Direct drive vs belt vs rim vs idler arm

Fleib/Peterayer/Lewm
Having set up 100's of TT's when I was a high end dealer in the 80's, it became readily apparent to me that suspended TT's with the motor fixed were not speed stable - particularly noticeable on solo piano pieces. Some are worse than others - the worst I had were the Oracle/Pink Triangle with their very lossy suspensions. The major problem with the early Sota's were the PAPST motor board regulators which were unstable. Knocking these out and replacing them with a decent regulated supply cured much of the SOTA instability. Later SOTA mounted the motor on the sub chassis which is a much better solution in terms of loop rigidity between motor and platter.
My experience selling gear is that many folk can't hear poor timing and therefore it is of no consequence to them.
The SME addresses the issue somewhat by using a hanging suspension and the platter is stabilised to some degree by anchoring the bearing using a rubber O ring looped around the bearing and fixed to the chassis on the opposite side to the motor.

Here is a graphic example of what lousy suspension is doing. When I bought a Platine Verdier ( for a second deck, its way behind the Final Audio ) I set it up with the supplied rubber belt. The Verdier has a very lossy suspension. No matter how I set the tension, the rubber belt vibrated and jigged its way through the music. Removal of the suspension and replacement with fixed adjustable feet ( custom inserts with BDR cones ) eliminated over 95% of the belt creep. Of course going to thread drive ( I use surgical silk ) gets rid of the rubber belt compression issue.

Peterayer I have not heard the SME 30, but certainly the Verdier (with suspension still in) outperformed the SME 20/V in the same system, significantly more resolving and music had a much more substantial foundation. The original owner of the Verdier never listened to the SME 20 again, it was consigned to the office. Cartridges used in the evaluation were Lyra Helikon SL, Koetsu Rosewood & Soundsmith Paua in rotation. For your information the Soundsmith Paua was an outstanding match for the SME combo, providing a very musical system.

The Final Audio Parthenon indeed represented engineering which was ahead of its time. Dover, for clarification, the latest version Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 Statement uses an internally damped Magnesium alloy based and Copper modular platter with inverted hydrodynamic bearing. You were correct, however, in that the first production runs utilized an Aluminum and Copper based platter architecture and incorporated internal damping provisions.

A close friend who lives in France has a Platine Verdier which he just recently replaced with one of the new Kronos turntables, the belt drive with a counter-rotating platter underneath the top platter. He put his Verdier up for sale immediately upon hearing the Kronos. The major problem that I saw with the Verdier is its top heaviness; you have a huge massive platter way up at the top with a rubbery set of feet way down below. It's bound to wobble, even if microscopically. I know there is a heavy granite base too, which probably serves to ameliorate the problem, at least mostly. And then there is the motor, mounted several feet away on a stationary platform; not such a good idea, either, IMO. On the other hand, when I have heard the Platine at shows and in showrooms, it sounds very "nice".

A close friend who lives in Germany has a Platine Verdier which beats nearly everything which is out there. But it is an original one with the original magnets from Mr. Verdier.
The next models were DIY units with various magnets and variable results. They can't be compared, the name Verdier is also used for inferior copies. Mr. Verdier published from time to time some hints on his website to "His Pirates" knowing very well that they will never get it....always funny to read.
The original Verdier is a work of a Genius who solved a lot of Problems modern units still show.

Hi Peter
I would like to give my biased opinion for what it is worth as a High end audio seller. What we all need to remember this is a forum and it is on the subject of audio equipment where there can never be a out right winner only a personal favorite & biased what is best opinion in your own audio system.

After living with several Garrard turn tables (301 & 401) that I really enjoyed musically, JC Verdier (Dover) has been talking about, Simon Yorke S7, SME 20/2 and now the SME 30/12 is my favorite & reference turn table for a wide range of music.

I have enjoyed music played on all the above turn tables in my audio systems over the years, but if I had to choose one turn table to keep for ever it would be the SME 30/12.