RANT WARNING RANT WARNING
First, some math:
Assume an elliptical stylus tracking at two (2) grams.
Assume a typical stylus size, and assume it is not worn excessively.
With a 33.33 rpm record, starting at 12" and finishing at 5", with the lead-in and lead-out grooves, the average diameter will be ~9".
3.14159 x 9 = 28.27 = the number of inches in circumference.
28.27 x 33.33 = 942.38 = the number of inches per minute the stylus will cover. Which is 78.53 feet per minute. Which is about 0.9 mph. Which is 1.44 kph.
The bearing area of the stylus is approximately 0.0008 square mm, times two as it bears on both sides of the groove.
2/0.0016 = 1,250 grams per square mm.
That is 2.7575 pounds per square mm.
That is 1779 pounds per square inch.
So, you have a bit of the hardest natural substance known to man traveling at just under a mile per hour pushing down at nearly 1800 psi onto a bit of plastic, whilst being slammed side-to-side up to 20,000 times per second, or more.
There will be some stress on the plastic.
There will be friction developed.
There will be heat developed.
None of which matter much to the stylus.
But very much matter to the bit of plastic.
Upshot of the math: DO NOT play any record (that you care about) more than once in 24 hours. If you do, you risk pretty much slicing off the peaks of the groove. The 24 hours is arbitrary. 12 hours is likely enough. There are two issues: The first is that one does not wish to "anneal" the vinyl - so let the local heat dissipate slowly. This takes maybe an hour or so. But, one also does not wish to overcome the 'memory' in the plastic and permanently distort the grooves. This takes a bit longer. How much? Be safe.
Your "Favorite Record" will be toast at the second playing - if you are using it for audition purposes.
Now: I have kept and very much appreciated a Rabco SL8E. I was working as a machinist at the time, and had access to watchmakers' machine tools. Which allowed me to do some basic modifications. Transport noise was largely solved with the correct lubricants. Giving me an adequate arm that did take good care of the vinyl and sounded quite nice. That was in 1976. In 1978, I acquired a Rabco ST8 which I maintained for 30 years and is now in the hands of my son-in-law. And the SL8E departed to another life. I later acquired a Revox B795 which I substantially restored and is my front-line TT. I have also rebuilt a Rabco ST7 which is my back-up TT. Both, all-in, cost me substantially less than $500 each. Both perform flawlessly. Would I wish them on anyone else, especially someone unskilled? Right now, sure. But as I stated they are fussy and a PITA to maintain. One is 'committed' to such devices, not merely 'involved' with such.
Point being that if you want a new TT, that is fine - but keep in mind the limitations of the system. You are to protect the vinyl, then reach for the best sound you can find while doing so. You could go here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/245727224/mag-lev-audio-the-first-levitating-turntable
Or, you could go here:
https://www.deepdiscount.com/goog/4250019108969?gclid=Cj0KCQjwuafdBRDmARIsAPpBmVU5Z3kJ1yWHZDfCIoKHzJ_vFi5xZ9s3IymdI7BnfEu_XPucxIdz7NYaAmSGEALw_wcB
Or here:
https://www.sound-smith.com/tonearms/souther-linear
Or here:
https://uturnaudio.com/products/orbit-basic-turntable?variant=33393451914&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuafdBRDmARIsAPpBmVXXGJRhu8PqqQ09FO5xDnEGhPsqi5pRNqdOKO0IaJW-yOr54km4cgAaAoKzEALw_wcB
And every one of those options will protect the vinyl and give you a decent shot at decent sound. Were linear arms off the table for me, I would be right with the Uturn.
Lastly, Auditioning turntables is a fool's game. Once you are past the most basic quality-control and functional standards, how it is set up in your listening area will have more to do with how well it sounds than anything else. How well it matches with the cartridge, how well the cartridge matches with the phono pre-amp (capacitance-matching) and such will be driving the results. In 2018, the advances in materials, bearing design, and such make what would be a $2,500 TT in 1976 a $175 TT today. Not to suggest you 'cheap-out', but that you view all your options, and pick a combination of devices that will meet your needs now and for the foreseeable future.
First, some math:
Assume an elliptical stylus tracking at two (2) grams.
Assume a typical stylus size, and assume it is not worn excessively.
With a 33.33 rpm record, starting at 12" and finishing at 5", with the lead-in and lead-out grooves, the average diameter will be ~9".
3.14159 x 9 = 28.27 = the number of inches in circumference.
28.27 x 33.33 = 942.38 = the number of inches per minute the stylus will cover. Which is 78.53 feet per minute. Which is about 0.9 mph. Which is 1.44 kph.
The bearing area of the stylus is approximately 0.0008 square mm, times two as it bears on both sides of the groove.
2/0.0016 = 1,250 grams per square mm.
That is 2.7575 pounds per square mm.
That is 1779 pounds per square inch.
So, you have a bit of the hardest natural substance known to man traveling at just under a mile per hour pushing down at nearly 1800 psi onto a bit of plastic, whilst being slammed side-to-side up to 20,000 times per second, or more.
There will be some stress on the plastic.
There will be friction developed.
There will be heat developed.
None of which matter much to the stylus.
But very much matter to the bit of plastic.
Upshot of the math: DO NOT play any record (that you care about) more than once in 24 hours. If you do, you risk pretty much slicing off the peaks of the groove. The 24 hours is arbitrary. 12 hours is likely enough. There are two issues: The first is that one does not wish to "anneal" the vinyl - so let the local heat dissipate slowly. This takes maybe an hour or so. But, one also does not wish to overcome the 'memory' in the plastic and permanently distort the grooves. This takes a bit longer. How much? Be safe.
Your "Favorite Record" will be toast at the second playing - if you are using it for audition purposes.
Now: I have kept and very much appreciated a Rabco SL8E. I was working as a machinist at the time, and had access to watchmakers' machine tools. Which allowed me to do some basic modifications. Transport noise was largely solved with the correct lubricants. Giving me an adequate arm that did take good care of the vinyl and sounded quite nice. That was in 1976. In 1978, I acquired a Rabco ST8 which I maintained for 30 years and is now in the hands of my son-in-law. And the SL8E departed to another life. I later acquired a Revox B795 which I substantially restored and is my front-line TT. I have also rebuilt a Rabco ST7 which is my back-up TT. Both, all-in, cost me substantially less than $500 each. Both perform flawlessly. Would I wish them on anyone else, especially someone unskilled? Right now, sure. But as I stated they are fussy and a PITA to maintain. One is 'committed' to such devices, not merely 'involved' with such.
Point being that if you want a new TT, that is fine - but keep in mind the limitations of the system. You are to protect the vinyl, then reach for the best sound you can find while doing so. You could go here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/245727224/mag-lev-audio-the-first-levitating-turntable
Or, you could go here:
https://www.deepdiscount.com/goog/4250019108969?gclid=Cj0KCQjwuafdBRDmARIsAPpBmVU5Z3kJ1yWHZDfCIoKHzJ_vFi5xZ9s3IymdI7BnfEu_XPucxIdz7NYaAmSGEALw_wcB
Or here:
https://www.sound-smith.com/tonearms/souther-linear
Or here:
https://uturnaudio.com/products/orbit-basic-turntable?variant=33393451914&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuafdBRDmARIsAPpBmVXXGJRhu8PqqQ09FO5xDnEGhPsqi5pRNqdOKO0IaJW-yOr54km4cgAaAoKzEALw_wcB
And every one of those options will protect the vinyl and give you a decent shot at decent sound. Were linear arms off the table for me, I would be right with the Uturn.
Lastly, Auditioning turntables is a fool's game. Once you are past the most basic quality-control and functional standards, how it is set up in your listening area will have more to do with how well it sounds than anything else. How well it matches with the cartridge, how well the cartridge matches with the phono pre-amp (capacitance-matching) and such will be driving the results. In 2018, the advances in materials, bearing design, and such make what would be a $2,500 TT in 1976 a $175 TT today. Not to suggest you 'cheap-out', but that you view all your options, and pick a combination of devices that will meet your needs now and for the foreseeable future.
