Mind gymnastics
OK, here is some mental gymnastics for you:
Considering that the only purpose of placing a vinyl disc onto a platter that is spinning at 33/4 rotations per minute is to agitate the cantilever whose motions generate electrical signal inside the body of a cartridge, wouldn't it be better if we'd design a sophisticated robotic hand to instigate such motions?
Instead of the blueprint of the recording being stored inside the microgrooves, we could store the blueprint digitally. After all, the vinyl blueprint is merely telling the cantilever when and how to move. Once we agitate the cantilever to move according to the specs, its motion will result in electrical signal which is then transmitted to the phono preamp etc. etc.
The advantage of this hypothetical solution is that we would completely eliminate the relatively brittle signal carrier -- vinyl disc. No wear and tear anymore. And the robotic hand movement will be analog, thus avoiding issues with digital conversion (DAC).
Best of both worlds? But is it doable? Is there an engineering hero who can walk on water and part the red sea and make such an amazing little robot?
Don't you just hate it when you cannot detect where the post ends and a signature line begins?
Alex.