Broken Record (Player)

Something is wrong with my record player It doesn't spin fast enough. It is going just a wee bit too slow, but it is enough to notice. I have tried various repairs with little success.A while ago it was having this problem when I first got it and so I replaced the belt with a rubber band, and that fixed it just fine. But then I got some 45s, and the rubber band solution caused them to play at the wrong speed, so I put the original belt back on it and all was fine for the 45s. Now I have some 33s I want to listen to and they spin too slow with the original belt, but even the rubber band isn't completely fixing the problem now (if it ever was fixed, since the 33s I had previously listened to were instrumental a small lag wouldn't be as noticeable, but these have plenty of vocals and so sound pretty terrible).I would just go buy a used one, but the stores don't have any right now, and I don't want to wait forever till they have one available. So, here I am, asking the good folk at EvC, who showed themselves knowledgeable in all things vacuum related, if anyone might know how I can fix my record player.Jon

What kind of turntable?

Is the band slipping slightly or is it definitely the motor turning too slowly?

The rubber band is on there pretty tight, so I doubt it's slipping.

As in brand?It's a GPX. Real cheap thing.

I have a higher end Technics SL 1200, I can adjust the speed with a slide adjustment. Consumer grade ones will have variable resistors that can change the motor speed, you just have to know which ones to adjust and feel comfortable doing it. The original belt should be used unless it needs replacement, the tension of a rubber band is going to probably be different and will change over time, as where the original belt is designed to remain stable.

I will see if I can help you find the right variable resistors to adjust if you are up for it?

Sure; it's my brother's player, but if I can fix it without breaking it more, then no harm will be done.Do I have to open up the casing? And how will I know how to adjust them?Also, something is a little bent, and the turntable wobbles up and down pretty bad. It never caused a problem when the records were spinning at the right speed, but maybe it has something to do with this.Jon

I dont think the rubber band option actually fixed your prob. I haven't had a turntable in years but at one time I had nothing but higher end turntables.Belt driven turntables are designed to have a specific tension on the belt. Therefore, a specific belt. A rubber band is not a perm or good solution. If you put on a rubber band tight enough to work you may be putting too much sideways pressure on the spindle coming out of the motor. A turntable belt is not elastic so it is under a designed a mount of pressure and putting a designed amount of pressure on the turntable. A rubber band would exert more pressure as it is elastic. You would not think it makes much of a difference, but the turntable must operate under specific speeds and pressure in order for the motor turn the platter at a specific speed.It sounds as if the motor is dying or the rubber band is slipping due to its elasticity. There is probably no fix other than a new motor. So in other words a new turntable.

Probably so...But yes you would need to take the bottom cover off once I figure out what needs to be adjusted.1st it sounds like the wobble problem is what is the true culprit.Having said that let me get a model# if you can, with a little luck there will be a sticker on the bottom.

Yeah real cheap. It probably wasn't running at the correct speed right from the factory. I wouldn't be surprised if you continue to have the same problem with an original replacement belt.My advice. if you want to actually listen, I mean listen, to records spend the money on a half way decent turntable. If you don't want to do that stick to digital.My hearing is bad enough that I just listen to digital(but highest quality, flac at home and mp3 320 kbit/s in the car). I can no longer pick up the nuances in music that I so enjoyed when I would compare digital to analog.

No. The motor speed can be adjusted through variable resistors. (I work on, repair/modify, radio and other electronics from time to time)The wobble is the real problem, bad bearing or something like that.Edited by fearandloathing, : No reason given.

I put the original belt back on and it sounded even worse... It started out really slow and then sped up slightly, but not enough.According to the back it is a Gran Prix, model S3550 E68496, SN: 00049488, and was manufactured in 1991 (if I'm reading the date code correctly).I guess they call it a 'mini' turntable, which I guess makes sense, since it's so dern small.

Like Theo said, it might be the motor.The wobble is what I am going to look into first though. Wobble would hurt the motor and compromise the speed also. LOL... if nothing else you get to see how things work. ...repair options are limited on most consumer grade electronics.

It wobbles even when the belt is not on. And the wobble seems to come from the actual spinning disk itself, and not from the rod the disk is mounted on.If the wobble is the real problem and if the plastic is warped, then I'm not sure what I could do to fix it