Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

In his online video presentation Udo Besser, AVM's MD and chief designer, provides a tour of the R 5.3 and introduces the 'Elipso-Centric Belt Drive' with its drive and guide pulleys mounted 180o across the alloy sub-platter. The idea has numerous benefits: the position of the motor pulley is set as far away from the pick-up's arc of travel as possible while the guide pulley allows a greater belt tension to be applied, simultaneously reducing the force applied perpendicular to the platter's bearing.

Similarly, limiting the contact area between the belt and sub-platter reduces the transmission of vibration from the motor but the friction on the sub-platter is also reduced, with a commensurate loss in power, or torque, transferred to the rotating mass. This drive model might also be useful for a suspended subchassis deck, minimising the force acting against the sprung mass and limiting oscillation that might occur during start-up. Of course, this type of drive is no guarantee of improved speed stability. PM