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A friend of mine recently gave me some old (but very unique) computers, which I am lining up a buyer for. The sales should net me $200-$300 and I would like to turn around and buy him a nice turntable. Any suggestions? Used, older equipment is better, since it would go well with his existing system. Looking at some Music Hall stuff right now, but I am not a vinyl guy anymore, so I've not much clue.
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Oct 11, 2010 17:47
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Not an Anthem posted:Weird. I was taking my pe5050 in for service and so I brought the marantz along because they usually do a free once over for anything fairly obvious, worked fine in their shop, think its probably my lovely wiring? Actually, you can test the speaker relay by yourself (it's the most likely cause of your problems) by doing the following: 1) Take the top cover off of your 2230. 2) Plug in headphones or speakers if you don't have anything plugged into it. 3) Start playing a sound source through one of your inputs. 4) On the right side of the electrical components, near the front panel, should be a 1"x.75" (roughly) plastic box sticking up from a circuit board. It should stick out like a sore thumb. That's your speaker relay. Take a pen (plastic preferably) and tap lightly on the relay, keeping the volume lowish. If the sound crackles or goes in and out when you do that, you likely have corroded relay contacts and would have to have the relay cleaned or replaced. If you're not comfortable taking the cover off while it's plugged in, does the problem go away at higher volumes? If so, then most likely it's your relay. crazyfish fucked around with this message at 18:33 on Oct 21, 2010 |
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Oct 21, 2010 18:21
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crazyfish posted:Actually, you can test the speaker relay by yourself (it's the most likely cause of your problems) by doing the following:
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Oct 22, 2010 04:51
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I'm looking at a used Technics 1200 MKII for $200. It has a DJ cart that I was planning on upgrading to an Ortofon or Shure cart. Firstly, is this a decent deal provided that the arm/platter/pitch control are in good condition? As well, I'm looking for a good receiver/amp and found a Marantz 2230 with Marantz speakers for sale for about $250. Is this a decent deal for this? Thanks! EDIT: Now that I think about it, what would be the best Quadraphonic Receiver for under $200? Pappyland fucked around with this message at 00:55 on Oct 23, 2010 |
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Oct 23, 2010 00:49
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pipian posted:I'm looking at a used Technics 1200 MKII for $200. It has a DJ cart that I was planning on upgrading to an Ortofon or Shure cart. Firstly, is this a decent deal provided that the arm/platter/pitch control are in good condition? $200 is a great price for a used 1200 provided it checks out OK.
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Oct 23, 2010 13:26
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Marantz PM 500 amp + Marantz 5010 B cassette deck. Both for $50. Deal or no deal?
BANME.sh fucked around with this message at 00:30 on Oct 26, 2010 |
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Oct 25, 2010 23:59
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It's probably worth somewhere between $50 and $75. I used to have a PM750DC which, along with the PM500, is part of the "Gold Series." It's not the same quality nor does it have the same following as the sought-after 70s gear, but it's still decent IMHO. Grab it if you like it. Edit: the cassette player looks like it may be worth something if it all works. Doctor Londom fucked around with this message at 03:48 on Oct 27, 2010 |
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Oct 26, 2010 00:29
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So I have a whole bunch of probably really stupid questions that may well have been answered before but I went through the first 8 pages or so and found nothing. Now there was lots of really good stuff about recommendations for things which is great! Unfortunately I'm not at that stage yet, I still need to know how the hell turntables actually work. I hope this is an OK topic to post this in, I thought of the general audio thread but this seemed like a specific turntable question so the turntable thread seemed like the best place to post it. There was a bit in the FAQ thread that looked, maybe useful, but that was avout pc to reciever, I don't know if that is what I want. I promise I did try to have a little look around to see if there was a better place to post this.  I have a set of 2.0 speakers, they aren't fantastic but they sound pretty OK to me. The only input they have is what I believe is called a 3.5m cable or something? A computer audio cable. I also have a computer, a ps3 and a TV, if I added a a turntable to that would I be able to get all those audio devices on one set of speakers? What wizardry would I need to do that? I only have one TV that acts as wide screen HD telly/monitor and one set of speakers. I'm a broke rear end student, so while I do have some disposable income, space is at a pretty massive premium in my dinky little room, so if I can't get everything going through the one set of speakers then, I guess I'm boned.  I am actually honestly more interested in just owning LPs for the bigger artwork and nicer presentation, plus some of the bands I listen to only really release on vinyl. However I'd feel like a massive twat buying LPs with no way to play them. And besides, having a turntable might lead me to doing a little more focused listening. I don't mind spending some money and if I can get this to work I will probably ask for some part of it for my upcoming 21st and maybe Christmas, but of course, I really don't need to be spending £1000+ on this. I am more interested in knowing if I can even get this complicated rear end audio system to work at the minute than specific gear recommendations though. So I guess my question is, can it be done for less that £ridiculous? If I need to buy like six different amplifiers and receivers and magic source switching boxes and pre amps, then that is probably going to take just as much space as a second set of speakers so I won't be able to do it.
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Oct 26, 2010 02:09
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Kuno posted:So I have a whole bunch of probably really stupid questions that may well have been answered before but I went through the first 8 pages or so and found nothing. Now there was lots of really good stuff about recommendations for things which is great! Unfortunately I'm not at that stage yet, I still need to know how the hell turntables actually work. I hope this is an OK topic to post this in, I thought of the general audio thread but this seemed like a specific turntable question so the turntable thread seemed like the best place to post it. There was a bit in the FAQ thread that looked, maybe useful, but that was avout pc to reciever, I don't know if that is what I want. I promise I did try to have a little look around to see if there was a better place to post this. If you want to use speakers with a 3.5mm jack, you can plug them directly into the headphone jack of your receiver if it has one. Otherwise, it needs an RCA line-out jack:  You'll need an RCA to 3.5mm adapter:  You then need to connect your turntable (which probably has RCA cables) to the phono-in jack on your receiver:  In order to use a turntable with an amp, you need a pre-amp. Most receivers have a pre-amp built in, but you have to use the "phono" in jack, not "auxiliary" or anything else. Sometimes turntables have pre-amps built in. Usually on newer super cheap "for dummies" type turntables. In this case, do not use the phono-in jack or else you'll get double amplification from both the turntable's pre-amp and your receiver's. If you want to use any other devices on the same speakers, it all depends if your receiver has enough inputs for them, whether they be HDMI, optical, or something else. It all depends on your devices. BANME.sh fucked around with this message at 05:11 on Oct 26, 2010 |
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Oct 26, 2010 04:59
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Thanks for the information. I did a quick mspaint layout. Click here for the full 1037x504 image. Is that how connecting the PS3 would work, or could I use the optical output the ps3 has (I think). How would getting the TV onto the receiver work? Could I just use the two sound parts of the composite RCA cables and not plug the image part in? And put those in an auxiliary port or something like that? If that is all you need to do, that.. isn't as bad as I was thinking it might be. Better to know than spend a ton of money on audio equipment I can't use though I guess. If I am understanding right whether or not I need a pre-amp depends on the receiver in this setup? Cables sure are complicated! Kuno fucked around with this message at 20:38 on Oct 26, 2010 |
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Oct 26, 2010 20:35
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I am actually not too familiar with how digital receivers work in terms of signal passthrough and whatnot. I just know the analog stuff because it's a little simpler. But you're right, whether or not you need a pre-amp depends on your receiver. But chances are if yours has input clearly marked "phono in", then it has a pre-amp. It wouldn't accept phono in if it didn't. I also think by definition, a "receiver" includes a pre-amp. At least they used to.
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Oct 27, 2010 03:56
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edit: nevermind I figured it out
BANME.sh fucked around with this message at 20:43 on Nov 1, 2010 |
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Oct 27, 2010 03:58
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I've always liked the sound of vinyl but now I'm just getting into collecting and learning the basics of how the turntable actually works (I know nothing). I just ordered 2 records online from the same store, and when I try to play them they play slightly slow and one of them is kind of wobbly. I then noticed that the part that the record rests on and spins has a very slight wobble itself, which I imagine is made worse by the record being subtly bent. Also, for this particular record, it makes a squeak with every revolution and I can't trace it. It's not scratching the disc or anything and I've watched it for a while and haven't noticed it making any kind of contact that's not supposed to be made. One thing that may be causing it is the hole in the center of the record fits very snugly over the cylinder thing in the middle. All of my other records go right on but for these you have to forcibly push them down. It's never been a problem for any of my other records, all the others still play fine, so I'm not sure if my turntable is too crappy to play these records in particular or if they're defective. I've tried looking for signs of warpage and if there is any, it's really hard to see. So basically I'm asking you, should I send these records back or get a new turntable? They don't look warped but I'm not sure if my turntable is acceptable. I'm using one of these. I know it's not audiophile quality or anything but I'm a broke-rear end college student that doesn't have millions to blow on a marginal improvement in sound quality. I really do think vinyls sound better than CDs on any setup, so I'm willing to settle for "better-than-cd" rather than "the best ever". Also I tried looking into how to possibly adjust the level of the turntable but a) I know nothing about this, b) everything i can find on google assumes you know everything about them to begin with, and c) i don't want to make it worse (most of my records still play fine!)
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Nov 3, 2010 01:19
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It's not a difference of "audiophile quality" or not. All set top box turn tables like that are utter poo poo and will most likely damage your records in the long run. If you are cheap, you need to start researching the vintage market.
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Nov 3, 2010 01:23
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HKR posted:It's not a difference of "audiophile quality" or not. All set top box turn tables like that are utter poo poo and will most likely damage your records in the long run. If you are cheap, you need to start researching the vintage market. This is the kind of post I wasn't looking for. If you have something helpful and/or informative rather than disparaging and/or elitist I would like to hear it. Hint: calling my self-acknowledged lovely record player a piece of poo poo is not helpful or informative.
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Nov 3, 2010 01:37
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Bill O'Riley is GENIUS posted:This is the kind of post I wasn't looking for. If you have something helpful and/or informative rather than disparaging and/or elitist I would like to hear it. Think for a moment about what he's telling you. You asked if it's a problem with the records or with the turntable. Hint: It's the turntable. It's not disparaging to call your turntable garbage when it most definitely is the problem. I don't know what kind of post you were looking for.
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Nov 3, 2010 01:59
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Bill O'Riley is GENIUS posted:This is the kind of post I wasn't looking for. If you have something helpful and/or informative rather than disparaging and/or elitist I would like to hear it. Your record player is lovely and causing all sorts of damage to your records. You need to replace it as there is nothing you can do to the record player to make it not poo poo.
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Nov 3, 2010 02:14
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Bill O'Riley is GENIUS posted:This is the kind of post I wasn't looking for. If you have something helpful and/or informative rather than disparaging and/or elitist I would like to hear it. I hate to sound like a broken record, but your record player is a giant piece of poo poo, and unlike the others, I'm going to tell you why: 1. The centre pin and platter on that turntable do not have a real bearing - There is just a circlip that holds the rotating platter part to the fixed centre pin. This means the inner part of your record's centre hole is rotating around and slowly wearing away. This also creates noise that is picked up by the stylus, and is probably responsible for the squeak you're hearing on the really tight one. Strike one. 2. The platter is made from injection molded plastic, isn't even a full 12" in size, and driven by a poor quality DC motor that probably has it's own internal speed regulator. - This is bad because that light platter carries almost inertia, so any speed variations from the lovely motor are immediately obvious. Strike two. 3. The tonearm on that turntable doesn't have any real bearings in it either - They're basically just plastic points in plastic cups with a bit of grease smeared in for good measure. It also has a cheap, low compliance (this means that the stylus and cantilever is hard to move in relation to the cartridge) ceramic cartridge with a poorly cut stylus that not only sounds like absolute poo poo, it tracks at a fixed weight of about 4 grams. The ideal tracking weight for most turntables is between 1.25 and 1.8 grams. You say that records sound better than CDs on any setup - I'm surprised you can tell on that horrible thing. Strike three. Combine all of these things together and you're subjecting your (most likely) valuable records to ABSOLUTE loving TORTURE every time you play them. The speed is unstable because the record is binding on the fixed centre pin causing the lovely motor to work harder to spin that light platter and drag that heavy arm with that awful cartridge through your delicate grooves.  I hope that was clear enough, you seemed to miss it the first time that it was pointed out to you. The thing is, you don't even have to spend much money to get better quality that will better that piece of poo poo you have now, and not only will it sound better, your records will last longer too! Use eBay (the place I've gotten quite a lot of equipment from in the past) and combine something like this with one of these and a couple of these. A system like that, even with shipping should set you back no more than about $150, and you could probably get away even cheaper if you checked out the thrift stores in your area - If it's old looking, made out of something that isn't plastic or wood, and heavy, then it's worth buying. You can very easily connect your PC, iPod, or a CD Player to that amp as well. And like I said earlier, it won't destroy your records, and it will sound BETTER! If you do happen across an older turntable that works mechanically but needs a new stylus, replace the whole cartridge with one of the entry level carts made by Ortofon, Audio Technica, or Shure - A complete new cartridge with stylus won't run you more than about $20 or $30, and the basic models from those manufacturers have been in production long enough that getting a replacement stylus won't be an issue in the future. The other thing to get the most out of your records quality wise, is to keep them CLEAN. Don't handle them by any area other than the label or the edge, get a carbon fiber brush (less than $10) for now to get the dust off, and maybe later look at investing in something like a Spin Clean or a Knosti (google it) - The cleaner your records are, the better they'll sound and the longer they'll last. Also, if you're buying new records, try not to let them get dirty in the first place... It's easier to keep a good record clean in the first place than it is to spend time deep cleaning a dirty one. Anyway, I think that's enough for now... I've been collecting vinyl since I was 5, and have learned a lot over the years that I'm happy to share. If you need help or advice, PM me or post in the thread and I'll gladly help (as I'm sure most others will too). And if you really want to see and hear what a decent quality older turntable looks and sounds like, here is a video of one of mine. Bass Ackwards fucked around with this message at 04:13 on Nov 3, 2010 |
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Nov 3, 2010 04:07
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Thanks, this is a good post, but how did you accumulate such an encyclopedic knowledge of lovely record players that you don't use?
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Nov 3, 2010 13:22
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I tinker with electronics quite a bit. There's always someone wanting something fixed and sometimes I'm able to get it working. I fixed one of those junk turntables a couple of months ago. Everything metaxus said is right on the money. I'm currently upgrading a Goldring GR 2 with a new platter, subplatter, counterweight and rewiring the tonearm. It's a rebadged Rega P2 table so all the upgrades available to Rega tables work for the Goldring. The subplatter and platter upgrade really brought out the bass but I think it's time for a new stylus for the Goldring 1042 cartridge. It skips from time to time and the sound is veiled like someone put a sheet over the speaker. At $250 for a replacement stylus, I could get a really decent whole new cartridge. I built a record cleaning machine earlier this year that uses a fairly quiet diaphram vacuum pump for the suction. I've seen several that use a household vacuum cleaner but that would be annoying to hear over time. Anyway, it's based on a Keith Monks/Loricraft design with a small Teflon vacuum nozzle and rides across the record on a piece of nylon string. Since the tiny bit of string is the only thing that contacts the record, there is less cross contamination. The used string is fed through the vacuum nozzle and disposed of with the cleaning solution waste. There are no brushes to replace or rinse after every use like on a VPI machine. I built it on an old Pioneer PL 512 turntable. I apply solution to a cleaning brush, turn on the motor and let the brush ride across the width of the record. After several rotations, I turn on the vacuum motor to remove the cleaning solution. I then use deionised water on a separate brush to rinse the record. Vacuum that up and then repeat on the second side of the record. I clean the wet brushes after each use with the deionised water and use the vacuum nozzle to suck up the crap, crud and loose brush fibers. It works fantastically well and gets rid of a lot of pops and ticks. It's perfect for cleaning used vinyl bought after a day browsing the shops. I was disappointed that I couldn't bring back worn out vinyl that was played dirty on cheap equipment. Always use a dry record brush to clean your vinyl before you play it. Also, clean your stylus too. The tip of the stylus being dragged through the grooves creates an incredible amount of force. Any dirt or dust on the stylus or in the grooves is being pushed through or imbedded into the walls of the grooves. This causes a lot of wear and tear on your records and stylus. Edit: One of the things about vintage receivers is the condition of it's electrolytic capacitors. These caps dry up and malfunction over time. I've had quite a few audio amps that hummed like a bastard when turned on. Their power supply capacitors had dryed up. Sometimes heating the terminals with a soldering iron would reliquify the electrolyte inside and bring them back to life. The best solution is always replacement though. Paperweight fucked around with this message at 16:41 on Nov 3, 2010 |
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Nov 3, 2010 15:21
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Bill O'Riley is GENIUS posted:Thanks, this is a good post, but how did you accumulate such an encyclopedic knowledge of lovely record players that you don't use? 6 years as a bench technician repairing A/V equipment, and an interest in audio that started when I was about 10 years old. And I read a lot.
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Nov 3, 2010 20:23
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I ended up buying a Stanton T.62 turntable recently. After the announcement that Panasonic is discontinuing the Technics brand, the MK1200 tables that were left for sale in local shops skyrocketed in price. Question regarding my turntable: What's a good, reasonably priced preamp to buy for it? I have a M-Audio Fast Track Pro that I'd like to hook up to it for recording but I still need a preamp with RCA jack input. This is the one I'm eye'ing lately as I've seen it reasonably priced around town a few times: http://www.artproaudio.com/products.asp?type=90&cat=13&id=109 Thoughts?
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Nov 5, 2010 17:20
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If you're handy with a soldering iron, Hagerman makes some nice phono kits. http://www.hagtech.com/bugle.html This one is a battery powered phono preamp. The half kit is $39 but you have to provide your own parts. I bought the Piccolo moving coil head amp half kit last year. I haven't had the budget for the parts or the moving coil cartridge yet so I can't comment on it's sound. Edit: I got frustrated trying to glue down the loose edges of the vinyl coating on my turntable's plinth. I peeled the whole drat thing off. It came off pretty easily making me wonder how well it was glued down in the first place. Well, nothing really sticks to MDF. Now I'm thinking about painting it metallic blue. That would go well with the white acrylic platter. Paperweight fucked around with this message at 21:16 on Nov 5, 2010 |
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Nov 5, 2010 19:57
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vault dweller posted:I ended up buying a Stanton T.62 turntable recently. After the announcement that Panasonic is discontinuing the Technics brand, the MK1200 tables that were left for sale in local shops skyrocketed in price. Technics isn't discontinuing, they just got rid of one model in japan and the press blew it up. Every single year there is a huge rumor that technics is shutting down and every year it turns out to be completely false.
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Nov 5, 2010 21:08
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Paperweight posted:If you're handy with a soldering iron, Hagerman makes some nice phono kits. Thanks Paperweight. I just finished soldering a bunch of arduino circuit boards and a minty boost so I'm feeling a little more confident with DIY electronics lately. I might give this Bugle phono kit a go. Is it worth having a phono preamp that runs off of batteries vs. AC though?
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Nov 7, 2010 22:17
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I think he also offers a power supply kit that will work with it as well. I can get Rayovac batteries for $1 a pack when they're on sale. The only positive thing I can think of is that batteries may run a tad bit quieter than an AC power supply. With AC, you always have the possibility of picking up the 50 or 60Hz hum. You may even be able to mount it on the underside of the turntable with some velcro so you can pull it out to change batteries. The batteries only last 16 hours so I don't know how long you'll want to put up with that. At the very least, it's a pretty decent starter phono preamplifier. It looks pretty simple to build and he offers a good instruction manual to go with it. What kind of soldering iron are you using? This is a pretty good looking station for serious work. http://www.all-spec.com/products/Soldering_and_Rework%7CSoldering.Rework_Equipment%7CSOL-10/WESD51.html This one's a bit cheaper. I have one of their desoldering guns. It's great for solid state work. http://www.all-spec.com/products/Soldering_and_Rework%7CSoldering.Rework_Equipment%7CSOL-10/936-12.html This is the one I use. I got it on sale for $219. http://www.all-spec.com/products/Soldering_and_Rework%7CSoldering.Rework_Equipment%7CSOL-10/WD1002T.html That very useful desoldering gun I mentioned. It works far better than a spring powered solder sucker. http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-Desoldering-Kit-808-Gun/dp/B000ARPULW If you don't already have some, lead solder works best when you start out learning to solder. It's banned in the EU but if you can get some, use it. It melts a lot better and is easier to use. Edit: If you own a Rega P2 or P3 turntable, there are a ton of upgrade parts out there to look through. I recently purchased a GrooveTracer subplatter and acrylic platter, a J.A. Michell Tecnoweight, and rewired the arm. I'm waiting on a VTA adjustment ring to show up before I test everything out. This would be the ultimate mod I'll probably do next spring. http://www.audiomods.co.uk/ This guy takes the original RB-250 tonearm and rebuilds it into something completely new. He offers it both fully assembled and in a kit form for the DIY nuts. Paperweight fucked around with this message at 05:32 on Nov 9, 2010 |
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Nov 8, 2010 04:28
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Not an Anthem posted:Right channel on my marantz 2230 is making GBS threads the bed, sounds like the speaker is dying so I swapped the speakers between both sets of speaker outs (A & B) but no difference, then I switched to entirely new speakers on the A&B channels and same results, the right channel sounds like something is loving up and distorting/crackling the output. To follow up, if you're comfortable opening up your receiver, assuming the relay is the problem, you can easily clean the relay contacts yourself for only a few dollars in parts. See skibjr's post at the bottom of this thread: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=90280 You can clean the contacts without desoldering the relay (at least that's what I did on my 2240) but it's a little trickier that way. Other than not desoldering the relay, I followed those instructions and my problem went away.
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Nov 12, 2010 21:37
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So, cleaned out dad's house today, found an oldass amp, some speakers, a turntable, and an equalizer, and several boxes of old-rear end, not particularly well-kept vinyl. (Turntable is Technics SL-Q300, amp is Technics SA-936, and equalizer is Technics SH-8025, for those wondering and/or those who can tell me what these things are worth.) I tried loading some vinyl and playing it through the amp, and found the needle skimmed like crazy. How much of this would be due to old, unclean, warped records and how much of this would be due to a bad cartridge or needle? Should I bother getting a cartridge or needle replacement, or should I get a new set? Thanks in advance if you can help me with any of this. Vinyl seems cool as hell, and I'd love to get into it.
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Nov 14, 2010 03:07
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If you can get a magnifying glass, you can check to see if there is still a diamond tip on the stylus. Second, would be to set the tracking force. The counterweight on the back end of the tonearm is what adjusts that. If it's too light it will skim across the surface like that. Too much weight will cause excessive wear. Short of buying a guage, try turning the counterweight so it moves closer to the pivot point. Just a little bit at a time. That should add weight onto the arm and help the skimming problem. If you can get the needle to ride the groove, you can figure out how it sounds from there. How much do you want to invest in this? At a minimum, I'd get a record brush, something to gently clean the stylus, a Shure tracking force guage and probably a new cartridge or replacement stylus. Each of those will run you about $20-30. Without those, you're going to get a lot of surface noise that is going to annoy you. Finding a printable protractor to check the alignment would be a good idea too. My favorite stylus cleaning implement is the Onzow Zerodust. Most hi-fi shops online sell them for $70. A few years ago you could buy them in Japan for $20. One guy on eBay sells them direct from Japan for $43. That's pretty steep but it's one of the best ways to clean without taking a brush to a fragile stylus. I just bought a second one for a friend. I'll report on how the sale turns out.
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Nov 14, 2010 05:00
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Paperweight posted:If you can get a magnifying glass, you can check to see if there is still a diamond tip on the stylus. Second, would be to set the tracking force. The counterweight on the back end of the tonearm is what adjusts that. If it's too light it will skim across the surface like that. Too much weight will cause excessive wear. Short of buying a guage, try turning the counterweight so it moves closer to the pivot point. Just a little bit at a time. That should add weight onto the arm and help the skimming problem. If you can get the needle to ride the groove, you can figure out how it sounds from there. This all sounds more expensive than I anticipated... but, hey, I kind of need a hobby anyways. Thanks for the tips  e: uh, kind of turned up the counter weight until basically maximum and it still slid all the way across Yes's Fragile. Tried with a few more albums with similar results. These are some kind of warped records, and I should probably go and get a new one just to compare, but it seems like the needle's hosed
abraham linksys fucked around with this message at 05:41 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 14, 2010 05:25
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I just found the manual. Unless you're handy with tools, you may be SOL. It's an automatic turntable so that is probably why it skims over the record. Unless properly torn apart, cleaned and regreased, it will probably do that all the time. Some of the plastic or rubber parts in it will need to be looked at. I worked on something like that a few months ago. The old grease thickens or hardens not allowing certain parts to go where they need to go causing problems. The part that lifts the tonarm at the end of the record will definately need to be cleaned, regreased and adjusted. Otherwise it will drag the needle across the record's surface. http://www.vinylengine.com/library/technics/sl-q300.shtml You'll need to register to view it but it's all there. Edit: Don't get me wrong, it's not that hard to do really. Open up the bottom and have a look inside. There are quite a few metal and plastic parts and some springs. Check for loose springs, old grease and see if you can figure it out. Scrape off the old and apply some new. I like moly grease since I have a lot from tuning air rifles. Write everything down and take pics if you can. The tonearm doesn't have to come off and the motor doesn't have to come out. The only thing you have to worry over is all the parts associated with the automatic operation. They're the culprit. Check the push buttons. One of them may be stuck in place or it's associated parts just needs a good coat of grease. Also check the record size switches in the platter. Those might be an issue as well. Paperweight fucked around with this message at 22:22 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 14, 2010 05:50
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Paperweight posted:I just found the manual. Unless you're handy with tools, you may be SOL. It's an automatic turntable so that is probably why it skims over the record. Unless properly torn apart, cleaned and regreased, it will probably do that all the time. Some of the plastic or rubber parts in it will need to be looked at. I worked on something like that a few months ago. The old grease thickens or hardens not allowing certain parts to go where they need to go causing problems. The part that lifts the tonarm at the end of the record will definately need to be cleaned, regreased and adjusted. Otherwise it will drag the needle across the record's surface. Yikes. Sooooooo, is the OP still accurate with what entry-level record players are good? Probably going for an Audio Technica AT-LP 60... edit: or this, since it's only $80. abraham linksys fucked around with this message at 06:14 on Nov 14, 2010 |
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Nov 14, 2010 05:52
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Anal Volcano posted:Yikes. You get what you pay for. If you plan to listen to records for the rest of your forseeable life, get a decent player, or buy a used nice player. Those Sony ones are such huge POS, it will die on you very quickly and you won't be able to fix it.
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Nov 15, 2010 04:19
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Paperweight posted:My favorite stylus cleaning implement is the Onzow Zerodust. Most hi-fi shops online sell them for $70. A few years ago you could buy them in Japan for $20. One guy on eBay sells them direct from Japan for $43. That's pretty steep but it's one of the best ways to clean without taking a brush to a fragile stylus. I just bought a second one for a friend. I'll report on how the sale turns out. There are several dudes on audiophile websites that recommend a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for stylus cleaning instead of a more expensive one, because it does basically the same thing. They are nerdy enough to take pictures of their stylus under a microscope to prove that it works
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Nov 15, 2010 04:47
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Not an Anthem posted:You get what you pay for. If you plan to listen to records for the rest of your forseeable life, get a decent player, or buy a used nice player. Those Sony ones are such huge POS, it will die on you very quickly and you won't be able to fix it. I guess I want a player that'll last at least 3 or 4 years without needing much fixing, maybe in the $200-$300 price range?
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Nov 15, 2010 04:57
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Anal Volcano posted:I guess I want a player that'll last at least 3 or 4 years without needing much fixing, maybe in the $200-$300 price range? I like the Pro-Ject Debut III or Rega Planar 1. Others will recommend a used Technics 1200. Any of those will do everything you ever need them to.
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Nov 15, 2010 06:42
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The Pro-Ject is very nice. I bought a red one for my neighbor. His house is like a weekend hangout spot for friends. They bring their records by and give them a spin. Nothing like a few cold beers and listening to some vinyl. Edit: I saw the Magic Eraser thing but haven't tried it. I can only imagine the uninitiated trying to rub their stylus with it destroying it in the process. loving Mr. Clean, how does he work? Paperweight fucked around with this message at 03:06 on Nov 17, 2010 |
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Nov 17, 2010 00:53
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How do you clean a stylus with a magic eraser exactly? (I heard it's supposed to work as well). Do you just lower the stylus onto the eraser and lift? Once enough or a couple times? Nevermind, google is my friend: quote:Cut a small, thin piece of ME and glue it to a coin or other thin, heavy object. Place this on the platter and dip the stylus straight down into the ME and back up, using the cueing lever. Dip it several times. BANME.sh fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Nov 17, 2010 |
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Nov 17, 2010 05:13
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Anal Volcano posted:Yikes. I had that sony, and it was crap. It worked but it felt plastic-y and cheap whenever I used it. That, and you can't upgrade the cartridge down the line. Depending where you live, it might be hard to find a Pro-ject or Rega Planar for less than $500, and you can pretty much rule out a 1200 MK2 for less than $800 since all these rumors are going around that it's being discontinued (false, but it doesn't stop people from jacking up prices). Your best bet would be to go with something vintage, honestly.
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Nov 17, 2010 05:25
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Anal Volcano posted:I guess I want a player that'll last at least 3 or 4 years without needing much fixing, maybe in the $200-$300 price range? My current table is a toshiba sra100 I got for something like 30-40$. I bought an ortofon cart and changed the stylus yearly, that was about 5 years ago. You can spend twice that money on a brand new table and it will break faster. Older tables were made with parts that could be repaired, newer tables you can't fix like that sony. Right now I have a pe5050 in the repair shop I bought at salvation army, when its fixed it will have in total cost me about 70$ and its a beaaautiful beast. What people are trying to say in the thread is that price doesn't mean its a good machine. You can buy a 40$ turntable that will last you a decade.
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Nov 17, 2010 18:03
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