manual turntables

To the newcomer, "manual" may seem inferior. In fact, however, all high-quality and very high-quality high-end devices today are constructed exclusively in manual operation.
Manual means that the user has to lift the tonearm onto the record himself and then lift it off the record again when playback is finished.
The reason for this is that with very high quality turntables, the slightest external influence has a negative effect on the music reproduction. This is the case when working with mechanical systems for raising and lowering the tonearm, since there is a "lock" to the frame (to the turntable), which can pass on unwelcome external influences (vibrations, sound, etc.) into the tonearm and thus to the needle.

A manual turntable requires a certain amount of skill and care to achieve the best possible sound quality, but many users appreciate the control they have over the playback process.
Another advantage of manual turntables is that they tend to be simpler in design and less prone to technical problems. Since there are no automatic mechanisms, there are fewer moving parts that are prone to wear or damage. This also means that manual turntables tend to last longer and are easier to maintain and repair.