VPI Direct Drive Turntable

I don't need to audition a $30,000 direct drive turntable made with a submarine motor to call someone a knuckle head. I remember when you could buy a ranch house for that kind of money. I stand by my statement. I don't care how good the deck sounds. If you have the funds to make such a purchase and you even consider it I suggest you reexamine your priorities. Harry needs to be reminded that people are going hungry in this country and this is an insult to the people struggling to make ends meet. The 1% are starting to wear thin in this country and I for one are embarrassed for them, certainly not envious.

will be for sale 50% off pretty soon too...

Excellent word Steve! But only one 's' :)

will be for sale 50% off pretty soon too...

Dreadhead, There are two parts to your "complaint": price and your certainty that direct-drive is inferior to belt-drive. As to price, it is your decision, not to spend $30,000. I wouldn't either. As to the mechanism of direct-drive operation, you may qualify for your prize of "Knucklehead of the Year". In direct-drive, the platter per se is the rotor, an inherent part of the "motor" that scares you. Thus, the only moving part of the motor is the platter itself. The only source of noise is the platter bearing, which is equally likely to be a source of noise in a belt-drive, in fact possibly more of a risk in the latter, because the belt is exerting a side force on the platter bearing that increases friction in that plane. The fact that you compared a DP72 to some belt-drive and preferred the latter, several decades ago, is hardly convincing evidence that all belt-drive tt's sound better than all DD tt's.

On the other hand, the advertising claim that VPI use a "submarine" motor is indeed preposterous or pointless.