Direct drive vs belt vs rim vs idler arm

From my many, many years of experience it really is all about the execution. From my 1st AR table to my current direct drive they all had something I liked. The belt driven Simon Yorke had incredible PACE (and looks IMHO) but lacked ultimate bass depth. The only table I can say for sure that didn't meet my liking was a TTWeights table which couldn't hold it's speed.
I've now gone to DD and my journey is now over and I'm enjoying the music and forgetting about the gear......finally!

(Dealer disclaimer)

Or, simply stated, a myriad of factors play vital roles in the realm of vinyl based analog playback, drive type notwithstanding.

Dear Lohanimal, I realize your generalizations regarding the virtues of each type of drive system are thoughtfully arrived at, but even they are open to question. I agree with the others, who agreed with me (no surprise), that execution is paramount.

I WOULD say a word in support of the unpretentious Lenco L75; it's absolutely amazing what you can get out of that turntable after bearing and chassis upgrades, a well-designed plinth, and a TOTL tonearm are added to the mix. Even though those extras may add up to a few thousand dollars in expense, the Lenco is definitely my choice for "bang for the buck".

I was making generalizations, and i have to say that the DPS 2 has superb timing for instance, plus excellent imaging. The SME 10 and 20 (not heard the 30) are 'neutral' so to speak. Of course certain decks of course cross boundaries.
I am currently awaiting a Jeremy Marine bearing for a Lenco L75, and am gonna either: get a second hand Townshend Avalon so I can steal the trough, or alternatively I might get such a trough machined for me. I personally think the Townshend trough is just revelatory.

Been out of town visiting elderly mom and came back to enjoy the input. Appreciate your thoughts. I own a VPI Classic 1, but was toying with the idea of getting a vintage table from Artisan Fidelity (which drove my original question). But upon my return, I've decided to trade in my VPI Classic 1 for a Classic 3. Figured I can't go wrong. The 3 should be sitting on my shelf the first week of January.