Turnable database with TimeLine

Actusreus,
I wouldn't judge all tonearm lifters by the VPI one.......?

I suspect that the occasional blip in the red line on the video is due to the shutter speed of the video camera.

It IS a function of the shutter speed.
In reality...the dash is the same length every time.

Richard, thanks for this GOLDMUND info. I once owned the Studio way back. And I wondered why there wasn´t pitch control for that expensive deck. This explains it quite well, pitch control wasn´t needed at all. The music that is playing defines the speed stability. A very intelligent system, very sophisticated anyway. It would be interesting to see complicated music been played with the Studio and TimeLine test. Firstly, the flimsy suspension must be tamed/eliminated to make a proper test though. And finally, does the music really sound right ?

The Raven has a 'stepped' motor controller. This means unfortunately...that there is no 'analogue' control of the speed. It goes up or down by 'fixed' increments.
There is little doubt that the Raven could be made to run accurately with a different motor controller?
Perhaps that could be an upcoming up-grade from Thomas? ......please :-)

Do you hear differences in timing, drive, rhythm, clarity in transients,
etc? Which table do you prefer to listen to overall?

That's a difficult question to answer Peter.........
When I first acquired the TT-101......the differences to the Raven presentation were noticeable and preferable.
There was deeper, more solid and controlled bass presentation together with a more coherent rhythm and 'drive' to the music.
The high frequencies shimmered more and seemed clearer with greater extension....particularly of the harmonics?
What this did for me however....was to set a benchmark against which I tried changes to the Raven....to bring me closer to the Victor presentation?
The first changes were to the platter mat....which had been the Millennium Carbon Fiber sent with the turntable and recommended by Thomas Woschnick. It has two sides but neither one produced the linearity of the Victor. I then tried the Rega felt mat, the Victor rubber mats (2 types) as well as the Victor pigskin mat.
It was only when I placed the record directly on the copper platter surface that the performance began to match the Victor.
A heavy record clamp made it so much better......
I then attempted to achieve the best speed consistency as shown by the Timeline.
I tried it with one, two and three motors....and achieved the best consistency with two diametrically opposed motors.
This also has the benefit of greater belt/platter contact area as well as balancing eccentric loads on the spindle.
So the 'sound' of my Raven AC-2 has now been carefully 'matched' to the TT-101 although the TT-101 is still rather special to listen to....

When I switch back to the Raven.....it takes no time at all to relax and enjoy the musical presentation.....I don't 'miss' the Victor.
But making improvements in any part of our systems does not negate the enjoyment we derived before those improvements?
I never think back to my first Rega Planar 3 with Kebschull preamp and Perraux PM-1850 power amp....and think...."boy, what I was missing?".
I derived the same enjoyment then as I do now....

This test really just measure average speed accuracy. It does not tell us much about what is happening to the platter at the moment of a large transient.

I disagree.
I believe the Timeline tells us more about the performance of a turntable under 'load' than any device we have previously had.
The 'naysayers' I suspect.....are those who haven't seen the Timeline in action, are afraid that their turntables won't pass the Timeline test...or know that their turntables won't pass the Timeline test?

What piece of music is playing in your Raven AC-2 video?

Boy....I have had more response to this musical piece than to any of my previous posts :-)
It is La Folia
Better be quick if everyone who has contacted me orders one? :-)
It really has 'killer' sonics as well as being just magical to listen to....