lewm
I THINK that some of us are saying this: Absolute accurate speed is not the issue.
I learned how important speed stability was, over the actual speed when I was 10 years old. Got my first - to me - portable stereo - Hitachi am/fm with cassette and microphone.
The next few days I filled one tape - recording music from FM.
When the tape was full, I played only my tape of music for the next week. I remember to this day thinking what freedom I had to play my own songs. Of course I had taped songs that triggered a "happy mood" in me.
Life was good.
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After one week, I switched to, and listened to FM radio again. Something was wrong. I noticed that the songs I had recorded now coming at me through FM, did not sound as good as my taped version. They sounded slow and lethargic. I was confused. My tape version of the songs had a better tempo, more energy. More life.
Sometime later ....I figured out what had happened.
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The tape motor in my stereo was running fast. Oh... it was a stable and consistent enough speed, so it sounded ok. It was just running a little fast.
I learned at 10 years of age that "Speed Stability" is what is important.
Sometimes I like to speed up my turntable, up a bit, you know ....go audiophile crazy.... just to hear older female voices ...........sound younger.
Fountain of Youth ? Try that with your digital.