I've been told that a very accurate way to measure the speed of a turntable is by using a test meter set to khz, placing the positive terminal into one of the outputs of the phono stage (or tape output), the other to the ground and then play a 1000hz test track of our a good quality test record... If the table speed is good, the reading should be very close to 1khz...
Ever tried this one?
Nope! But I've been told that if you blink your eye 33 1/3 times per minute and if the revolving platter is somewhat stationary, then the speed is calibrated properly!
Okay, just kidding on the above. But if you are planning to keep your table or tables for a long time, the KAB Strobe is pretty handy and a worthwhile investment. Yes, it is $90 but money well spent since it gives you a peace of mind. I do own the KAB Strobe and Strobe disc. I attempted to DIY a strobe using old strobe parts and principle from broken Thorens and Technics tables, I would say I spent more than $90 easily and my efforts was a little short of what I was hoping to happen as a result.
regards,
Abe