I'm not sure that the mechanism you mention is to conserve battery juice.
At least in the case of mine (a Panasonic SL-SX469V, to your SL-CT800
-- whatever those may mean), it's to get around the skipping that often
comes with mobile equipment.  As I understand it, digital information
is extracted and stored for playing over the next few seconds, then
another download occurs for the next segment, etc.  By compressing those
downloads, the jiggle-exposure time is reduced.  (I repeat: as I understand
it)

On my discman there's a button to prevent this, for when one _isn't_ in
motion.  I'd be surprised if there wasn't one on yours.  Since that noise
is fairly considerable, and as I use my discman at my bedside for insomniac
stretches, I've deactivated that feature.  Hey presto: noise gone!

Mine has a radio, which I gather is rare.  I don't know why.  Another
mystery is that the instructions are adamant that one unplug the thing
when it's not in use.  Ridiculous: I've had it plugged in for years
without any damage whatever.

My key problem is when stations aren't quite tuned in.  I've recently
taken to performing balletic waves in the dark, moving the wire over my
head, toward the ceiling, etc., until better reception comes.  Not sure
why this happens periodically, since I can also go for months without a
hitch of this kind.

Another smaller niggle I have is with the volume/radio control knob.
It's a considerable wodge of plastic with four buttons, down the wire
about half-way between earphones and discman.  'Took some getting used
to, as (at least when walking) the wires should go from one ear _behind_
the neck, so with its sister wire this knobby thing can hang off the
other shoulder.  Yet the thing's weight inevitably makes it drop, making
it a total drag.  But if you want volume/station control closer than the
discman, which I do, I guess it's needed.

The toy's usefulness is beyond question, though.  A musical discovery
per night, just about, with the radio.  Last night it was a first
recording, back in the 1970s, of some XIIth century music that reportedly
sold over half a million copies.  Polyphonic singing, and quite delightful.

Happy listening.

Bert Bailey