just picked up a record player, need some help

[Nak Man]

Lini confirmed the rubber idler (I still keep my first table 1215 with similar drive method =), so no need to figure out further what's on the underneath. However, those plastic gears and small rods which are attached to arm's base are one of the reason Dual automatic arm could not give optimum sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pne Can you describe the headshell connector? Not sure which part this is. The hiss and hum is very annoying and present in all the records I've tried. (cleaned the stylus and records) So I think it may be a grounding issue or I may need a new cartridge after all. Would ebay be a good place to shop for cartridges?

Sorry to state the obvious but headshell is where the stylus / cartridge is mounted. If you put your finger on the pickup 'tab' then you can slide or push them backwards (gently if you're not sure with the direction), better be safe and remove the stylus before doing any of this.

Once the lever is all way back, the inner headshell that looks like this will fall down with the cartridge (do you remember to remove the stylus ?) and you can see 4 prongs that go toward the armtube. These are headshell pin connectors that can get problematic and cause intermittent sound loss and or hum. Give them a careful cleaning + little contact spray and install them back the way you removed them. Make sure all contacts are good and headshell feel springy before securing the lever back to front. I was hoping there's a user manual at this site or clean pictures of regular maintenance but I couldn't find any. Hope my english did not confuse you more. =)

You can get N91ED replacement stylus for $25 over here or check out the other selections - but let's get rid of that hum first. I wouldn't recommend getting used stylus for various reasons, one of them being rough handling. =)

 

[rickcr42]

I suggest anyone wanting information on turnatbles,cartridges and anything else vinyl check this place out :

http://www.nakedresource.com/news.shtml

The access to the files section requires signing up for the forum but well worth it an a more complete resource is not found anywhere.The forum is not the most active but question do get answered.
for more general vinyl questions you can not beat the vinyl asylum

http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/

 

[Nak Man]

Thanks ... but did you wait for me to type that long before posting these links ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 The access to the files section requires signing up for the forum but well worth it an a more complete resource is not found anywhere.

Totally agree .. simply the best ! It was down for a long period sometimes ago (especially when you need it most =). Nice to see it back online. Pne, pls inform if you have problems logging / signing in.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

Thanks ... but did you wait for me to type that long before posting these links ?

hey,someone gotta do the heavy lifting around this joint

I also missed the resource when it was down and the files download is a bit more of a pain now but i still will take it over any alternative.If it is made it is there and if not soon will be.Updates are regular and some of the info is found nowhere else

 

[pne]

I am tearing my hair out trying to get rid of the hiss/cackle on this. All the conectors including the rca ones have been cleaned, I think I will just get a new turntable rather than spend too much time on this one.

 

[dknightd]

Hiss and crackle. Sounds like a dirty record to me...
Try cleaning the record before buying a new turntable.
I've been known to wash them in the kitchen sink
using a soft cottom cloth, and a tiny bit of dish soap.
Pat dry, then let air dry before playing. Or just get
a decent record cleaner. The alsop one is not too bad
and much cheaper than a nice vacuum machine. A Clean
record makes a HUGE difference. Once it is clean keep
it clean by using decent sleaves, and brushing before
every play.

 

[joelongwood]

I have Dual 1218 with a Shure M91ED cartridge around here somewhere. A few years ago I used it to transfer some vinyl to CD. While far from the best TT out there, the sound, to my ears, is adequate for getting a taste of vinyl. Your complaint of "hiss and crackle," as has been pointed out, sounds like a dirty record. Also, be aware that Grado headphones, with their emphasis in the upper midrang/lower treble, tend to exacerbate the situation by elevating the noise from a dirty record. Older amps had what was called a "scratch" filter which cut off frequencies above around 8,000 khz where the preponderance of the noise was.
As recommended, I would take a record to the kitchen sink and wash it to see if that makes a difference. There's also a good chance that the stylus is worn or shot. Good luck.

 

[rickcr42]

hey stranger.Merry belated Christmas

Rickmeister maximus

 

[joelongwood]

Same to you, Rick. Man, has it been HECTIC around here of late......but should settle down again soon. Have a Happy!
Bob
OK (dons Mod cap).....back on topic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 hey stranger.Merry belated Christmas Rickmeister maximus

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

OK (dons Mod cap).....back on topic.

ooopsy !

The suggestion of cleaning the record is a good one.If the surface looks a tad dull r grey rather than very shiny black chances are there is a dust buidup from years of use.
nothing fancy,mild soap and warm water at the sink as suggested.Modern cleaning solutions are good but only for maintaining the cleanliness of an already clean record,not for cleaning major grunge built up over time.

 

[pne]

I wish it was dirty records. I very thoroughly cleaned my records with 50/50 isopropyl/water and a lint free cloth, and they are all very shiny black. I even took one to the sink and gave it soap and water as suggested and that didn't help. I think a new stylus might be in order as well, but I am pretty hesitant to drop any money into this tt in fear that it will not solve the problem and I will have a useless stylus or cartridge on my hands.

In short I have cleaned:
Stylus with stiff brush, dry and wet cleaned
records- alcohol and water/soap
headshell connector-contact cleaner and soldered them on
rca jacks - steel wool/contact cleaner

can you recommend a good place to get a replacement stylus for cheap, or should i buy an entire cartridge? Do they come with stylus usually?

Thank you

 

[dknightd]

Could be you are not an LP person. LPs wear out. Cartridges wear out, stylus get damaged. Sounds like you are starting with old stuff that might both be worn out. Did you notice any improvement when you cleaned your records? Has anything you've done made things better?
Lets face it, even on high end gear and "audiophile" pressings there is still some noise. On bad pressings there can be lots of noise. Old relatively cheap turntables can also introduce noise.
Most cartridges come with a needle. Sorry, I don't know where to find a cheap one. If you know anybody who uses vinyl you might want to go listen to what they have. There is more noise on an LP, but, there is also more music. You have to learn to ignore the noise, and get it as minimal as possible.
Headphones in general, and grado in particular, tend to make the pops and clicks more noticable.

 

[Nak Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pne can you recommend a good place to get a replacement stylus for cheap, or should i buy an entire cartridge? Do they come with stylus usually?

Did you try this one yet ? $25 is for replacement stylus only.

Quote:

[size=xx-small]You can get N91ED replacement stylus for $25 over here or check out the other selections - but let's get rid of that hum first. I wouldn't recommend getting used stylus for various reasons, one of them being rough handling. =)[/size]

it's http://www.garage-a-records.com/shurestylus.html
or for other carts http://www.garage-a-records.com/cart.html

Maybe like others said, vinyl is not for you. There's bound to be more noise than CDs anyway. I'm more concerned about that hum, has it disappeared ? If not, as a last resort you might want to hardwire the ground post / shield from underneath turntable straight to ground post on your amp using separate thin long black cable. =)

 

[pne]

oops. did not notice the links in your first post, sorry. I will solder a grounding cable to my amp tommorow morning (if i can find the ground) cleaning did not help the hum much, I can not really turn the record up without hearing the hum, and certainly cannot listen to records at reference volume. Thank you all for bearing with me, it is extremely fustrating when I can't figure out the problem. I've already bought a couple of lp's on ebay and was really hoping i could play them. If the grounding doesnt solve the hum/hiss then I can pretty much narrow it down to the stylus/cart right?

 

[pne]

just a little bump of this ol thread of mine, some Dire Straits records I ordered from ebay came today. I stuck one in, even without dusting it, hit the start button, sat back and was ready to be disappointed. As soon as "so far away" came up, I noticed something VERY WRONG.












it sounded unbelievable.

I just about lept out of my chair in an excited frenzy. THIS was the vinyl I was hearing about, not the scratchy poppy poor quality tracks I was so expectant to hear. Being a true fan, I had the cd copy on hand, and flipping back and forth between the auxilary and phono channels of my amplifier, I compared the two. The cd still seemed to edge out the lp on treble and crispness, but the lp had a very charateristic warmth about it. It felt more musical and groovy. I dusted the record off, listened to a few more tracks, and wow. I am totally sold on vinyl. This alone is enough motiviation for me to blow a few hundred on a new turntable and a LOT more lp's.

I want to thank everyone in being so helpful, and helping me make this transition into vinyl. Looks like it was the poor condition of the original vinyls that I was tearing my hair out over.