What is the difference between a regular direct drive turntable and a synthesizer direct drive?? I was asked this by a friend and I was clueless.

James

never even heard of it.... sorry

ok good, cause that was my reply to him, and I didnt know if it was just cause I was stupid I guess it was just him then haha

James

When they say synthesizer direct drive they mean that the drive speed is controlled by a quartz synthesizer. So the drive speed is compared to the quartz synthesizer and changed if it deviates one way or another.

How this is any different or better than drives that don't have it? I have no idea, but since the 1200's have this I am going to say it is a good thing.

[Talking out of my ass]
I've noticed with some cheaper directdrive tables that for a brief instant after you slow the platter a reasonable amount with your hand, they tend to speed up to a speed a bit faster then your set pitch then fall back down to it, forcing you to overcorrect at times to get things to phase just right after the platter reaches it's stable speed.

Perhaps employing a quartz synthesizer to control speed prevents this effect from happening. Higher torque drives and heavier platters should help couter this also.

And it might also help it maintain a constant speed despite fluctuations in line voltage? I really don't know a whole lot about electronics though so you'll have to take this with a grain of salt.
[/Talking out of my ass]

Anyone else have any thoughts on my theory or actually know what the deal is with it?

Thanks that really helps out a lot, that actually makes a lot of sense


James