 rpm spindle groove it should be right on or close without having to make a speed adjustment to the spindle insert. It doesn’t and won’t, even if I try to adjust the speed using the spindle insert.

I hope I explained that well enough to understand because a lot of folks are not familiar with this turntable.

Because of this problem and not being able to rectify it I’ve been thinking about a new turntable and I’ve been a little drawn to the Technics because at this point I just want something that RUNS AT THE CORRECT SPEED.

It bothers me to no end that I know the speed is off. Even at 33 1/3 sustained piano notes sound like they’re slightly out of tune (maybe that’s just my imagination?). 45 rpm just doesn’t sound right at all (definitely not my imagination).

I’ve been wavering back and forth on which way to go.

A belt drive with speed controller or just an all-in-one DD such as the Technics.

Remember, it has to have on-the-fly/easy VTA adjustment.

Thanks in advance, Nick.

P.s. I won’t jump on anyone for their suggestions even if they’re a so-called "fan-boy". Not that there’s anything wrong with that. :-)

There are many belt-drive tables out there with adjustable speed that will stay locked at the set RPM. A few that come immediately to mind: Rega P8, Acoustic Signature Wow XL (and every model above), and the Gem Dandy Polytable Super12. These are just a few of the more affordable ones. Once you get into Palmer/SME/AMG territory, nearly all have adjustable pitch with some type of speed lock. You invest in a KAB SpeedStrobe and you’re good to go. My table has adjuatable pitch in 0.1% increments and according to the SpeedStrobe, it holds speed within 0.03% of perfect. The controller keeps it stored in the memory so it need not be adjusted again unless I adjust cartridge setup.

Now keep in mind that speed accuracy is a moving target, because not all laquers are cut at a perfect 33.3 or 45. From what I’ve researched, few are cut at a speed any more accurate than that of a budget turntable.

@bignamehere 

Just choose what sound preference , ergonomics , features and looks that you want. Its you that lives with it , not some zealot who can,t for some reason accept his opinions are not the facts he claims. DD is not everyone's cup of tea at any price . Many tried and dumped the new technics and the vintage Japanese tables , the same way some pass on belts or idlers. 

Although I like all drives and respect their individual strengths,  and the way one person from the next comes at the same problems and needs differently , I still recognize and am fully aware of the weaknesses they have individually as well. What makes me quietly chuckle through all the dumping on belt drives and praise of the claimed superior DD.....in all the fervor and chosen information and stats on the best tables of old and the DD....most of the units from the east with pedigree status....had either the micro name on it or a good deal of engineering and manufacturing in it.....and they dropped the DD and focused on some only very good  to excellent belt drives.....I believe any company as highly regarded as micro was and is in all things turntable, choosing belted turntables speaks volumes.  They were not a cottage industry company like many see belt drives as and they sold high quality , not marketing. 
If you enjoy it, it makes you want to play it and buy more records ...it's a good table for you, whatever the name  brand or type of drive it has. At the end of the day....that's all that matters....some good music to remove the anxiety of the day....not obsess over it or to appease some strangers opinions. .....
All those, Rega, Linn, Micro, Project, Clearaudio, JA Michell, Basis, Sota, VPI, Oracle, SME, Avid, Brinkman, Roksan. ...(etc. etc.etc.) belt users can't all be wrong in what they chose as their preferred drive.....a little bit bigger than a cottage industry. ..
Choice is good.....

I had a direct drive turntable for many years and decided to try a VPI Cliffwood which I love. I will eventually upgrade the cartridge. I'm not a big fan of Bluetooth sound. I briefly had a NAD integrated amp with its BluOS system and it didn't sound well at all. Anyway, best of luck! 

There's been some nice affordable suggestions here for both belt and DD turntables.

I did notice that most, especially the BD's do not have on-the-fly VTA. 

Yes, they're adjustable using an allen wrench but who wants that?  Once you have on-the-fly VTA there's no turning back.

There are many theories to turntable design, but they have to be implemented correctly for good results.  Many people view Rega as dinky 'tables, but they are lightweight and stripped-down, like a Formula 1 Race car.  And their performance sounds that way - fast and dynamic with good timing - which appeals to many.  A lot of the higher mass turntables are more like a Mercedes-Benz, which is a different kind of excellence than a race car.  If you find that you like the virtues of a Rega 'table, it is hard to find those virtues in a comparably-priced high-mass 'table.  The Acoustic Signature WOW series of 'tables come to mind, however.

Rega do make high-end products, but they have a certain mindset that gets a little extreme with what they will and won't compromise on their pricier 'tables.  I think some things, like a felt mat, do not belong on a high-end product.  But there are many aftermarket mats that are not overly costly.  Because Rega 'tables are modular and among the best-selling (with a large fan base), there are many aftermarket modifications that allow one to start with an entry-level Rega and improve the performance considerably.  This adds cost over time, and you can more than double the cost of a Planar 3, but some people enjoy the tweaking and incremental upgrades.

The RB300 series of arms have been one of the best-selling high-end audio products of all time.  Especially during the lull in vinyl sales when it did not make sense for boutique manufacturers to invest in creating their own tonearm offerings, many turntables resorted to using a Rega arm, or offering it as an option.  

The Ortofon 2M series will work fine with a Rega if you use tonearm spacers.  They are a popular replacement for the Rega cartridges.  In my experience, they are more detailed and refined than the Rega MMs, but not as dynamic.

You will know what you like when you hear it, whether it's a Rega or a Technics, or something else.  It's like Mercedes, BMW, and Audi - they are not the same, and if you have the chance to test-drive comparable cars from all three manufacturers, you will find that one just speaks to you in a way the others don't.