Honest question about cartridge vs. turntable performance.

Chakster, as always there are conflicting attributes. Yes DD tables are some of the most stable. Most think that added stability is meaningless.
The Dohmann Helix turntables are belt drive and even more accurate.
It uses twin belts of different durometers and a drive system that will maintain the programmed speed regardless of friction, etc.
Having an oscillating electromagnetic device under a very sensitive electromagnetic device is a bad idea especially when the platter is paper thin. XactAudio's Beat turntable might get away with it as the platter has got to be 4" thick. Remember magnetic field strength drops with the square of the distance. Price is about the same as the Dohmann. I would take the Dohmann in a heartbeat. Dohmann is far more open about its design whereas the Beat is cloaked in mystery most likely because there is nothing patentable about its design. The Dohmann's MinusK suspension is patent protected. I also prefer suspended turntables. The Beat is supposed to be isolated but it is not suspended. I do not believe in magic.
The one saving grace of the direct drive turntable is you do not have to worry about belt wear. I figure if I can change the accessory belt on a 911, I can change a belt on anything:)

So Chakster, then why is it that the vast majority of the most high-end turntables are belt drive?  I welcome your explanation.  There could be something to learn from it.

And, per your comment, then my new Rega Planar 10 turntable is junk? I beg to differ as it sounds better than any other turntable I have owned, direct drive and belt drive units.  I am very open minded so, please, explain away...

why is it that the vast majority of the most high-end turntables are belt drive?

Its low-tech and easy to get good results?

I finished my country house turntable project - goal was to find small  good turntable.

So my choice at the very end is Era turntable + Ortofon 9 inch RS-212 tonearm + Aidas cartridge.
Very small and not serious looking. Sounds better than any Rega for me:)

But if to look into Era it's rather cheap belt drive engineered by Verdier. With very small motor and very loose belt. And very strange design I have to say. Although in my opinion Era don't make any sound it just keeps the speed with very low wow and flutter 

Then you don't see turntable sound is superb :) Although now I want for my home big Verdier turntable as it is more serious and it will look nice near Garrard.

Engineering is the key. Good turntable can be very simple. Does it means that it's the most important - I don't think so. But in the late evenings then turntable spins and shines it's the most important part in the system. That is for sure.

@mammothguy64

So Chakster, then why is it that the vast majority of the most high-end turntables are belt drive? I welcome your explanation. There could be something to learn from it.

In a wider perspective most of high-end turntables are Direct Drive, especially if you know the history. I don’t care much about High-End Industry today, this is where the ugliest and most expensive turntables coming from. It’s been said before, but i can repeat it again - marketing is the reason, if they can sell those ugly beats then why not make a profit? If someone can sell BD turntables like Rega then why not sell them, a belt drive motor is easy to make. The lack of knowledge is on the customers side in this situation, some of them don’t even know there are other turntables on the market today.

Let’s get back to the basics, this is my favorite argument:

I’m pretty sure most of your records made with this Neumann cutting lathe, and this is a first step in record manufacturing, this is how a lacquer disk actually cut. There must be the most stable motor to do so, because there is a cutter stylus right on lacquer, it’s obvious that any pitch errors must be eliminated in this process if you want to cut a perfect record (master cut). This is where nothing but a Direct Drive can do the job. And Neumann cutting lathe has Technics SP-02 Direct Drive Motor. I can’t find a better image for you since our member jpjones... removed the catalog from his new site (temporary, i hope) .

But let me tell you this:
If our records made with direct drive motor rotating the platter then why not reproduce them with similar direct drive motor ? This is it. Not only Technics made amazing direct drive turntables, there are many from Victor, Denon, Luxman, Kenwood, Pioneer Exclussive .... from the golden age of analog.

Today you can find superb direct drive motor only from Technics in SP10R series.

Why a belt drive manufacturers still selling their overpriced belt drive turntables ? You tell me. Obviously those BD turntables are NOT from Japan where Direct Drive was and still is a king.