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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
coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
847 posts
 

Because doing so would deny you the opportunity to get up and get some exercise. 

mysteriousmrm's avatar
mysteriousmrm
44 posts
 

I prefer convenience of automatic as well. But the extra weight of the extra mechanical parts mess with the delicate sound balance, or so I've been informed. 

corelli
1,078 posts
 

Early this year I restored an old automatic Dual turntable from the 1970's era.  All I can say is a lot of German engineering, parts, and production cost all went into this feature.  It detracts from reliability and the quality of more important parts like the tonearm and drive system at a given price point.

bdorsay's avatar
bdorsay
1 posts
 

   Pro-Ject has 2 automatic turntable options. One is $499 and the more expensive option is just over $1000. Decent quality and most of them come with usable, if not spectacular MM cartridges.

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