Reason for buying old/classic turntables

"It is, after all, a wheel, and we've had that down for 3000 years or so."

That is true.

One thing I do not understand is the recent renewed attraction or romance with direct drive tables. What's wrong with a good belt drive that is well able to rotate the platter at a constant speed. Doesn't a belt design provide a more natural and cost efective means of isolating the platter from motor noise or vibration?

I'm sure DD tables can sound good as well but the design seems like it would be harder and more expensive to accomplish well than belt drive. Maybe that's part of the appeal?

My take is that the turntables of old can be good but not so much the tonearms and their old wiring. I would be happy with a Thorens TD125 cleaned up with isolation reinforcement and a good Rega arm. This could be done for well under $1K. If money is no object I will go all modern.

ET

Mapman, we are entering a new golden era of direct driven turntables! I must say that I liked the ads from Technics/Akai/Sony/Denon very much --> direct drive was for my generation the ultimate in drive technology (Technics SL-1200, Denon DP-60, wow!) and back then (during the seventies) it was a "politically correct" thing to have a DD turntable.

Chris

One thing I do not understand is the recent renewed attraction or romance with direct drive tables. What's wrong with a good belt drive that is well able to rotate the platter at a constant speed. Doesn't a belt design provide a more natural and cost efective means of isolating the platter from motor noise or vibration?

just listen to a top level direct drive tt and you will understand. my opinion is that belts have compromises, direct drive, properly exectuted, does not have compromises. the 'rub' is 'properly executed'. there are dozens of threads about belt verses direct drive. my viewpoint is not universally held.

I'm sure DD tables can sound good as well but the design seems like it would be harder and more expensive to accomplish well than belt drive. Maybe that's part of the appeal?

yes; the cost of designing a direct drive system from a clean sheet of paper and then selling it at a reasonable price could only be done with the economies of scale in the market place of the 60's and 70's. these days it takes a very very expensive tt to have an uncompromised direct drive system. that is the attraction of incorporating the direct drive system of these vintage tt's into a present day tt.

"my opinion is that belts have compromises, direct drive, properly exectuted, does not have compromises"

Ok, but what facts is your opinion based on?

The drive turns the table at a constant speed. Other than this, what else does it do to make the sound better?

I know it can make the sound worse if noise is introduced as a result of the operation of the drive system.

You may be right and I may be missing something...I am looking to be educated.