Dear Alec,
I really am not qualified to give you a general answer that covers all the bases. I can only say that in my limited experience, highest quality vintage DD turntables sound better than "very good" modern belt drive-turntables at around the $5K cost point. This means I hear better pitch definition, a more "lively" sound, better definition of individual musical instruments. The belt-drive tables in this price range can however deliver a "big" soundstage compared to a DD table. To get the DD tables to compete at big sound you have to experiment with plinths, either heavy dense ones made of slate or hardwood or minimal ones, which I am told also work. IME, my Lenco idler drive in a slate plinth is also quite wonderful and delivers a huge soundstage, bigger even than my Notts Hyperspace was ever able to do. The Lenco beats the Notts in most other ways, too. Piano is divine.
I really am not qualified to give you a general answer that covers all the bases. I can only say that in my limited experience, highest quality vintage DD turntables sound better than "very good" modern belt drive-turntables at around the $5K cost point. This means I hear better pitch definition, a more "lively" sound, better definition of individual musical instruments. The belt-drive tables in this price range can however deliver a "big" soundstage compared to a DD table. To get the DD tables to compete at big sound you have to experiment with plinths, either heavy dense ones made of slate or hardwood or minimal ones, which I am told also work. IME, my Lenco idler drive in a slate plinth is also quite wonderful and delivers a huge soundstage, bigger even than my Notts Hyperspace was ever able to do. The Lenco beats the Notts in most other ways, too. Piano is divine.