*** I would never use a belt - not on a Micro Seiki nor on any other "belt drive" TT. A belt is always a source of instability and in worst case much more than a filter.
Come on, it acts as filter equivalent no matter what you do and an no matter what coupling topology you use between two axis. Also, I disagree with your comments about belt. Starting with some palter mass it become irrelevant what you use if the tension of your drive is properly applied with respect to marital of the belt/string. I used what imaginable to drive heavy Micros: magnetic tapes, all possible string, many different types of belts
you name it. If methodologically properly each of them used then with the proper mass of palters there is no difference what drives the platter. I might talk about some VERY negligible differences but it is so minor that absolutely discard it as contrived differences and I have a firm believe that no one would recognize them in practical trims.
*** The RX-5000 and SX-8000 were designed by Micro Seiki to be used with string for best results.
It was not what Micro Seiki designer told me
.
**** With a string, fairly low tension and symmetrical positioned inertia unit we are looking at a kind of slip regulated drive. In other words - the inertia providing the speed stability and the low tension string applied without horizontal force is just preventing the platter to get slower. Its a tricky idea and it only works with fairly heavy platter (= high inertia) and force free low tension string drive. No belt - no tape - no high tension and no horizontal force vector.
There were papers in japanese magazines floating around by Micro Seiki engineers in the early 1980ies addressing this principle.
And there was zillion pares advocating opposite as well. All those people who write those papers know very little about sound. If you so love the Japanese magazines then go to Japan and listen their funny rice-paper sound. I hate the Japanese sound, it derives from non-morphemic tone of Asian language and I do not value it too much in my reference scale. I wrote about it a lot in past. The Japanese magazines write the same as the US magazines do. Our writers say that on their tonearms they can clearly hear sound of tide on Atlantic Ocean but they have their paper-made TT sitting atop of TV or hoods of working car. Do I need to pay attention to the writers or to my own experience and my own definition of success?
