Direct Drive


I am firmly in the digital camp, but I’ve dabbled in vinyl.  Back in the day I was fascinated by Technics Direct Drive tt, but couldn’t afford them.  I was stuck with my entry level Gerrard.  I have been sans turntable for about 5 years now but the new gear bug is biting.  I am interested in the Technics 1500 which comes with an Ortofon Red and included pre amp.  I have owned Rega P5 which I hated for its speed instability and a Clearaudio Concept which was boring as hell.

  Direct Drive was an anathema to audiophiles in the nineties but every time I heard  one it knocked my socks off.  What do the analogers here think of Direct Drive?  I listen to Classical Music exclusively 

mahler123

So what was boring about the Clearaudio Concept Turntable and what cartridge, tonearm and phono stage did you have paired up with it? 

 

Ortofon Red is a decent easy start, but nothing special.

You will get superior results from advanced Stylus Shapes, however they MUST be properly aligned.

https://www.sound-smith.com/articles/stylus-shape-information

You can move up to an excellent advanced stylus shape for $300.

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/cartridges/type/moving-magnet/vm540ml-h

After that, if you get deep into Vinyl you will want to move into the world of Moving Coil cartridges.

Later! Get Started!

 

 

"If you want to buy a direct drive turntable you might as well buy a digital front end - its the same sound."

Bill, I totally agree with you, ABSURD. what a lack of understanding displayed by that statement.

I say: Analog does overtones, time and volume delay better than digital. Getting the speed PERFECT for the fundamental yields perfectly timed overtones.

Perfect speed, highly desirable (look at all the belt drive speed controllers) has nothing to do with platter weight, bearing design, isolation techniques, arm design, cartridge, phono stage, all the things that vary the audible results in the TT world.

 

@dover wrote "If you want to buy a direct drive turntable you might as well buy a digital front end - its the same sound

I believe that dover takes issue with how DD achieve speed stability by using a feedback loop system that makes a speed adjustment after the error has been detected.

Direct drive's "rumble", which is almost unmeasureable, always trumps belt drive's speed instability and having to replace the damn belts.