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A challenge to all turntable manufacturers

As I sit here, listening to Miles, Live at the Blackhawk, Vol II, a thought occurred to me. I'm strictly a CD source, all tube component audiophile. While I acknowledge the sonic benefits of a quality analogue source, I cant get past the convenience of 70+ minute CDs, shuffle playback, remote pause and skip, minimal care and feeding, and low cost compared to new quality pressings that CDs offer over vinyl.

However the thought occurred to me that a laser pickup is a technical marvel. If it can read the nano sized pits on a CD, surely the technology exists for someone to make laser pickup to read the hills and valleys of an LP pressing without converting it to one's and zeros. Think of the benefits of no complicated stylus alignment or wear, platter cleaning, etc., The pickup could also be made to read both sides of the LP allowing for continuous play, random, play, skip function, etc. Am I just dreaming? Technology today has given us things never thought possible before. Come on TT manufacturers, get to work. Thoughts?

J.Chip
128x128jchiappinelli

Showing 3 responses by cleeds

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cleeds
5,694 posts
 
jchiappinelli

... a laser pickup is a technical marvel. If it can read the nano sized pits on a CD, surely the technology exists for someone to make laser pickup to read the hills and valleys of an LP pressing without converting it to one's and zeros. Think of the benefits ... Am I just dreaming? ... Come on TT manufacturers, get to work ...
It's been done, with very mixed results. See this about the ELP.
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cleeds
5,694 posts
 
looscannon
You still have a stylus tracing the groove. Tracing the groove is the hardest part not the conversion to an electrical signal.
Opinion stated as fact. Constructing a quality phono preamp section is a challenging task and there’s no easy or inexpensive way to do it. One of the prime advantages of the strain gauge method, for example, is that it allows an inherently simplified approach to satisfying the RIAA curve.

I suspect that among the prime limitations of the ELP player are the playback electronics that follow the laser reader.
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cleeds
5,694 posts
 
cd318
For me any contactless vinyl replay system must surely be worth investigating.
What are you waiting for? The ELP laser turntable has been around for more than 30 years. Please let us know what your investigation reveals.
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