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Belt-Driven Turntables
Turntables have been around for decades, yet they are anything but outdated: Currently, there's even a veritable trend around these devices, as not only DJs but also music enthusiasts who want to enjoy their favorite music at home are increasingly opting for their purchase. A widely used design is the belt-driven turntable. But what sets it apart and where are its advantages?
You can find all the essential information on the topic in the following guide.
The Belt-Driven Turntable: Design and Operation
In general, nowadays among turntables, models are distinguished between direct-drive and belt-drive. The main difference from direct-drive is that the rotation of the motor axis is transmitted to a belt attached to the turntable. This prevents unwanted vibrations and sound disturbances that can occur during playback through the decoupling of the platter and the motor.
Additionally, belt-driven turntables are characterized by a relatively affordable price, due to the less expensive production of the devices.
However, it should be considered before purchasing that these devices have a relatively long startup time. For this reason, DJs usually opt for a direct-drive turntable. However, if one only needs a turntable for normal home use, a belt-driven model is the best choice - it suffices for private music enjoyment.
Belt-Driven Turntables: Overview of the Various Types
Those interested in purchasing a belt-driven turntable nowadays have a wide range of options among the different devices available on the market. Here it is advisable to first become familiar with the various models on the market, as there are some differences.
Generally, belt-driven turntables are divided into three categories.
- Manual turntables offer classic music enjoyment with a touch of nostalgia: Here the tonearm must be manually placed and removed from the record.
- Additionally, there are semi-automatic turntables, which automatically recognize when a record has finished thanks to a sensor. The turntable arm is automatically returned.
- A fully automatic turntable takes care of placing the arm at the beginning and lifting it at the end of the record.
If you look around in the trade, you can quickly see that there is a wide range of manufacturers for belt-drive turntables. Among others, brands like Denon, Omnitronic, Dual, Pro-Ject, and Rega are very popular. However, it would be wrong to only orient yourself to a well-known name:
More important is the equipment of a turntable. For example, someone who owns a large collection of various records and wants to digitize them is best off with a turntable featuring a USB connection. For mobile use, there are also special suitcase turntables, which often even have built-in speakers.
The most important criteria for purchasing a belt-drive turntable
There are indeed music lovers who clearly prefer belt-drive turntables because they appreciate the sound more than with a direct-drive model. However, this cannot always be clearly stated because it always depends on the individual device.
It is advantageous if the turntable has a belt of good quality: it should not be too wide and as stable as possible.
In a direct-drive turntable, the motor shaft simultaneously represents the platter axis. When the motor speed changes during operation, the platter speed also changes when a different tempo is set.
A high price is not automatically a guarantee of good sound quality. Therefore, it is very important to check the construction, material selection, and processing before deciding on a model. Even cheaper turntables can produce good sound.
A tip: Base your decision on recommendations from other buyers when purchasing turntables via the Internet. These are a good reference point that makes the decision easier.
Conclusion: A belt-drive turntable is ideal for beginners
Those who have not yet gained experience with turntables are well advised with a direct-drive device. Due to their simple construction and good processing, they are optimal for beginners.
Those interested in purchasing such a model can choose between manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic variants. Also, for users who want to digitize their music collection, a belt-drive turntable is generally a good choice, as they can easily connect to the PC thanks to a USB connection.