Ok guys

I've seen low mass arms so attracted by static from the dustcover that they are lifted right off the record!  Stands to reason that less static can also attract the arm, even if not enough for full lift-off.  So I NEVER play with the cover down.  Of course, I've has a Well Tempered TT/TA since 1987, whose dustcover is not hinged, so is set aside during playback. FWIW, the oil damped spindle and acrylic platter seems to attract dust and static a lot less than any other turntable I had before...including Duals, HK Rabco, Linn, SOTA, Technics, etc.

I always appreciate your enthusiasm for Technics tables and vinyl playback. I keep the transparent hinged dust cover on a KAB mod’d SL1210M5G down and have no problem seeing the record currently playing.

Thanks. It’s hard to imagine a dust cover on my reference technics turntable. Do you see any dust ?? It’s much better without dust cover, i am the one who will never play any vinyl covered by dust cover on any turntables, no matter what , haha

I have my first pair of Technics SL1210mkII since 1995 and believe it or not the dust covers for both are still in the original boxes, i have never used them.

Even with nothing on the platter, leaving the cover in place limits dust reaching the mechanicals of the turntable and should keep the mat cleaner too.

I do clean my turntables and mats from dust. My old pair of Technics still like new and they are open (no dust covers) for 25 years.

I have very nice Dust Cover with my Denon DP-80, but i don’t like how it looks when DC up, and i can’t use it with DC down (not my style). Big dilemma for me.

Both Dust Covers on my pair of Luxman PD-444 were smashed and cracked in transit, so i removed them.

FWIW - in addition to changing the stock feet to threaded spikes resting on a heavy wood platform with layered isolating materials under each corner, I also use small gel "bumpers" on the plinth where the dust cover will rest when lowered. Finally, a weight is placed on the top of the closed cover during playback.

ISONOE replaced stock Technics footers long time ago, my upgraded 1210 are on the custom made metal table filled with sand. Or on the rack when temporary in the main system for the short time.

My Linn cover comes off easily, and I assume the cover is a bass trap...it works with and without but I always take it off when using it.

I believe it depends on how solid your turntable is in correlation to how much it will affect the sound.  When you have the cover up it has to gather more sound waves like a sail on a boat. The best would be the kind that does not touch the turntable. If you notice really nice turntables do not have covers attached to the table itself. Cover off while playing is the best. If you want to test it. Have some one listen to the speakers while you talk into the cover with the player on.  I keep my record player in a cabinet sitting on a separate plinth with dampers so the sound from the speaker does not affect the music. Like someone said about a separate room. I just isolated it from the affects of the room. 

crustycoot

I’ve seen low mass arms so attracted by static from the dustcover that they are lifted right off the record! Stands to reason that less static can also attract the arm, even if not enough for full lift-off.

B-i-n-g-o! Give this man a gold star! I have deliberately avoided commenting on this thread, and instead waited for someone else to make this observation. The phenomenon was a particular problem for me back in the early ’80s when I used a Denon DP-80, which I had installed on a nifty two-arm base made by a new company based in the oddly named "Ozone Park" called VPI.

So the best answer to the OP’s question is - as is often the case in audio - "it depends."