What is turntable “liveliness”.

Dear @ghdprentice @lewm and friends: @ossicle2brain posted:

" Turntables have no sound. " in theory I agree because if the main target in any TT is to spin with accurate speeds it’s true too that that sensitive microphone name it cartridge pick up any TT self developed resonance/vibration/noise ( no matters where coming. ) and all those TT developments not only affect to the cartridge it self but in other way too the tonearm and in between these 3 items combination send by the IC cable the " whole " signal to the phono stage.

The relationship between those rig links is full of feedback in between and we have not forget the close relationship between the TT platter/mat with with the LP and the stylus tip tracking where exist a feedback from that platter/mat that the disturb the the cantilever/stylus movements and that feedback change inside each track due that the groove modulations during play back are different for the stylus tip.

Nothing is perfect in the Audio world and certainly way imperfect in the analog audio.

Your " liveliness " is only what happens in your room/system and you can be sure that can’t be duplicated/mimic in other room/system with the same TT.

Too many parameters down there for we can aisle not the TT alone but any of those whole TT self vibrations/noise/resonances.

It’s almost useless a debate about.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

“Turntables have no sound” is the theoretical goal. But real world turntables don’t get there.

                   What @rauliruegas said 

                                   +1

                            It's a system!

@ossicle2brain 

I think there are a lot of people who believe as you do that a TT has no sound and that it’s just a spinning platter.

Here’s the thing. A TT is a combination of a plinth, a motor/drive system, a bearing, a platter and may or may not include some form is suspension. That tiny little stylus, being dragged through the groove  of the record, is prone to all kinds of external disturbances. How all the elements of the turntable work together, will determine what kind, and how great those disturbances are. And seeing as how we are dealing with the tiniest of movements, with the tiniest of electrical signals that are being amplified an insane amount, any tiny disturbance, is going to magnified along with the signal.

An ideal turntable, will have no sound. An ideal turntable will impose no disturbances to the movement of the stylus in the groove. A turntable that imposes no disturbances, is very difficult, and costly to manufacture. A turntable with no sound, will allow the cartridge and tonearm to do their jobs with far greater accuracy. A turntable with no sound will let you hear the music more clearly, with better drive, better attack,  channel separation, soundstage etc.

All that to say, turntables have a sound they impose on the signal, regardless of how good the tonearm and cartridge are.

It’s a 100+ year old technology.  People keep throwing money at the problems trying to mitigate them all as best as possible.  It’s prettty insane!  Go digital streaming!    Much less problematic and way more versatile.