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Why hasnt a turntable manufacturer produced a table with automatic tonearm return/shutoff?

I'm listening to my old Technics 1700 turntable, which has the tonearm return/ shutoff mechanism. It's one of the reasons I don't upgrade. The idea that you have to get up to retrieve the cartridge and turn off the machine makes little sense when the technology has been there for years. I know the issue of the mechanism introducing sound into the table, but it seems to me that the mechanism can be isolated and kept off until the record ends. What gives?

kavakat1

Showing 1 response by mikelavigne

mikelavigne
2,244 posts
 

why not?

very low priority in terms of actual use. most serious vinyl users would be afraid of other compromises introduced by an unneeded complicated feature. rather put their money on things making the performance better. and the manual process is part of the muscle memory and ritual associated with vinyl playback.

so cultural headwind to have it be something valued. 

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