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Turntable drive belts

I bought an LP12 replacement belt from ebay allegedly giving about 99% of the performance of the genuine article. Utter crap, I had to get a Linn one in the end.
 
Nigel said:
I bought an LP12 replacement belt from ebay allegedly giving about 99% of the performance of the genuine article. Utter crap, I had to get a Linn one in the end.
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I what way, was it the wrong size, not fit, etc...:confused:

Personally I've tried a few belts on jmy LP12 over the last few years. I'm currently using a 3rd party item and have used both genuine Linn and copies without noticing any difference in performance. As long as it is the correct size i reckon that a brand new good quality pattern belt is better than a tied old genuine one...
 
Sid, the one I purchased was just too tight.

Sid, if I recall the Linn belt isn't very expensive anyway.
 
Theres a nice fella at www.vintage-electronics.net that will sort you out with virtually any belt. Very helpful and cheap too. I think I gave him about €9 incl postage for one for my ariston RD80.

Remember to clean the belt and pulleys with white spirit before you fit it.

Fran
 
So you'll spend 4 figure sums on a top flight turntable then want to save pennies on an after market drive belt - just doesn't make any sense at all IMHO.
 
Eh, who mentioned TTs that cost 4 figure sums!? more like 2 figure sums! The OP asked about thorens at al...

(maybe 4 figures for the LP12 though, fair enough)
 
neiljadman said:
So you'll spend 4 figure sums on a top flight turntable then want to save pennies on an after market drive belt - just doesn't make any sense at all IMHO.
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As with lots of things in Hi-Fi the original manufacturers OEM parts aren't always the best option for their equipment. Thats why PFM and many other Hi-Fi discussion forums have busy DIY sections.
It is obviously your opinion that the original Linn belt is always going to be the best option for an LP12.
Based on my own personal experience of using both genuine Linn and 3rd party belts I don't agree with you.

Looking back through my own records i can see that in the 4 or 5 years that I've owned my current LP12 I've bought at least 3 belts for it including a genuine Linn item, given that a belt is supposed to last about 5 years that's hardly penny pinching.
 
I use a non Linn belt on my LP12 , cant see it makes any difference , sounds fine to me , looks to be a bit thicker , the thing is , this belt could quite easily be made by the same company that makes Linn belts and to the same tolerances , that wouldnt surprise me at all.
 
On the basis that anyone with a 99.9% approval rating can't be doing too much wrong I ordered one for a Thorens TD150 II from http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/microphonics/

Will let you know whether it fits & works ok on arrival.
 
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I prefer to buy 'proper Linn LP12 belts' from Linn dealer, but I suspect that many non-Linn (!) more expensive or cheaper rubber bands are as effective.

I am however not always convinced that there is meaningful difference in the usual 4-8 alternate ways of fitting belt ...

I suspect most people might eventually conclude for whatever reason that much is 'in the mind'.
 
Upon finding my Michell Orbe belt lying in a broken heap one afternoon a few weeks back, I 'phoned for a replacement, which arrived the next morning. Brilliant service from Michell.

Revellation! I hadn't been happy with vinyl for about a year, but too many changes to my kit during this period had caused me .to forget that the belt had been on for 12 years.

No wonder!. 'Chalk and cheese ' doesn't do justice to the difference it made.

Live and learn
 
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