Direct drive vs belt vs rim vs idler arm


Is one TT type inherently better than another? I see the rim drive VPI praised in the forum as well as the old idler arm. I've only experienced a direct drive Denon and a belt driven VPI Classic.
rockyboy
Lewm -
As in my earlier post on 12-30-12 belt creep is inversely proportional to the elastic modulus of the belt.

Creep = T/r x A/E where E = elastic modulus .... Mark Kelly

if a belt is inelastic, then E = infinity, and the creep is infinitesimally small.
Halcro, thanks for making and posting your video. I just viewed it and have a question I don't believe anyone else ask as yet.

I'm not familiar with the Timeline, never having seen one in person. In your video there appears to be an initial flash on the wall above your FR arm, prior to your BluTak marker. Is that a reflection? I understood only a single flash was produced per revolution.

Thanks.
Pryso,
Originally Ron Sutherland made the Timeline with a 'chip' programmed to flash once per revolution.
Early on.......to make for easier adjustment of the 'flash' on an adjacent wall....he changed the chip to flash 5 or 8 times per revolution.
He offerred to change my 'chip' free of charge if I had the old one but fortunately....I had the new :-)
Regards
Peterayer - that lurching almost disappears when he puts a constant load on the platter at the end which I thought was quite interesting.
We all know the TT in Halcro's video was the Transrotor Fatbob.
I dont think it is representative of a true "high mass" or "high inertia" TT for the following reasons -
Platter is only 11kg - even Brinkmann suggest minimum 15kg
Drive belt is elastic rubber - should be thread or inelastic material
Most high intertia TT's use a small pulley and drive the platter at the perimeter. Because of this gearing ratio it enables you to run the motor much faster and reduce the cogging effect by increasing the number of poles per revolution.
eg HM 1800rpm/4poles = 216 poles/revolution vs DD 33.333rpm/20poles = 20poles per revolution.
The Fatbob is driven by small pulley, small subplatter which means the poles per revolution will be significantly less than the 1800rpm scenario, but more than the DD.
So the Fatbob to me is an inbetween deck - mid mass platter , low speed motor, elastic drive and no speed correction.

What is really disturbing is that despite what was demonstrated the magazine reviews describe its superior ability on timing rhythm and pace.
When I cued up the same track on the Fat Bob, the recording became even more believable. The timing, rhythm, and pace were improved over the Leonardo’s.
Obviously the reviewers system went from really bad to just bad.