Direct Drive vs. Idler Drive vs. Belt drive

I have a chance of going for a bespoke high quality replacement for the tt speed controller on my Salvation direct rim drive tt. It'll be a total punt in that I'll be buying a custom order device w no chance of hearing it. The designer is long term user of my tt/arm, and uses a Clearaudio Goldfinger (that should appeal to Mike), and so if he feels it passes muster, I'll buy w some confidence.
Part of the Salvation's magic is that it doesn't use any servo feedback/loop at all. Indeed, whenever designer Vic tried to incorporate it, either an optical encoder or a voltage fluctuation gauge, the sound became colder, grainier and less compelling.
Vic's existing stock tt speed controller is pure analog, set by reference to speed strobe, but is not particularly bulletproof. The bespoke replacement will have way better component count and a couple of features that make it pretty unique. And I believe, no servo feedback while lps playing.

It is weird that people on this forum are not familiar with EMT 950 and 948 DD turntables.
They work different compared to Technics SP10 mk2 and mk3.
EMT DD have a powerful DC motor and lightweight platter. IMHO it is much more proper servo control design.
EMT DD were very expensive in 70x, 80x. 950 costed 15000DM.
A number of times more expensive than Technics SP10.
And they where sold on professional market before marketing era.
That days, studios and radio stations knew what they pay for. Not like modern audiophiles pay for a piece of a modern art design.
I also knew that Japanese audio enthusiasts prefer EMT DD turntable to their local stuff. A big part of EMT turntables where sold from Germany to Japan.

It is weird that people on this forum are not familiar with EMT 950 and 948 DD turntables.
They work different compared to Technics SP10 mk2 and mk3.
EMT DD have a powerful DC motor and lightweight platter. IMHO it is much more proper servo control design.
EMT DD were very expensive in 70x, 80x. 950 costed 15000DM.
A number of times more expensive than Technics SP10.
And they where sold on professional market before marketing era.
That days, studios and radio stations knew what they pay for. Not like modern audiophiles pay for a piece of a modern art design.
I also knew that Japanese audio enthusiasts prefer EMT DD turntable to their local stuff. A big part of EMT turntables where sold from Germany to Japan.

i did own a mint EMT 948 for 2 years......

https://www.audioasylum.com/messages/vinyl/1102291/i-had-the-technics-and-now-have-an-emt-948

it was in mint condition and i did like it.

but for my money i preferred my Wave Kinetics NVS direct drive by a good margin. just my opinion, of course.

Mike, hi. I thought it was a little instructive that on WBF you didn't mention much in yr comparison to existing NVS of yr new CSPort and Saskia. Now I'm reading you have some strong opinions on potential negatives of servo and use of such on NVS.
So, you're getting greater satisfaction, immersion, from yr non-servo thread- and idler-drives?
That's not to say the NVS isn't first rate. Just that it's not as fully fleshed out as the Saskia, and not quite as ethereal as the CSPort?
Or am I as usual reading too much into yr words?

NVS costs $45K brand new. 
EMT 948 costs $10K NOS or $5K used in perfect conditons with tonearm.