To add my own 2 cents' worth, I'm running a direct rim drive with air bearing linear tracking arm, on a wall shelf. Yes, when I tap the plinth effects can be heard thru the stylus, but overall sound quality is way beyond my previous belt drive/pivoted arm which had much more substantial isolation.
What I can say is that speed stability over the course of an lp side is audibly more correct than belt, augmented by lack of arm related tracking errors.
"Hearing" accurate unvarying speed is like the music being 'faster' ie more dynamic, and 'slower' ie more relaxed, ALL AT THE SAME TIME!