[taylor]

I recently discovered a Kenwood KD-2055 turntable in my basement. I got so far as to hooking it up to the phono inputs in my amp and plugging it in. I put the record on and put the needle on that. How do I make it play?

There's several buttons:
2 labelled "Speed", one is "33", other is "45". I'm guessing this refers to RPMs. Which one do I use?
There's a lever that seems to move the arm up or down. I figured out that the best way was probably to put it up, slide it over to the edge of the record, and put it down.
There is a wheel labelled "anti skating" - sounds like something to do with skipping. It has numbers on it.
At the end of the arm there is a rotating cylinder, also with numbers.
There is also a small metal plate with a button called "Cut" and a lever. The lever is labelled "Play" on one side, nothing on the other. It seems to be locked into the play position.

How do I get it to work?

 

[clarke68]

Oh my gosh you're making me feel old.

I haven't used a turntable since, oh, probably before you were born, but here goes:

1.) For speed, 33 is for 12" records, 45 is for 7" (typically).
2.) Good! You figured out how to put the stylus on the album...way to go!
3.) I don't know about anti-skating. Sorry, I only had cheap turntables as an impoverished high-school student. I think that's why I never got the whole "vinyl is better" thing.
4.) The rotating cylinder, I believe, is a counterweight. Adjust when installing a new cartridge.
5.) 'Play' should get the thing turning. 'Cut' would be the equivalent of 'pause' or perhaps 'stop' on your CD player. If it doesn't work, you may well have problems that I'm unable to help you with.

Congratulations on your pioneering journey into yesteryear!

 

[taylor]

Ok,

I have a 12" record, so I pressed the 33 button.
I moved the lever away from play and put the arm over the record. When I moved the lever to play, the arm went down until it touched the record. However, it did not turn at all. Could it be that the motor is shot? This thing hasn't been used for a good 10 years by the looks of it.

 

[Sovkiller]

Check it inside, it probably is a belt drive and may need a new belt, otherwise the motor is shot....you need a phono preamp (or a amp with phono capabilities) also, as the magnetic cartridges has not the same sesitivity as the line level jacks....the cilinder in the back is to balanced the arm, try ot make it even, and then place the 0 on thel ine, later on move all together and turn it about 1-1.2 that should be enough to play....

Here is a link to the belt you may need.....

 

[zowie]

Or also it could be one where moving the arm over the record starts the motor and the start/stop contacts are either dirty, misaligned or somehow damaged.

 

[zowie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarke68 3.) I don't know about anti-skating. Sorry, I only had cheap turntables as an impoverished high-school student. I think that's why I never got the whole "vinyl is better" thing. 4.) The rotating cylinder, I believe, is a counterweight. Adjust when installing a new cartridge.

4. Slide or dial the weight until the arm floates level and is perfectly balanced. Set the dial to zero without moving the weight. Then dial it to 1.5 for starters, which will give you 1.5 gm of tracking force applied to the record (theoretically).

3. Set the anti-skate to the same number as the tracking force.

 

[taylor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zowie Or also it could be one where moving the arm over the record starts the motor and the start/stop contacts are either dirty, misaligned or somehow damaged.

Where can I find these contacts?

How can I tell if the belt is shot?

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylor Where can I find these contacts? How can I tell if the belt is shot?

While you move the arm the motor moves or do you feel it moves? Just remove the black rubber from the metal plate, and look through the holes on the opposite side fo the arm should be the motor, if the axis turns while you apply the arm, the motor works, if the motor doesn't move, then you have to begin with troubleshooting what is causing the motor to fail....

 

[zowie]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

 

[pne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zowie 4. Slide or dial the weight until the arm floates level and is perfectly balanced. Set the dial to zero without moving the weight. Then dial it to 1.5 for starters, which will give you 1.5 gm of tracking force applied to the record (theoretically). 3. Set the anti-skate to the same number as the tracking force.

i always thought you slide the tracking force to 0 first, then dial the counterweight so the arm floats level, then dial the tracking force to 1.5?

 

[drminky]

If it is belt drive, it is also likely that the belt has simply slipped off the platter or drive spindle. Can you lift the upper platter off the turntable to have a look?

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pne i always thought you slide the tracking force to 0 first, then dial the counterweight so the arm floats level, then dial the tracking force to 1.5?

I believe that was what he meant - with movable dial which also function as tracking force 'meter'. In your case maybe you have a separate / spring loaded tracking force.

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylor Could it be that the motor is shot? This thing hasn't been used for a good 10 years by the looks of it.

KD 2055 is belt driven and more likely you need a new belt than new motor. Just take a peek below the mat / platter and see if the motor turning when you hit play (careful with the stylus !).

Replacement belts can be found here and here.

 

[taylor]

I found the belt, looks like it is not all the way around the spindle.

Trying to reattach.

 

[taylor]

I reattached the belt, now the record turns.

But still no sound.