How to fix frequent turntable issues and keep your turntable spinning?
How to fix frequent turntable issues and keep your turntable spinning?
- Turntable Repair
- July 20, 2021
A turntable is simply one of the most important parts of a record player. It is the part of the player that holds and spins the record. This groundbreaking audio playback technology has been employed in many successful songs in the past. However, the turntable has now been eclipsed as the most prevalent platform for music playback by digital audio technology. So if your turntable needs repair and not operating or sounding right? Here are three frequent problems and how to solve them.
Replace a broken belt
- A damaged or strained belt is most likely to blame if you try to play a record on a turntable and the platter does not spin. Unplugging the turntable and removing the dust cover and platter mat are the only ways to be sure.
- Then, twist the platter to gain access to the pulley through the access hole, and take the belt off the motor pulley with your finger or a screwdriver. You should now be able to remove the platter.
- Some turntable platters are also kept in place on the spindle by a tiny fastener known as a C-clip. If that is the case, gently twist a small flat-bladed screwdriver between the clip and the spindle until the clip glides up. If the clip pops off, keep one hand on it.
- Remove the belt from the platter by lifting it. Using a chamois swab dipped in denatured alcohol, clean the platter rim and pulley. You might be able to recover the belt with some rubber revitalizer if it is only slightly loose. Replace the belt with one that is the same size if it is stretched out or broken.
- If the belt appears to be in good condition, the problem could be due to a frozen or defective motor, a dirty idler tyre, or a speed control defect. Rather than attempting to repair items yourself, you should usually get them professionally serviced.
Stop rumble and hum
- Rumble is a low-frequency noise caused by vibrations within the turntable. It is a low-pitched booming sound that comes and goes.
- It is not to be confused with hum, a continuous sound and a higher-pitched sound that various factors can create. Rumble is present on all turntables except the most costly.
- Place an isolation pad or rubber feet under your turntable to reduce noise, and make sure the turntable is not too close to your speakers.
- While playing a record, keeping the dust cover up can help limit the amount of rumbling picked up by the needle.
- Hum might be tough to pinpoint. However, it could be caused by a faulty transformer somewhere in your system. When connecting components to the receiver, you can often reduce or eliminate hum by using well-made, insulated cables.
Scratchy and erratic sound
- Is your turntable producing distorted, “fuzzy” sound, or are the left and right channels fading in and out? Examine the cartridge’s wiring connectors. Many cartridges employ microscopic clip-on connectors that might become loose over time.
- Remove the stylus, place it on a soft cloth to keep it safe, and then release the locking band around the cartridge head shell and pull it away from the tonearm.
- Make a diagram of the connections between the wires and the cartridge and use a pair of needle-nose pliers or tweezers, gently remove each one.
- Before reattaching the connections, spray a little contact cleaner on a swab and clean the cartridge’s metal contacts.
- Once they are in place, double-check that they are secure. Reassemble the tonearm by reinserting the needle.
Tips to keep your turntable spinning
Whether you use your turntable daily or only on rare occasions, you want to keep it in good operating order.
Adjust tonearm tracking
- It would help if you had the right weight, or tracking, on the tonearm to get the finest sound quality from your records. This is necessary to maintain the stylus in the record’s grooves, and too little or too much weight is just as problematic.
- If the stylus or cartridge maker has not provided instructions, you can fine-tune the tracking yourself by slowly adjusting the weighted knob on the back of the tonearm. You will need to test the tracking with a record, preferably one that is not collectible.
- Begin with a light setting that only permits the tonearm to contact the record surface, then gradually increase the arm’s weight until any skipping or extreme distortion is eliminated. Even if the tone arm’s tracking is perfect, it can nevertheless misfire. The needle itself is most likely to blame.
- The tip is either worn out, damaged, or has been removed from its holder. Raise the arm and examine the needle carefully. The diamond tip is at the end of a short shaft held in place by a rubber retainer in the shape of a fork.
- This shaft is frequently displaced from its holder. If this is the case, return it to its original position.
Do not touch the needle
Never use your bare fingers to touch the stylus’ diamond tip. The oils left behind by your hands might reduce sensitivity and lead to dust and grime collection. Inadvertently dislodging the needle from its holder or even knocking off the tip is also a possibility. If you need to clean the stylus, use a soft, clean brush or blow on it.
Wrapping up
Thus, if you discover any issues, the turntable repair will help you fix frequent turntable problems and keep your turntable spinning. And you can enjoy listening to your favourite records and songs.
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