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davidscott

davidscott

Audioholic Spartan
Looks good. I believe that Dual also has a fully automatic TT available these days at a higher cost. If and when I need to replace my Rega Planar 3 I will definitely consider an automatic TT.
 
MR.MAGOO

MR.MAGOO

Audioholic Field Marshall
There is no such thing as a 'fully automatic' turntable unless you are talking about a jukebox you put coins in and choose a bunch of songs and it plays until the money is used up.

Marketing Dept's love that phrase 'FULLY Automatic', it's an impossibility, you still have to select the correct speed (45, 33, 78), there is no way the TT knows which speed the record was mastered at. I've got 12-inch vinyl mastered for 45rpm, for example. I've got a Marantz TT-42 FULL Automatic as they called it, has a speed select for 33 / 45. If I use 33, the tonearm will move to the lead in groove of a 12 " LP. If I choose 45 the arm moves to the lead in of a 7" 45 rpm single. But if I try to FULL Automatic play a 12" LP mastered at 45 rpm the tonearm will move to the middle of the record because I've selected 45 rpm. And what of 10" LP's mastered at 33 rpm?

Just say the Pro-Ject A1 is a new SEMI-automatic and leave it at that. They are marketing it as FULLY automatic because you don't have to adjust anti-skating and tracking force, and you're locked into whatever cartridge/needle it comes with.

Sorry about the rant, but when they say FULLY AUTOMATIC, they really mean "at the end of the record the tonearm lifts and returns to the cradle and shuts off".
 
3db

3db

Audioholic Slumlord
I believe fully automatic means that the arm lifts up and moves to the beginning of the record and lowers the arm down onto the record. Semi automatic lifts the arm up at the end of the record. You are correct that fully automatic is a misnomer.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
MR.MAGOO said:
There is no such thing as a 'fully automatic' turntable unless you are talking about a jukebox you put coins in and choose a bunch of songs and it plays until the money is used up.

Marketing Dept's love that phrase 'FULLY Automatic', it's an impossibility, you still have to select the correct speed (45, 33, 78), there is no way the TT knows which speed the record was mastered at. I've got 12-inch vinyl mastered for 45rpm, for example. I've got a Marantz TT-42 FULL Automatic as they called it, has a speed select for 33 / 45. If I use 33, the tonearm will move to the lead in groove of a 12 " LP. If I choose 45 the arm moves to the lead in of a 7" 45 rpm single. But if I try to FULL Automatic play a 12" LP mastered at 45 rpm the tonearm will move to the middle of the record because I've selected 45 rpm. And what of 10" LP's mastered at 33 rpm?

Just say the Pro-Ject A1 is a new SEMI-automatic and leave it at that. They are marketing it as FULLY automatic because you don't have to adjust anti-skating and tracking force, and you're locked into whatever cartridge/needle it comes with.

Sorry about the rant, but when they say FULLY AUTOMATIC, they really mean "at the end of the record the tonearm lifts and returns to the cradle and shuts off".
Click to expand...
'Automatic' means it has a lever or button for starting the mechanism and that it returns the tonearm to the rest/shuts off at the end, unless 'repeat' has been selected. 'Semi-automatic' means the user has to manually set the stylus on the record and start the motor (whether the tonearm has a switch for this, or not) and it will shut off at the end. Tracking force, anti-skate, cartridge, etc have nothing to do with it. Some turntables can even sense the diameter of the record. 'Manual' means "DIY- the tonearm's not gonna do it for you".

That ProJect tonearm has slots for adjusting the cartridge position, same as your Marantz- while the tonearm isn't suitable for ALL cartridges, it's certainly not locked into only that one- as long as the cartridge mass and compliance are within range for that tonearm, it will work regardless of the brand.

Your Marantz may have been designed by someone who was a child when CDs caused turntables to fade into the past, they may not have been born, yet- same for the people who wrote the ad copy. People who used turntables before CDs know what 'automatic', 'semi-automatic' and 'manual' mean WRT turntables. It has absolutely nothing to do with being a jukebox or playing until the money runs out.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
3db said:
I believe fully automatic means that the arm lifts up and moves to the beginning of the record and lowers the arm down onto the record. Semi automatic lifts the arm up at the end of the record. You are correct that fully automatic is a misnomer.
Click to expand...
What's a changer then? :)
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
3db said:
The worst possible device invented to damage one's precious vinyl. :p It too according the definition isnt fully automatic because one still has to select the speed.
Click to expand...
In the early 70's I discovered Dual Brand Record Changers did not satisfy and thus in 1975 I abandoned the concept for a manual TT, Sony PS-4750 which still today satisfies, just wish I had that sort of luck with LP quality these days.
50653912272_53a29188c0_c.jpg
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
3db said:
The worst possible device invented to damage one's precious vinyl. :p It too according the definition isnt fully automatic because one still has to select the speed.
Click to expand...
Oh they weren't that bad....more the labels touched, not the recorded surfaces. Weird angles for the cartridge perhaps. Speed selection would be important if you mixed types I suppose....
 
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