Leave It Running?

[audiophile40]

Why?

Attention experienced Phono Audiophiles.

I just bought a Rega Planar 1. Included in the user hints for long life, they say to turn the table on at the beginning of a listening session and leave it on until you're session is over. The concept is that, if you leave it on and don't turn it on and off to flip or change records, you will save wear and tear on the motor and belt.

My problem with this is, doesn't the sudden jolt caused by you grabbing the edges of the record to lift it off and interrupting the momentum of the spinning platter harder on the motor and belt and more harmful than turning the table off and on?

Opinions please.

 

[highfigh]

Why?

Attention experienced Phono Audiophiles.

I just bought a Rega Planar 1. Included in the user hints for long life, they say to turn the table on at the beginning of a listening session and leave it on until you're session is over. The concept is that, if you leave it on and don't turn it on and off to flip or change records, you will save wear and tear on the motor and belt.

My problem with this is, doesn't the sudden jolt caused by you grabbing the edges of the record to lift it off and interrupting the momentum of the spinning platter harder on the motor and belt and more harmful than turning the table off and on?

Opinions please.

Turning it off shouldn't be hard on anything but if the motor starts suddenly, it can wear the belt, slightly. Personally, if a company sells a turntable with parts that can't stand up to normal use, I'd be pretty, um, let's go with 'unhappy'.

The wear to the belt should be minimal. If the motor can't stand it, Raga needs to step up and put a better one on their tables. I've heard good things about Raga but this isn't one of them.

 

[TLS Guy]

Why?

Attention experienced Phono Audiophiles.

I just bought a Rega Planar 1. Included in the user hints for long life, they say to turn the table on at the beginning of a listening session and leave it on until you're session is over. The concept is that, if you leave it on and don't turn it on and off to flip or change records, you will save wear and tear on the motor and belt.

My problem with this is, doesn't the sudden jolt caused by you grabbing the edges of the record to lift it off and interrupting the momentum of the spinning platter harder on the motor and belt and more harmful than turning the table off and on?

Opinions please.

That is likely to result in record damage.

I bought my Thorens TD 150 belt drive in 1966. I changed the motor to 60 Hz when I moved to North America in 1970. Since then after hours of use, the motor is fine, and I have changed the belt once!

If that Rega has to be left on to stop it wearing out, its junk.

 

[audiophile40]

Thanks

Thanks for your comments so far:

I may have left my question open to misinterpretation, so let me be clear.

I'm not at all concerned about the quality of this table's build. The RP1 is rated one of the best entry level audiophile class turntables in the world. Especially at it's $450.00 price point. And I did extensive research before I bought it.

Rega is not saying that if you don't practice this method that the motor or belt will break. They are just recommend it for extended motor and belt life. I assume that they are recommending this as the result of extended testing. It's just, in theory, it doesn't make sense to me.

Here's a direct quote from the insert.

"L e a v e t h e t u r n t a b l e r u n n i n g d u r i n g a r e c o r d
p l a y i n g s e s s i o n . S w i t c h o n b e f o r e t h e s e s s i o n a n d o n l y s w i t c h o f f a f t e r y o u h a v e f i n i s h e d ."

 

[Adam]

Here's a direct quote from the insert.

"L e a v e t h e t u r n t a b l e r u n n i n g d u r i n g a r e c o r d
p l a y i n g s e s s i o n . S w i t c h o n b e f o r e t h e s e s s i o n a n d o n l y s w i t c h o f f a f t e r y o u h a v e f i n i s h e d ."

Perhaps I'm taking that quote out of context, but I'd read that to say that you don't want to shut the table off with the needle on the record. Are you sure that it's related to the motor and/or belts?

 

[zhimbo]

Perhaps I'm taking that quote out of context, but I'd read that to say that you don't want to shut the table off with the needle on the record. Are you sure that it's related to the motor and/or belts?

That's how I read it as well.

 

[Pa Yankee]

The belt should not wear out for decades.

 

[markw]

It really doesn't take a lot of effort or force to "pluck" the record up off a turinng turntable, nor does it put strain on anything to drop another one in it's place. In either case, any abrasion is pretty much negligable/imaginary.