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From: reid@Glacier.ARPA (Brian Reid)
Newsgroups: net.audio,net.consumers
Subject: Re: Re: Turntable Controversy
Message-ID: <9281@Glacier.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 3-Jul-85 00:32:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: Glacier.9281
Posted: Wed Jul  3 00:32:17 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 4-Jul-85 04:16:26 EDT
References: <496@leadsv.UUCP> <430@enmasse.UUCP>
Reply-To: reid@Glacier.UUCP (Brian Reid)
Distribution: net
Organization: Stanford University, Computer Systems Lab
Lines: 15
Xref: watmath net.audio:5227 net.consumers:2500
Summary: why radio stations use direct-drive turntables

Radio stations use direct-drive turntables because they can be "cued" better.
A radio station DJ needs to be able to accomplish very tight timing. Dead
air is bad. So the DJ puts the needle on the turntable, manually spins the
platter until the song begins, then backs off the platter some
factory-specified amount (typically 1/4 turn), and waits. When he wants to
start the record playing he hits a switch that energizes the motor, and the
motor must get the turntable up to speed in 1/4 revolution. Trying to do
this trick with a belt-drive turntable would burn rubber. In general radio
stations do not care very much about the audio quality of their turntables.
In fact, I have been around several that routinely crank up the speed of
their turntables 5% so that the music will take less time, leaving more time
for advertisements.
-- 
	Brian Reid	decwrl!glacier!reid
	Stanford	reid@SU-Glacier.ARPA