Direct drive vs belt vs rim vs idler arm

Lohanimal,
It is more a function of the error correction systems used in direct drive TT's. Like digital, they have inherent jitter that destroys the time and phase relationships of the music signal. This results in soundstage aberrations as well as a lack of resolution due to smearing.
The designers of the SP10mk3 & Kenwood L07D tried to minimise this by running higher mass platters, but it is still there.

Agree with Dover. Listened yesterday to a SP10 Mk3 in a Artisan Fidelity Box ... I can't take that serious. More a toy than a serious High End Table. Piano and Trumpet Tones are changing multiple times, depth and physical presence does not exist.

Dover, While it's true that both the L07D and the Mk3 have heavy-ish platters compared to most DD turntables (the Mk3 having the heaviest platter I know of among all DDs), the two turntables are otherwise about as dissimilar in design philosophy as any two DDs can be. The Mk3 uses a mutipole cored motor and very tight servo control. The L07D uses a coreless motor and really very "loose" servo correction. The two turntables do sound different from one another.

Can't speak to Syntax's dismissal of the SP10 Mk3 without knowing the condition of the unit that he auditioned and what else was in that system. What Syntax may not have liked about a stock Mk3, even assuming it was working up to spec, is addressed by the Krebs mods to the Mk3 (and to the Mk2). Anyway, if one does not like DD turntables, one may still be a good person. And vice-versa with respect to belt-drive.

Syntax, had you heard depth and physical presence in that system before with a different turntable?

I read that Artisan Fidelity does modify the power supply and electronics in the table and controller. Perhaps not the same mod level as the Krebs, but it is not stock from my understanding.

Altering piano and trumpet tones sounds like speed deviation at a micro level, but isn't the Technics SP10 known for superior speed control, both accuracy and consistency?

Lewm,
Since this thread was started I have had further opportunity to listen to a Garrard 401/Raven/Zyx, Technics SP10mk2/Raven/Zyx ( both before and after full Krebs mod ) and Kenwood L07D all in the same system.

The Garrard 401 presented a more musically coherent sound than either of the other combinations. Specifically the SP10mk2 sounded like it was slewing around, the Kenwood L07D had a bottom end/midrange/top end that was discontiguous.

I have also had a listen to a Technics SP10mk3 with Ikeda arm/cartridge and SME V12/Air tight in the Porter plinth & Krebs mods and it sounded very good. So the only direct drive I have heard that is ok is the SP10mk3.

There is a vast gap in performance between the Krebs SP10mk2 and the mk3.
Having heard the SP10mk2 with and without the Krebs mods, my conclusion is that a Garrard 401 with decent plinth/arm/cartridge will outperform it.

I'm sure there may be better DD's out there - the Koda Beat looks interesting.
As far as I'm aware the Krebs mods are simple mechanical tweaks - there are no alterations to the error correction and servo system operating parameters which are limited by the 70's technology employed.

As an aside the Technics based cutter lathe SP02 motor had significantly more torque than the SP10mk3 motor, and used a 60lb flywheel in conjunction with the higher torque to achieve stability.

My Final Audio VTT1 with high mass platter/thread drive which came standard with a Sine/Cosine Wave generated power supply that requires a power amplifier to drive the motor, has far more solidity, explosiveness, micro dynamics and cohesiveness than any of the DD's I've heard. My second deck, the Platine Verdier, is unfortunately not in the league of the Final, but at least it has 78rpm and I use it as a test mule ( and it did outperform an SME 20/V in the same system ).