Tables That Feature Bearing Friction

Well, I didn't read every post, but I agree, that Turntable construction is pure Physics. And like in school, not everyone is good in this, there are differences.
I am very careful with those arguments, that this and that Designer is godlike, because he is doing this "job" (whatever it is).
I heard in the last 15 years more average sounding units than I wanted to. Some are good looking, some are heavy, some are extremely expensive but at the end of day, well you know...average. Unfortunately.
Marketing can replace knowledge and when I read such stories "... sleepless nights the last 10 years because I never had a turntable here which met my expectations .... so I tried it .... and I got it ...."
A.J.Conti is one of those who do a better job, Verdier was one of those guys, too and a few others
But not everyone.

Here is one of these 15 units, a pic from a High End Show, it was bought right away, when I remember right.
Probably to a Single :)

WAF free Zone

Micro Seiki has a kind of tape (SF-1 Series) with an enormous grip, it is very sought after these days. It was in my comparison among the best. (After 25 years a quite impressing result)

There are more options with the Seiki units out there.

Seiki "Shot Gun 1"

Seiki "Shot Gun 2"

I was influenced from the original Micro Seikii HS-Inertia unit

Seiki Inertia

Anyway, the way I do it works quite well and there are differences in sonics with/without. A good "tool" for comparisons. But depressing.
For the others.

we can not achieve perfection - we can only try. The long string is no compromise at all. Yes, the string has no stretch at all (a special kevlar derivate). The point is not control of the platter rotation. The point was to prevent the platter from loosing any speed. Control is futile.

Some months ago I tried different belts after reading the article from Conti (BASIS Audio) about it. I bought a few from different Manufacturers and made some test runs with the Micro Seiki 5000 (Belts from Raven, Basis, DaVinci, Amazon, Kuzma, Roksan, Transrotor, Seiki original....and even various ) Strings.....
The result made me curious, because there were big differences in sonic presentation (smeared Details, dull bass, different depth of soundstage etc.)
Even with string was different among themselves (slip, grip, noise etc.)
This was a very interesting experience for me. Some belts are really lousy, I was dissapointed, there are much discussions about more motors, or powerful motors...after all, I am smiling about that.
The goal should be to find the few, who do it right. I mean, really doing right.
No talking about that (most "manufacturers" today prefer doing this).
When one or he other reader want an upgrade, before selling the whole Turntable, try this first.
Could be interesting :)

Belt Test 1

Belt Test 2

String Test 1

There are some good ideas:

BUT

super high quality motor

- the Designer has to know this part
- he has to know how to use it
- he knows, it makes his product more expensive

excellent power-supply

- see above

really heavy platter

- the Designer has to know: this alone is not enough
- he has to know how to use it
- he knows, it makes his product more expensive

superb bearing

- too expensive

superb drive counterpoint

- well, you know now: expensive

What is the most hated word today?
I think: expensive
The customer would probably pay the price, but he pays it also, when a "Test review" is great (whatever this means)
or when his wife says "Great, I like it"
Most don't need more.
Or?
A real audiophile lives in pain or is Single :)

out-off center record hole is a " cancer " in the analog quality performance ( due to an extremely poor build quality of the record industry. ), we need a solution. I think on the TT builders because I don't think that the records industry can " hear " our needs.

This was made 25 years ago from a Nakamichi Turntable. It centered the record automatically.
Too expensive for our days I guess.:)

the fun in our " hobby " must be the MUSIC enjoy and not the endless quest of tweaks.

Of course. But you can enjoy music via MP3, too
The normal Audiophile wants to have a "better" reproduction and is willing to pay for it. Unfortunately, money alone is not enough today. Marketing and"I can hear better than you" or the "...he has money, but no idea about music ..." influences every decision...not easy. Would a electronic Standard help? Don't know, when I listen to Denon or Kenwood or Accuphase, I can say, all got the Standards but I am not in the reproduction....

25 years ago, there was an audiophile community which was able to afford anything (was not part of it, I was too young) and they really knew what was good or not. They created a High End Magazine, knew all Manufacturers and wanted to give a Demo in the High End show to show the customers how they listen to Music and how they rate the "reproduction". Long Story short, they were ready to give a demo with their own components...
Before this was done they made a Pre-Demo and invited some top Manufacturers to listen... the result was depressing....they have been asked not to do that, when customers will "hear" that, they can't sell their units....
It was cancelled.
The customer wants not "only good sound", he wants more, a good "test", a "Hype", something "exclusive", something"expensive, no more expensive" etc. etc. etc.
And then we should not forget those, who are not among the Genius in this world, but they want to survive too. And to make a little money (or a bit more :))
Sometimes I am a bit sad, because I think, the Know How is existing, but this is not enough today. Having success is not based on this, it is based on Marketing mechanism (Profit, Sales, Ads, Promotion....)

On the other side, what would happen, when a Designer would be able to create a definitive unit for 8K consumer price?
For a few this would be too cheap to be good....or a piece of wood on a string for 6k, yes, this would work....