suspension vs non-suspension design

Hi. Interesting thread. Per the comment, that "setup of a non-suspended model will usually be a lot easier". I can only speak about the 4 Basis turntables & one VPI turntable that I’ve owned and there is nothing, nada, difficult or time consuming about setting them up. Actually they were quite simple to set up.

I agree with the person who said that sonic performance is "the result of the design as a whole" and not attributed to the type of suspension used. Otherwise, one could but pop a McPherson strut into a Ford Escort and rave that it handles identical to a BMW M5.

In addition to a turntable's contribution to low end performance & dynamics, the arm, cartridge, phono stage, and preamp are also contributors. For instance, if one uses a low output moving coil with a phono/preamp front end that cannot properly amplify that cartridge’s output, the sound may be reasonably good though dynamically challenged. Some might unknowingly blame the turntable and/or tonearm when in fact the sonic roadblock is the cartridge/front end interface. I’ve had a case where a preamp manufacturer insisted that my dynamically starved system had nothing to do with the phono stage in my preamp. Was my turntable thus not able to do this prat thing? Not so. Use of a step up in front of the phono stage cured the situation.

A great suspension can make your front end more immune or reasonably immune from the vibrations that affect non-suspended 'tables. This provides sonic benefits including better micro dynamics. A great suspension, such as in the Basis Debut which I own, eliminates the requirement to purchase a fancy and expensive turntable stand as they do not require anything but a flat surface.

Until I got a Rega P-9 I was a convinced suspended suspension 'phile. I still think that theoretically a suspended suspension makes more sense. It has a lot to do with implementation I guess. The cost factor looms large I think in most of the newer tables having a solid plinth.

I think the issue of PRaT has far more to do with mass/energy storage than suspended or non-suspended. The Xerxes X/20 and Avid Volvere and Volvere Sequel are among the benchmark tables for PRaT and they are suspended. The non-suspended Regas and the Empire 208 also have good PRaT.
Many of the behemoth American tables have very poor PRaT.

At the risk of sounding cynical, I'd guess that one reason why newer turntable designs are usually non-suspended is to lower the cost of making the turntable.

In addition, the setup of a non-suspended model will usually be a lot easier, which might be selling point for some.

I don't know that the suspension has much to do with PRAT. Some suspended turntables, like a Linn, will have good PRAT, but that is, I think, the result of the design as a whole, since I've heard high mass sprung turntables that don't seem to do so well with PRAT. Likewise, there are some non-suspended turntables with good PRAT.