Have anyone replace VPI SSM belt with string?

I've used carpet/button thread with a TNT III/flywheel set-up and can report quite an improvement in focus & musicality & relief from slurring in the bass region. If the string can't be tensioned, the tricked is to tie knots within knots to the point that there is enough tension for friction, but not so much that you hear the knot ping when passing through the pulleys. If you can get this working you won't go back to rubber bands. With a little practice you can get two threads +/- 1mm.

Thanks for all the input. I am in transistion right now, taking on an assignment oversea that uses a different voltage and I have to build a system from scratch. Did bring my VPI SSM with me, but it's been sitting in the box for the past few months as I have no phono stage to hook it up to. But hearing all the positive feedback of using strings I am inclined to give it a try since there is little to lose.

I wonder if I only replace the long belt with string and keep the motor/flywheel belts, will I hear any improvement? It will be easy to do as I can move the motor assembly in/out to adjust tension. But most of the belt noise is coming from those short belts, so I won't be cutting down the noise there. With the old TNT flywheel setup, I assumed one can move the motor/flywheel around to adjust string tension as well?

Semi, yes with the TNT/single motor/flywheel it is easier because only the long thread around the platter must be cut exactly in order to be self-tensioning.

Having recently added Mark Kelly's speed controller, I've been experimenting with Stren braided fish line as an alternative to carpet thread on my TNT with flywheel. Braided fish line offers the theoretical advantage of very low elasticity. I chose 20 lb. Stren because its diameter is about the same as carpet thread & the knot is small.

The experiment was a failure. The exotic coating on the line grips poorly relative to cotton thread. Poor grip together with zero elasticity means that the fish line must be tightly tensioned to the point that the motor will not start without a push. Even with a helping hand to get started, there is audible slippage.

Cotton/poly thread works much better and its elacticity somewhere between rubber and fish line appears to be an asset.

I have a VPI HMW19 and am in the process of building a DIY SAMA. I want to have it out board of the plinth/frame so it can be really massive. It seems to me that if the pulleys are the same size as stock then no matter how long the string is, the speed will be correct.
Am I correct?

Also, my friend that has a beautiful Teres, uses silk thread that a very nice lady at a fabric store sold him.He swears by it.

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