I wish I had a device that would delay lowering my TT arm


I love spinning records, but I wish I had a device that would delay lowering my  TT arm until I return to my easy chair about 8 feet away from the turntable.  I always miss the  the full effect first couple of bars of my favorite music. Do any of you see this as an issue?  Can any of you suggest an answer?  Maybe one of those remote control small motors that you can get at a hobby shop coupled with a rig that would lower the lever on the VPI Classic or similar TT?  Thanks.
mazikrav
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Thank you, imahififan.  This looks interesting. When I get some time to stay with the adjusting problem, I'll take a stab at it.

Mazirkrav
This looks promising, imhififan.  I wonder if you could post a picture of your rig?
What would be a potential object that could perform this action? Not everyone is able to have the TT ’at hand’, but it could be interesting if it could raise as well as lower the arm in a remote fashion.
I tape a 6" X 1/16" diameter rod on top of a YT-260 Remote Control Motorized Camera Pan/Tilt
and tie a 1.5" sting from the rod to the arm lift lever.
The rod turn counterclockwise will push the arm lift lever down and the rod turn clockwise will pull the lever up.
 
*G* That Decca widget sounds great, but obviously was a real 'niche market' thing.  I'd be surprised if any survived...

What would be a potential object that could perform this action?  Not everyone is able to have the TT 'at hand', but it could be interesting if it could raise as well as lower the arm in a remote fashion.

Just a wild thought...;l)
Like tooblue, I can move the lever slightly forward to really slow the decent, but I don't do that. It looks like I've picked up a habit from back in the day, where I wait for the arm to drop and then turn up the volume. This makes me scurry back to my chair to catch the start of track. I do the opposite when record ends. Am I alone in this practice (LOL)?

chakster - I too have a GST 801 packed away that needs lifter fluid, so also looking for a source for that.
Kenny
@shadorne
Change your damping fluid on the arm control lever to something thicker.

I have to fix the armlift on my Lustre GST-801, any ideas which fluid to buy and where? Thanks
Decca made a motorized cueing arm with a hard-wire control in the 70's, but I've never seen a used one for sale.
Have another person lower the arm for you or lower the stylus as close as you can at the edge of the vinyl without falling off.
My fingers are still precise to land unpivot Shure Brothers arm of broadcast turntables manually without help of cue lift.
In your case regardless of speed of landing, I would control lowering speed manually and while doing so would correct position at the same time or just like I've mentioned above land it manually. 
If you lack precision, you can get some training gear or cheap record with cheap cartridge and practice landing manually and precise.
That would seem to be obvious, but it's not as easy as it seems due to the unipivot arm and the vpi anti-skating gizmo.  I've tried my rig with and without the anti-skatie and overall I prefer the anti skate set at minimal correction. Peter Lederman (Sound-smith) is my guru in this area.  What's your experience,czarivey.

Mazikrav
in all cases weather with help or without help I try to lower my needle as close as possible to the beginning of the track.
Thank you, tooblue. YOU ARE A GENIUS !!!! Problem solved. Thank you so very much. Suggestion to VPI___Why not post this or include it in the instructions.

Mazikrav
The nature of the cue on my Vpi is such that I just move the arm of the cue slightly to start the decent and the arm lowers on its own in about 3 seconds. I also have a VPI that this cue is worn out and has no dampning on it's downward decent and I have to manually lower the arm with the cue, I actually like it better.
What are the drawbacks to putting the TT next to the listening chair? It's what I want to do when I dive back into analog. 

Okay, longer interconnects which may mean a linestage, I guess.

But hasn't isolation technology gotten to the point where the TT can be in front of the speakers? 
Thanks, Shadorne.

Wow, you are prompt!!!!!

I don't believe, however, that the VPI arm uses fluid to damp the arm control lever. It seems to be a friction device only.  Is there anyone who can tell me I'm wrong.  I'll check with my dealer or with VPI when life doesn't get in the way.
I have a manual TT. It is well calibrated and serviced - it takes almost 10 seconds for the arm to descend. Change your damping fluid on the arm control lever to something thicker.