Hello Actusreus,
You wrote, "If the design is so good, why did it disappear from the market in the first place, and why isn't someone building turntables based on this design, whatever that design is? In the capitalistic economy it simply does not add up as turntable designers are always looking for ways to improve their design and capitalize (no pun intended) on a successful idea.
The two classic idler designs experiencing a vintage resurgence now, were the Swiss Thorens TD 124 and the Garrard 301 and 401. These are idler turntables, and they were produced by both companies in the tens of thousands in the 1950's and 1960's, when it was possible to have economies of scale for truly industrial turntable production. These decks had die cast chassis and platters and custom built motors, and serious engineering.
Skip 50 years. Today turntables are sold in hundreds of units by high end manufacturers, not tens of thousands. From an engineering and production standpoint, what could be less expensive than using a cheap, tiny motor, driving a belt or piece of tape to drive a platter? These motors, which are mainly sourced from two large corporations, are very easy to design around. Many designs simply have the user plop the motor down and tension the belt.
If you wanted to produce an idler drive deck, it's a much different story. You would need to have a new, much more powerful and substantial motor designed and built just for your turntable, which is clearly beyond the financial capacity of today's small manufacturers. Ditto for the die cast chassis needed to support the moving parts. There are many other issues involved with designing a successful idler turntable, but the complexity of the vintage decks with their idler engagement mechanisms, eddy current brakes, and other such features, preclude their being made today. Especially for a customer pool who have been virtually brain washed by decades of audio journalism that belt drive decks are inherently superior.
Disclaimer- my company makes slate plinths for these decks, and was involved with the first ground up idler drive turntable design in about 50 years (the Saskia.) We will be coming out with a followup to Saskia this year, by the way, so although making a new idler is difficult, its not impossible.
Jonathan Weiss
Oswaldsmill Audio (OMA)
You wrote, "If the design is so good, why did it disappear from the market in the first place, and why isn't someone building turntables based on this design, whatever that design is? In the capitalistic economy it simply does not add up as turntable designers are always looking for ways to improve their design and capitalize (no pun intended) on a successful idea.
The two classic idler designs experiencing a vintage resurgence now, were the Swiss Thorens TD 124 and the Garrard 301 and 401. These are idler turntables, and they were produced by both companies in the tens of thousands in the 1950's and 1960's, when it was possible to have economies of scale for truly industrial turntable production. These decks had die cast chassis and platters and custom built motors, and serious engineering.
Skip 50 years. Today turntables are sold in hundreds of units by high end manufacturers, not tens of thousands. From an engineering and production standpoint, what could be less expensive than using a cheap, tiny motor, driving a belt or piece of tape to drive a platter? These motors, which are mainly sourced from two large corporations, are very easy to design around. Many designs simply have the user plop the motor down and tension the belt.
If you wanted to produce an idler drive deck, it's a much different story. You would need to have a new, much more powerful and substantial motor designed and built just for your turntable, which is clearly beyond the financial capacity of today's small manufacturers. Ditto for the die cast chassis needed to support the moving parts. There are many other issues involved with designing a successful idler turntable, but the complexity of the vintage decks with their idler engagement mechanisms, eddy current brakes, and other such features, preclude their being made today. Especially for a customer pool who have been virtually brain washed by decades of audio journalism that belt drive decks are inherently superior.
Disclaimer- my company makes slate plinths for these decks, and was involved with the first ground up idler drive turntable design in about 50 years (the Saskia.) We will be coming out with a followup to Saskia this year, by the way, so although making a new idler is difficult, its not impossible.
Jonathan Weiss
Oswaldsmill Audio (OMA)