Turn table speed variation question

Well, since someone brought up the timeline again... For sure DD turntable owners like to brag about how stable the laser line stays on the wall even when dropping a tonearm or two on the record. DD tables have closed loop speed control systems. Short of dropping a brick on the platter, the speed will stay constant under varying loads. The thing is, what happens between those laser flashes is just as important. Closed loop speed control systems have their own issues, like cogging or low frequency hunting that will affect the music playback. I'm sure some of the better DD tables minimize this; but the only way to know how well it does requires a scope.
Belt drive turntables sound more musical to me. Sure the speed stability is not as good as a DD under varying loads. And I know too that my belt drive has to run 5-10 minutes to warm up in order for the speed to settle in. That is because a belt drive turntable is typically an open loop speed control. If the load changes slightly, the speed changes. So it can be expected to have to adjust speed while playing a record if you want speed to be dead on. Once the bearing and motor warm up the speed is good and stable. The belt drive turntable sounds sweeter because the motor isn't hunting around a set point. The belt drive turntable also has many more options for isolation and vibration dampening over a DD turntable. As far as torque variation while playing a record with loud passages, I showed those calculations before. With the massive platters on most belt drives, the minute torque changes have little affect on speed. As others have already noted; the center hole is the big issue with vinyl playback. Speed control on any good turntable is easily an order of magnitude better than the affects of the center hole tolerance.

And on the subject of pianos- I agree with some of the insightful comments here. I have heard live pianos sound like they have a Wow & Flutter problem. I wondered about that and I think some of the comments here answered that.

Doug and Frog, Can you define what you mean by "original" vs "modern" instruments? Are you talking about 16th century vs 20th century, or what? Surely the trumpets played by Dizzy in the 50s and in the now by Winton Marsalis, while each was selected to suit the respective tastes of the two players, are not fundamentally different in terms of vibrato (although they could be, if their tastes led them to opposite conclusions about vibrato). But I suspect you're both referring to early classical period vs 20th century.

While I myself have become permanently smitten by my Lenco and by high end direct-drive, I agree with whoever said that we should not here dredge up again the dreary arguments about belt-drive vs direct-drive. Henry, I would say it's already been shown that the Victor TT101 can be equalled by more than one other turntable (other than the Saskia) in terms of the Sutherland Timeline test. It's not so terrible to admit that, unless you're saying that failure to post documentary evidence in the form of a video on Youtube is incriminating. (Absence of proof is not proof of absence.)

Lew, "original" or "period" instruments refers to the
instruments that were in use when the particular music was composed and
applies primarily to the music of the Rennaisance and Baroque and, as you
say, the early to mid-Classical period. These may be early, less evolved
versions of instruments that we know today or intruments no longer in use
other than in early-music ensembles and no longer manufactured. By the
late 19th century most orchestral instruments had evolved in design to
essentially what they are today; relatively subtle design improvements
continue until the present. String instruments have evolved with increased
power and volume as a primary goal, brass and ESPECIALLY woodwinds
have evolve with ergonomic improvements as a primary goal in order to
facilitate the higher technical demands of more modern music composition
styles. Early woodwinds were very crude in comparison to modern
versions which have evolved to have much more ergonomic and advanced
key mechanisms and improved tuning. For instance, the chalumeau, the
predecessor of the clarinet used only two or three keys as opposed to the
modern Boehm system clarinet. Clarinet parts found in the modern
orchestral repertoire would be impossible to execute on a chalumeau.

Re vibrato: the instrument does not determine wether vibrato is used or not;
it is a technique that a player chooses to use (or not) depending on wether
the player feels it is musically appropriate or not. You are correct, the
trumpets used by Dizzy and Marsalis, while by different maufacturers, are
not fundamentally different, the instrument has not seen fundamental
design changes for quite some time, although Marsalis' "Monet"
trumpet, a very expensive ultra-high end custom instrument, in theory, has
some subtle design improvements incorporated. In theory, because these
"improvements" are not universally appreciated by musicians.

An interesting parallel between this subject and the audiophile world is that
with the advent of computer programs and analysis used in the design of
modern instruments, in order to "improve" aspects of an
instrument's character, some designers now use less of the old school
method of "if it sounds good, then it must be good" approach
and rely more on technical theory. The end result has been some real
improvements particularly in the area of tuning; but, because
"theory" often conflicts with nature's laws of acoustics and
resonance, attempts to "fool Mother Nature" in the design
process often results in compromises in those hard-to-define aspects of an
instrument's sound and personality. Many modern players prefer
instruments designed before the advent of computer modeling.

Actually, increase in tuning pitch dates back to the 17th Century. Medieval and Baroque music was generally tuned to A4 being around 400Hz. It's now standard at 440Hz.

There is a scientific tuning where middle C is 256Hz. This puts A at 430.54Hz. With this tuning octaves of C remain whole numbers all the way up and down. I don't think this has much to do with nature as musical notation, unless you're in the key of C ?
Regards,

**Indeed you can buy an outer ring to improve the moment of inertia, trackability and effective platter mass.**

MOI ? This usually refers to arm/cart.
Please explain.
Regards,