Top ten DD turntables of all time?

Some of my happiest high end memories took place when I was using a

Kenwood KD-500 direct drive turntable -- a high end cult favourite in the late 70's

Tweaky platter mat, some clay like stuff called "platter matter" stuck to the underside

a good record clamp

SME III fluid damped arm and a Grado signature cartridge

Not some thing you see every day on ebay but you could pick one up cheap when they come along

Good luck

Twl

I am a fan of your thinking and writing, but with respect, perhaps you are being a little harsh here.

Sure, its true there were tons of mass marketed, crap DD turntables in the 70's.

Cheap lightweight plastic cases, silly strobe lights, lousy arms, jerky semi or fully automatic operation.

They were perfectly matched to similarly mass produced receivers with vinyl veneered MDF cabinets and boasting ".04% Total Harmonic Distortion"

(Even then, I dont think they were quite as sleazy as "Coby"?! although you made me laugh!)

What I remember as well, however, were many high end attempts at turntables based on the popular drive technology of the time.

Denon made a number of high end ish turntables. The Kenwood had a resin (?) base that was unusually heavy and granite like -- as I said a cult high end favorite. The Yamaha PX-2 was direct drive and also an excellent table, especially when tweaked with platter mats and record clamps.

I am no Michael Fremer, but in my experience, suspensions, platter surfaces, arms, cartridges and set up -- especially record cleaning and preparation -- have always had a much bigger impact on performance than the presence or absence of microphonic vibration through the spindle or something.

And maybe I had the wrong match for an arm and cartridge, but for me, my years with a Linn LP12 were the unhappiest analogue years of my life. I never liked that turntable, found it sensitive and finicky and never enjoyed it.

I am not loyal to direct drive or belt drive. For sheer coolness alone, I have always coveted a top of the line VPI with an SME V or something, but in the absence of spending the big bucks, would consider a vintagey DD again.

Would love to hear your retort on any of this but that's the way I see it, I mean, heard it.

Best wishes.

In the latest Audio Advisor catalogue, I noticed they are going out of their way to bash direct drive turntables, while hawking Regas and other belt drive turntables.

Are that many people selling direct drive turntables again that they need to defend a different niche?

Or the assumption is that the average person reading their catalogue already has a direct drive turntable?

To me it didn't make any sense, but then again, neither does their choice of "models".

Cdk84

I agree.

So why do people continue to trash direct drive turntables?

And can anyone describe general characterstics of the sound of a belt drive turntable, such that it might explain some listeners preferences?

I am going to go back to the future with direct drive.

Nsgarch

From page 80 of a recent Audio Advisor catalogue:

"It's no wonder so many people embraced CDs when they were first introduced. Their turntables sounded terrible! If you've still listening to an older, direct drive turntable, you've never really heard the music on your records."

For me, this was a new low for AA, in a descent which began circa 2004, perhaps when they hired the business genius who also writes copy like HUGE SALE! UP TO 10% OFF ALL RACKS.

Mapman

"Quiet or not" is an excellent point which perhaps sums up the whole debate very nicely.

My memory however is that starting with the cult like promotion for the Linn LP 12, a generation of listeners was somehow led to believe that direct drives were only suitable for basement party disc jockeys and the shame of any golden eared audiophiles. Plenty of salespeople and audiophiles made this claim.

I have always found this fascinating because I loved my Kenwood KD 500, I enjoyed my Yamaha PX2, and I hated my Linn LP 12 - the worst turntable I ever had.