Stylus-Drag..Fact or Fiction?


Most audiophiles can't seem to believe that a tiny stylus tracking the record groove on a heavy platter could possibly 'slow-down' the rotating speed of a turntable.
I must admit that proving this 'visually' or scientifically has been somewhat difficult until Sutherland brought out the Timeline.
The Timeline sits over the spindle of the rotating disc and flashes a laser signal at precisely the correct timing for either 33.33rpm or 45rpm.
By projecting these 'flashes' onto a nearby wall (with a marker attached)....one can visualise in real-time, whether the platter is 'speed-perfect' (hitting the mark at every revolution), losing speed (moving to the left of the mark) or gaining speed (moving to the right of the mark).

RAVEN BELT-DRIVE TT vs TIMELINE 
Watch here how the laser hits the mark each revolution until the stylus hits the groove and it instantly starts losing speed (moving to the left).
You can track its movement once it leaves the wall by seeing it on the Copperhead Tonearm.
Watch how it then speeds up when the tonearms are removed one by one....and then again, loses speed as the arms are dropped.

RAVEN BELT-DRIVE TT vs TIMELINE
Watch here how the laser is 'spot-on' each revolution with a single stylus in the groove and then loses speed as each additional stylus is added.
Then observe how....with NO styli in the groove.....the speed increases with each revolution (laser moves to the right) until it 'hits' the mark and then continues moving to the right until it has passed the mark.

Here is the 35 year-old Direct Drive Victor TT-81 turntable (with Bi-Directional Servo Control) undergoing the same examination:-
VICTOR TT-81 DD TT vs TIMELINE 
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My daughter is a heavy music lover. She sang opera in collage. She is not an audiophile. Her fiance might be. He certainly gets big smiles listening to the rig. 
As for the CS, it should be less expensive depending on import fees and shipping although I could have them bring it back on their flight it still has to make it through customs. There are ways though to lighten the load so to speak....if she can get one. I'll put my 4 point 14 in the second position. It is my Koetsu arm. The platter weights 27 Kg! That is 60 lb and it is stainless steel with is non magnetic and a great shield. I'll have to have a dust cover made for it. Another paltry $300.00
Good luck with the grand kids. Maybe you need to give your son in law lessons?? 

Mike
Ct, I'm not going to step into that one. All I can say is you guys need to treat your doctors better so the good ones stop coming down here.
You are saying that when you cut the string it takes less time for the platter to come to a stop. That does not make sense to me. The magnets don't change in any way and you are releasing it from the drag of the motor yet it takes 1/4 of the time to stop? 
^^
When I cut the power to the motor you can hear the internal gears still working, winding down slowly - as the string is still attached to the pulley it keeps turning the platter.
32.5 seconds. just tried it.  Now  I don't feel like cutting the string right now 8^0.  take my word on the shorter duration.  
oh and I can cut the power for a couple seconds, turn it on again and the music doesn't miss a beat to the listener, like flicking the string. 
From the moment I heard this table in 101 set up at the beginning with the first record - I knew I was done. End of the road. Same goes for my tonearm. That was many years ago. I do still enjoy talking tech and helping others get set up through the winter months. Good luck on your new turntable. 

My fraternal twins love music and they know all the music I love - but millennial's get I would say 60-70% of the satisfaction with their portable systems. They are happy with that. I don't see any wanting to set up a system that is not portable.  I am thinking of starting a thread.

"The Audiophile's Equipment Burden on the Family"  and  "Strategies to Deal with the Burden"

I thought for myself the gear was going to be the burden. Nope - its the records on two floors of our house. 

Cheers Chris 
Yes, the software is all over the place. More luck than brains but when I first met my wife I had Magnepan Tympani's. Anything is an improvement after those. My kids having grown up with this stuff are certainly music lovers but it does seem like high end Hi Fi's are lower on their list of priorities.