Good Semi-automatic Turntables ?

You might look for a vintage Micro Seiki DD Series produced in the late 70's to early 80's. I have seen them for a really good price on both Audiogon and EBay (at the $250-$350 range how can one go wrong?). They offer a solid table package, incorporating the quality that Micro-Seiki was known for, albiet at the entry level of the brand. The automatic lift and shut off system is not mechanical. Instead, it's totally electronic, incorporating what they call a Hall Effect Sensor. At the end of an lp or if the power is shut off the viscous damped lifter raises the tonearm. There is a high quality tracking force application spring and tungsten wiring that seems to provide never-ending performance without deterioration problems typical of conventional dynamic arms, and, one can dial in tracking accurate forces ranging from 0.25 to 3 grams. It has many other quality features as well. I have owned one since 1979 and it not only is a beautiful table but it still functions wonderfully and ACCURATELY. I have a Grado Gold cart. installed in the arm. I have played many lp's on the M-S (I own over 2000) and have never had one problem. Seriously. The M-S is now hooked up to my whole house system (which my wife and I use a lot) but I have run it on my primary system (which is deliberately solid state)and it performed quite admirably. One key negative is the cheesy feet M-S put on the unit which can be easily remedied to satisfaction for just a few bucks. (In don't employ an automatic table with my primary system.)

Garrard, in their advertising of the Lab 80 Automatic Transcription Turntable in the mid-60s, said that automatic lift-off and shut-off adds an entirely new dimension of pleasure to record playing. My version is not available new; I happened across it serendipitously in reviving my Garrard 301 in a heavy laminated birch-ply/MDF plinth, when I decided to try a Rabco SL-8E linear tracking arm with a Decca cartridge. It doesn't shut off at the end of a side, but does pick up the arm, so the Decca doesn't keep playing the leadout groove after the music ends. As for the Garrard continuing to run, I don't think it's possible to wear out a 301 in a normal lifetime of record playing!

Just buy a tonearm lifter for $100 and buy whatever table you want.

No .