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Sorry - a couple more newbie analog questions

I did a search on this but couldn't find answers pertaining directly to my situation so here it goes...

Stupid question #1) When changing records should I turn the player off, or can I change on the fly? My paranoid half is telling me that I might be damaging the other side of the record and/or the motor. I am not using a clamp.

Stupid question #2) When a cartridge is still breaking in what ways does it sound bad? I am noticing sometimes, not always, high frequencies distort - high, loud, short piano or violin notes. Is this normal break in or do I not have the cartrdige set up properly. (Goldring Elektra/Rega RB250) The VTF is set at the top end of the suggested range, 2 grams. The cartridge is factory pre-set, when I checked the alignment with the paper thingy it looks okay. Could this distortion be a software issue, most of my lps are pretty old and I am still waiting for my disc doctor kit. The cartridge has about 20 hours on it.

Thanks in advance!
tooter
slate1
82 posts
 
Shasta - could you elaborate on the Fremer article?
shasta
155 posts
 
The Fremer article is on his MusicAngle WebSite.
http://www.musicangle.com/features.php

Zen and the art of Record Cleaning Made Difficult
tassiemike
5 posts
 
It really depends on the type of turntable Tooter. A high torque direct drive turntable is not going to suffer no matter how often you switch it on and off, but a low torque, high mass turntable is going to be doing a lot of extra work (read extra wear) if you are constantly starting it from rest.

The following is from the Planar 3 Instruction Manual:

"Leave the turntable running during a record playing session. Switch on before the session and only switch off after you have finished playing."

Mike
tooter OP
85 posts
 
Mike - that's interesting. My Goldring GR1 is made by Rega and is basically a P2, slightly different plinth I believe, but the instructions it came with mention nothing about leaving on/off. I guess my worries are two fold - extra wear on the motor, damaging the lp. I think I will contact the maker of my mat and see what they say. The mat I'm using is rubbery and really grips quite well to the record.
slate1
82 posts
 
A great deal of stress that the motor undergoes is in getting the platter up and spinning from a dead stop. With a belt-drive table 99% of that stress can be alleviated by simply give the platter a light spin with your finger prior to switching the motor on.
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