What an utter utter bs.......direct drives can be fantastic and so can belt driven tables be just as great, including the Regas. And I can tell, because I have owned and own several dd's and belt driven tables.
The interesting part of this is the fact that Rega have sold a lot of turntables since the introduction of the Planet in 1973, in the UK without any advertising, or supplying magazines with a review sample for 20+ years. A 1980 Planar 3 was my first proper turntable and I worked at Rega dealerships for 15 years. I couldn't tell you how many hundreds of times I've demonstrated a Rega turntable either alone, or te countless dozens against a turntable which I had adjusted with a proper battery strobe to run at 33.33. Well under a dozen ever commented that the Rega was running (under 1%) fast - two were blessed / cursed with perfect pitch. These were mostly Planar 2s and 3s from the eighties and nineties. I'm sure it is a complete coincidence that more people have noticed the slight fast running since phone apps have become popular.
In the UK the latest Rega Planar 6 which includes the speed adjustable Neo is cheaper than a Technics SL-1200GR. Both are excellent turntables, neither perfect. Two owners who use an Audio Technica VM95ML spent an evening listening to music(!!) and both enjoyed the music being produced from the other's turntable and stated they could happily live with the other. They both actually preferred the same turntable when they heard them blind..... Edit. Two others may well have the opposite preference. Happy arguing / listening!
What a thread! I have a Nottingham Analogue ACE Spacedeck belt drive TT, with a high mass platter and an off-board low torque motor. To get it going I have to spin the platter myself up to around the right speed and then let the motor top up the energy to keep the platter turning. Quite the opposite of a DD, really. To be honest, I love my turntable. Pitch stability is great, and speed seems right when compared to CD replay of any given track. There’s also loads of weight, authority and musicality. In terms of the debate, why argue when all anyone who is genuinely interested in listening to music should ever seek out is something that gets them personally closer to their music? Since we’re all individuals, there’s not going to be a single solution, which is why there isn’t one standard international turntable for sale, built to a single specification. So what positive outcome is this thread really going to achieve in the end?
Pretty neither ... in my personal position I only try to show that direct drive technology are not inferior to belt drive, and only for newcomers. It's clear that the thread owner only wants to troll the real objective facts about it. I have had only one experience with audio advice, and was terrible ... and they don't sell direct drive tts in that moment and their "advice" to belt drive tts was there. Ok, it's their business ... but now I see people repeating or taking that "advice" ... maybe without any real experience or knowledge (i don't know, the thread owner never talks about it). So, searching for a positive ending? No. Simply try to show another information to stop spreading b****. A good sounding tt it's not on the motor technology ... it's in the total project. In my experience, budget belt drives are not favored against a technics on the same price budget. But, when you talk about a Rega p6 price tag and over it ... things change. Then you have real good projects, dd or belt drive.
Nor can it. There’s nothing that hasn’t already been written on this topic. I’m glad other members have the patience to contribute more meaningfully!
SL1200 sold over 3,000,000 units direct drive project have supplied over 2,000,000 belt drives 40+ Years owned countless turntables direct drive , belt drive & idler never owned a Rega myself
How's the 45 speed when you stretch the belt over the other pulley groove? Another one of today's turntables: chipboard "MDF", sync motor (which seems near-identical to ones that were $40), round belt, user's gotta play with it to obtain correct speed: Even in phenolic resin and 24 volt motor version, the 70's tech motor is somewhat forced to run at the "correct" RPM by the line power. That leaves only the pulley-to-platter ratio being wrong, the solution is to machine the pulley surface to a 0.7% smaller diameter... Seems there's a market for rubber band turntables with my dirt cheap motor, optical platter speed sensor, and frequency/voltage heuristic controller that can even learn a bump in the belt. Clearaudio can sell an unregulated 2 watt motor for $1000... (threadcrap: Technics made decent belt drives) (threadcrap 2: Rega antiskate: )
Mike, when I see "I want a new TT" thread and the OP even mentions Rega, the Technics owners always make sure to point out all the positives of DD over what you like to call "rubber band" tables. That's why I posted this thread. I really believe what most have concluded, that both systems have merits. So maybe it wasn't the best article to post. I get that. But you chided me for posting from a site that "doesn't" even sell Technics. I pointed out you were wrong and you just kept piling on. You insinuated then that Audio advice was pushing Rega because they make more money. Then you finally admit you had a bad experience with them. I, on the other hand, have nothing but positive experience with them and that great money back guarantee. I'm not spreading BS Mike. You seem to be the one taking this a little too seriously. I do like your last sentence and you are still insinuating that DD is better at lower price points. I'm not sure that is true. I've had 3 turntables in my life. A Philips 212 in the mid 70's (most everyone else had DD Technics ) . I preferred the Philips and the Duals that were popular at the time. Fast forward to late 80's and I get back into vinyl. Started with Rega P2 and gave that to one of my sons. I decided to go for it and got the Rega P5. Fantastic RB700 tonearm and with my soundsmith zephyr mk2, I will never "need" anything better. When I see a new "I want a New TT" thread and start seeing what the OP stated, I will direct them to this thread. That will show them.
Those cheap motors are even cheaper when bought in massive bulk quantities. A big buyer has room to negotiate. Likely there is more than one supplier for the same motor or one very close to it as well. And yes you are absolutely right that the accuracy of the pulley is a big deal with these things, not to mention whether the electricity in one's home has issues. Re: the rubber belt anti-skate, in Rega's defense, IIRC they moved away from that. Bad design. I believe they use a magnetic system now.
Not interested in Rega (if I want an mdf plinth I'll make my own thanks) nor Technics (both are butt ugly designs imho) but I enjoy both my direct drive and belt drive vintage tables. Direct drive when I am lazy (it has auto stop), belt drive when I feel alive.
I have never none one of those cheap motors to fail, there are thousands from the seventies still working effectively.
It seems like a lot of Rega TT's run fast up to 1% from so many things I've read.(including test bench reviews in Stereophile). I'm guessing it doesn't bother most Rega owners. The "tempo" being a little faster, making a pleasing sound that the owner is used too. Other than that, using belt drive should make for a quiet turntable and their tonearms are very good for the money I think. Never owned a Rega.
I'm not insinuating ... i have real experience with tts and vinyl since 70s and with many tts, working for broadcast and in my home. Budget belt drive tts are extremely limited ... very. Also i don't like to pay for a tt without vta / serious belt / good motor / antiskating. If you see a rega 1, 2 or 3 from the bottom it's embarrasing ... A vintage lenco l75, garrard 401 or technics 1200 mk2 are on the same price tag (or less) and it gives better sound quality, vibration control and speed consistency than a rega 1, 2 or 3. but, ok, i think i talked too much already ... people who really cares about this stuff will search for information, that was my goal.
Sure, I've heard of some of them failing on various rubber band decks but it seems fairly rare. As a matter of principle, I wouldn't be personally buying a TT that uses one though.
Lame thread - I own both (VPI belt) and M5G (Technics) and both are fantastic - there is nothing clinical about a SL1200.
The two mounting screws are missing from that - this does not improve performance! In 15 years of selling Rega, I had to replace one resistor. Regas have bought reliable listening pleasure to many people.
This guy This thread is irrelevant. Direct drives constantly adjust the speed to a measurable level?! Get outta town.
Agreed. Why is there an argument about this in 2020? The issue I have is more with Rega tables not being able to hold an adequate speed out of the box. Some people are really sensitive to pitch variation, it would drive me nuts.
At some point in my life I’d like to have an “audiophile quality” belt drive turntable to go along with the pricier Technics I’ll buy in the future. I just wish they’d come with swappable headshells.