Is Direct Drive Really Better?

I think the best course of action is to buy a turntable on the basis of the quality of sound it produces versus its cost to purchase, and to forget belt versus direct versus idler.

If you want to buy a sports car do you buy on the basis of the engine configuration (V8 versus turbo versus supercharged, versus rotary) or do you take the cars for a drive ?

In that case, Seandtaylor, there's only one winner - my Lenco GL75 idler wheel tt from the 60's cost me $200 after making a heavy CLD plinth for it. I sold my well set up Garrard 401, and Thorens TD160 belt drive as they were substantially worse in every way (though I wonder if the gap may have been closer with the Garrard if it had a heavy plinth also). Then I read an article in Hi Fi World magazine in which David Price (editor) trumpetted the 401 over his favorite belt drive Michell Orbe (at $5000). Heavyweight knockout or WHAT????!!! i am still amazed by my tt and endorse everything that johnantais says in his last post on the Building high end tt's at home despot thread.

Macro

I think it would be unwise to make such a conclusion based simply on a number of responses on this thread. The almost universal employment of belt drive in high end tables is more than just a mere coincidence.

A poster indicated that the use of belt drive is mostly due to cost, rather than outright sonic performance. That may very well be true, but I then would have expected to see a few more direct drives available considering the tens of thousands of dollars some tables retail for.

Regards Paul