"Although I am a Rega guy and switched from DD 20 years ago (linear tracking Phase Linear 8000 and never looked back after a $500 Music Hall MMF5 blew it away". I think you’re too smart to believe that you proved something about DD turntables with that experience.
Phase Linear was once the name of a US company that won the Watts wars, back in the 70s when each month brought the introduction of an ever more powerful SS amplifier with ever lower THD measurements, made possible by the use of more and more negative feedback. The Phase Linear 700 produced 700W with something like .00001 THD and sounded like crap.
Contrary to what Chakster seems to be saying, I do think that each of the various drive systems does have a distinctive sonic signature until you get to the very best of each type, where the differences tend to melt away in favor of transparency and accuracy. But just when and where that happens would be another cause for argument. It also doesn’t make sense to me that Chakster would take the position that turntables are not much different from one another, given his devotion to those he has chosen to own, over most others of any type.
