2008 RMAF – – – all things analog.

There is no question that stylus drag does cause speed variations. The only question is if the variations are large enough to be audible. Our ears are remarkably sensitive to extraordinarily small errors in the time domain. With digital audio it has been well documented that tens of pico-seconds of jitter is easily heard. That seems vastly too small to be heard, but yet it is. With analog it is no different. Very subtle changes anywhere in the drive system are easily heard. Different belts, pulleys and even component quality in the electronics all make a notable difference in the sound. If capacitor quality can be heard in a motor regulator circuit (and it can) then it's not much of a stretch to imagine that stylus drag would also be audible.

Regardless of the theory, what is indisputable is the fact that many techniques targeted to reduce the effects of stylus drag produce audible, positive results. Stylus drag may or may not be the culprit for audible degradations that we all hear but to me it seems like the most logical explanation. It is imprudent to categorically dismiss stylus drag without evidence.

Platter mass cannot reduce the effects of stylus drag. A massive platter makes speed variation shallower but also spreads it out over a longer period of time. So the speed variation is really of the same magnitude but has a different distribution.

Dear Teres: I don't dismiss in anyway stylus drag, what I'm saying is that that stylus drag ( that certainly exist, no doubt about. ) from my point of view and in my examples: Walker/Technics TTs can't make a speed variation that you or any one also can say: ¡ hey that pitch change was due to the stylus drag !, that's all.

+++++ " to imagine that stylus drag would also be audible " +++++, of course is audible in many ways: tracking distortion, noises, etc, etc but the point is about changes in the platter speed stability due to the stylus drag.

What happen if some one give us a scientific measures ( why don'y you do that, you are a TT designer and I think must be interested about in a wide manner than me. ) about where we can prove/test that the stylus drag really affect in a way that everyone could hear it with out mistake, measures at different levels and in different conditions: like the ones I already posted.

My subject here is that " words " in this critical/precise subject are not enough to prove it. I don't know you or any one else but IMHO I need some tests/measures to be " true " of what is really happening down there.

For me is an important subject due that we already finish ( well almost ) our self tonearm design and we are on the cartridge and TT design. Right now we ( Guillermos and I ) don't have the time to go in deep for our self about but certainly we could send/give one of our TTs to Technologic University on México ( Science and Enginnering Division ) that was the one that already evaluate our tonearm bearing friction between other things.

IMHO and in this special subject what you think ( words ) or what I think ( words ) about means almost nothing about the real TRUE, I'm asking for this not a subjective approach. Of course that if you tell me: come here and hear the Teres top of the line TT and hear this speed un-stability ( pitch change ) that it is due to stylus drag, well this is a different approach and if not scientific could make a difference on what I'm talking about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

i certainly agree with Teres that stylus drag is real and audible, it varies based on the complete tt system, it's noise floor and how flat the Lp is.

i listen to an Lp on the top belt driven tt's and then on the Rockport and there is a difference in musical foundation, flow, continuousness, and ease on peaks. there is no escapeing from the benefit of (near) perfect speed and stability. it is only in the comparing that you hear this.

this is not to say that overall a belt-driven tt might not be preferred to a direct drive; but all other things being equal (which they almost never are) a properly executed direct drive has the advantage. 'properly executed' is the tough part.

i'm not qualified to argue theory but i know what i hear.

Teres would be in a great position to talk about this issue as he builds tt's both ways that are otherwise the same.

Dear Mike : I'm not saying that the stylus drag is not audible certainly is what I'm saying is that I can't say ( only in a subjective way with out scientific measures ) that due to stylus drag a TT platter change its speed, that's all.

Now, like I told to Chris if you tell me that your Rockport platter sometimes and due to stylus drag ( not because other kind of source like LP imperfections: LP not flat. ) " suffer " changes in its speed well I want to hear it!!!!!! if that really happen is fine with me and for that very first moment that " myth " disappear from my mind, easy.
Mike, that " fact " is happening in your Rockport? and if it is happening : how do you know is for the stylus drag?. Btw, Chris same questions for you.

Thank you in advance for your answers.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Sorry: +++++ that due to stylus drag a TT platter change its speed and that speed change is audible, that's all " +++++

this is how it can read it.

Raul.