Thank you all for your links, explanations, and experiences.
It seems that some of you have already traveled the journey I'm starting on. I've owned belt driven turntables for many years, and over a year ago I added a Garrard 401 idler drive. Last month I added another idler drive, a Garrard 301.
In my system, my belt-drive turntable is more balanced and at this time if I were to own just one turntable it would probably be a belt drive. My idlers are excellent and I really don't have any issues with noises and rumble that are commonly attributed to idlers. I do feel that my Garrards are better geared towards jazz, blues, vocals, and small ensembles, with this type of music it really shines. With classical and fast music that benefits from an analytical presentation, it doesn't sound quite as good as my belt drive. Perhaps my opinion will change after more work is put into the Garrards, only time will tell.
My curiosity now is how a direct-drive sound, will it sound more like my belt drive or more like my idlers?
It seems that some of you have already traveled the journey I'm starting on. I've owned belt driven turntables for many years, and over a year ago I added a Garrard 401 idler drive. Last month I added another idler drive, a Garrard 301.
In my system, my belt-drive turntable is more balanced and at this time if I were to own just one turntable it would probably be a belt drive. My idlers are excellent and I really don't have any issues with noises and rumble that are commonly attributed to idlers. I do feel that my Garrards are better geared towards jazz, blues, vocals, and small ensembles, with this type of music it really shines. With classical and fast music that benefits from an analytical presentation, it doesn't sound quite as good as my belt drive. Perhaps my opinion will change after more work is put into the Garrards, only time will tell.
My curiosity now is how a direct-drive sound, will it sound more like my belt drive or more like my idlers?