SimcoTIDA: The Idler Drive Association
The future drives from the past.
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Welcome to SimcoTIDA — an association of the most highly regarded professionals involved in the restoration, refurbishment, plinth building, and packaging of Idler Drive Turntables.
Idler drives preserve the essence of music by mechanically engaging vinyl records like no other system designed for analog vinyl reproduction. These vintage machines have been collected and restored to varying degrees and standards since their introduction in the 1950s. The Idler Drive Association brings together the world's most prestigious, respected, and dedicated experts in the field to provide the broader community—music enthusiasts, audiophiles, and collectors—with guidance and awareness. Our aim is to help assemble superior systems that, in our opinion, compete head-to-head with the most expensive and highly regarded modern setups, while retaining the spirit, soul, and heritage of vinyl reproduction—upgraded for the modern audiophile era.
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Members of the Association:
Ray Clark
Carl Ellis
Chris Harban
Uwe Meyer
Jean Nantais
Sion Simon
Matthew Taylor
Rob Wyatt
The future drives from the past.
—
Welcome to SimcoTIDA — an association of the most highly regarded professionals involved in the restoration, refurbishment, plinth building, and packaging of Idler Drive Turntables.
Idler drives preserve the essence of music by mechanically engaging vinyl records like no other system designed for analog vinyl reproduction. These vintage machines have been collected and restored to varying degrees and standards since their introduction in the 1950s. The Idler Drive Association brings together the world's most prestigious, respected, and dedicated experts in the field to provide the broader community—music enthusiasts, audiophiles, and collectors—with guidance and awareness. Our aim is to help assemble superior systems that, in our opinion, compete head-to-head with the most expensive and highly regarded modern setups, while retaining the spirit, soul, and heritage of vinyl reproduction—upgraded for the modern audiophile era.
—
Members of the Association:
Ray Clark
Carl Ellis
Chris Harban
Uwe Meyer
Jean Nantais
Sion Simon
Matthew Taylor
Rob Wyatt
“Not only is there no way of playing a record quite like an old idler drive, there’s actually nothing quite like it in the world. In any field of endeavour. There’s no analogy that can explain the phenomenon to the uninitiated.
Vintage idlers work unbelievably well for such a simple, old technology. They last forever and it’s a unique and special sound.
And a well-mounted old idler often looks more like art than machine.
And each example is an entirely individual piece of history and heritage.
But all that still doesn’t explain the magic. The only way to understand what the fuss is about is to own and experience” — Sion Simon
Vintage idlers work unbelievably well for such a simple, old technology. They last forever and it’s a unique and special sound.
And a well-mounted old idler often looks more like art than machine.
And each example is an entirely individual piece of history and heritage.
But all that still doesn’t explain the magic. The only way to understand what the fuss is about is to own and experience” — Sion Simon
Why do we believe the idler drive is the ultimate expression of analog?
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Idler drives reproduce music in ways that defy measurement on paper, delivering superior torque and drive that no modern turntable can match. While they may not always excel in technical measurement contests against some of the most expensive modern tables, in our opinion, their poetic sonic qualities are musically superior. Some idler drives may be a little noisy, but with a good plinth and proper refurbishment and setup, they will deliver music—pound for pound, dollar for dollar—in a way that is purely musical. Not just technical specs, but musically.
In the modern era, idler drives have largely been replaced by belt drives and direct-drive turntables, which are generally cheaper to produce. The purpose of SimcoTIDA is to provide a roadmap and service for those seeking the best-sounding analogue reproduction in beautifully crafted packages, touched by the world’s finest artisans upgrading, refurbishing, and modernizing these tables. For decades, they have been at the forefront for collectors, enthusiasts, and audiophiles. They are folklore in the realm of vinyl reproduction, and as time progresses, they become harder to find—requiring repair, upgrades, and modernization to push their capabilities beyond their original specifications, while preserving the technology that makes music come alive.
Once you experience a properly set-up and refurbished idler drive turntable, there’s no going back.
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Note: Wow and Flutter measurements are technical metrics. Idler drives are not simply technical instruments; they are some of the best analog machines ever made in the 20th century for reproducing music on vinyl—capable even of playing 78 RPM records, which most modern tables cannot do.
—
Idler drives reproduce music in ways that defy measurement on paper, delivering superior torque and drive that no modern turntable can match. While they may not always excel in technical measurement contests against some of the most expensive modern tables, in our opinion, their poetic sonic qualities are musically superior. Some idler drives may be a little noisy, but with a good plinth and proper refurbishment and setup, they will deliver music—pound for pound, dollar for dollar—in a way that is purely musical. Not just technical specs, but musically.
In the modern era, idler drives have largely been replaced by belt drives and direct-drive turntables, which are generally cheaper to produce. The purpose of SimcoTIDA is to provide a roadmap and service for those seeking the best-sounding analogue reproduction in beautifully crafted packages, touched by the world’s finest artisans upgrading, refurbishing, and modernizing these tables. For decades, they have been at the forefront for collectors, enthusiasts, and audiophiles. They are folklore in the realm of vinyl reproduction, and as time progresses, they become harder to find—requiring repair, upgrades, and modernization to push their capabilities beyond their original specifications, while preserving the technology that makes music come alive.
Once you experience a properly set-up and refurbished idler drive turntable, there’s no going back.
—
Note: Wow and Flutter measurements are technical metrics. Idler drives are not simply technical instruments; they are some of the best analog machines ever made in the 20th century for reproducing music on vinyl—capable even of playing 78 RPM records, which most modern tables cannot do.
"The Garrard 301 and 401 idler-wheel turntables are legendary for their powerful torque and rock-solid speed stability, which translates into a natural, rhythmic flow in the music that many modern turntables can’t replicate."— Robert Harley (The Absolute Sound)
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"The direct mechanical coupling of the idler wheel to the platter means that the energy transfer is immediate and efficient. This often results in a more dynamic and ‘alive’ sound than belt-driven turntables."— Paul Rigby (Vinyl Asylum)
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"Idler-drive mechanisms, when properly engineered and maintained, offer superior speed consistency and torque delivery. This mechanical advantage often results in clearer, punchier sound reproduction with excellent transient response."— Dr. Richard Hardesty (Audio Engineer & Author)
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"The vintage idler drive turntables from the 1950s and 60s represent a peak of analog engineering, with the idler mechanism ensuring constant platter speed and torque, creating a lively and highly engaging listening experience."— Jim Smith (Hi-Fi News & Record Review)
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"The direct mechanical coupling of the idler wheel to the platter means that the energy transfer is immediate and efficient. This often results in a more dynamic and ‘alive’ sound than belt-driven turntables."— Paul Rigby (Vinyl Asylum)
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"Idler-drive mechanisms, when properly engineered and maintained, offer superior speed consistency and torque delivery. This mechanical advantage often results in clearer, punchier sound reproduction with excellent transient response."— Dr. Richard Hardesty (Audio Engineer & Author)
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"The vintage idler drive turntables from the 1950s and 60s represent a peak of analog engineering, with the idler mechanism ensuring constant platter speed and torque, creating a lively and highly engaging listening experience."— Jim Smith (Hi-Fi News & Record Review)
"Idler-wheel drive turntables such as the Garrard 301 and 401 have an immediacy and pace that many belt-drive designs fail to reproduce. Their high torque and solid speed stability give the music a life and drive that is unmistakable." — Art Dudley (Stereophile Magazine)
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"The best idler-drive turntables, when properly maintained, offer an unparalleled sense of rhythm and timing. The physical connection through the idler wheel provides a directness and immediacy that you just don’t get from belt-driven tables." — Michael Fremer (Analog Planet)
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"Idler drive turntables, especially the vintage Lenco and Garrard models, combine high torque with speed stability. This results in a dynamic and engaging musical presentation that remains difficult to match with other drive systems."— Jean Nantais (Author of The Lenco Reference Project)
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"The direct mechanical connection of the idler wheel reduces any sort of transient lag or damping found in belt drives, which means the music comes through with more punch and authority."— Vincent J. Musi (AudioKarma User and Reviewer)
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"How history sounds."— Sion Simon
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"The best idler-drive turntables, when properly maintained, offer an unparalleled sense of rhythm and timing. The physical connection through the idler wheel provides a directness and immediacy that you just don’t get from belt-driven tables." — Michael Fremer (Analog Planet)
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"Idler drive turntables, especially the vintage Lenco and Garrard models, combine high torque with speed stability. This results in a dynamic and engaging musical presentation that remains difficult to match with other drive systems."— Jean Nantais (Author of The Lenco Reference Project)
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"The direct mechanical connection of the idler wheel reduces any sort of transient lag or damping found in belt drives, which means the music comes through with more punch and authority."— Vincent J. Musi (AudioKarma User and Reviewer)
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"How history sounds."— Sion Simon
Welcome to our association.
We are dedicated to serving those seeking superior audiophile-grade refurbishments and high-quality plinth systems.
Our focus is on clients who value the convenience of a fully integrated system — turntable, tonearm, cartridge, and plinth — rather than those looking for individual components.
If you have a budget and would like assistance in finding the best machine within that range, please get in touch.
—
simchowitz@gmail.com
9176918440
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Simco TIDA is a division of Simco Audio: simcoaudio.com
We are dedicated to serving those seeking superior audiophile-grade refurbishments and high-quality plinth systems.
Our focus is on clients who value the convenience of a fully integrated system — turntable, tonearm, cartridge, and plinth — rather than those looking for individual components.
If you have a budget and would like assistance in finding the best machine within that range, please get in touch.
—
simchowitz@gmail.com
9176918440
—
Simco TIDA is a division of Simco Audio: simcoaudio.com