[Leopold]

This player is something like 15 years old, maybe more. I have two rather annoying problems with it that I would like to have some advice on.

The first problem: when I turn it on it starts slamming the motor assembly heavily in its suspension. The graceful start it had before is simply not there anymore: WHAM full motor power directly, and I have to help the heavy turntable disc up to speed by hand to make it stabilize as quickly as possible. I have replaced the "belt" several times during the years and it is fresh with a good grip.

Second, possibly connected: the smaller drive wheel tend to creep on the motor axle, upwards. After some time it misaligns with the larger drive wheel under the "glass platter" (I really feel my limitations in the English language here...), making it impossible to maintain a constant speed of course. I tried just to push it the small wheel back in place on the motor axle but it feels very, VERY wrong to apply such pressure on the fine motor suspension... there must be a better way.

There is also a third issue that is not so much of a problem but annoying: if I don't use it for a couple of months there will be quite a lot of wow. I guess it is due to the belt becoming stiff and needs some time to stabilize. Well, this time is actually days... which means I have to plan my listening sessions so to speak.

I can't recall having any of these problems in the first decade of use, I wonder what is going on here.

I'd be very grateful for any insights you can provide, I really adore the sound when it is in a good mood. The Goldring 1048(?) just needs 30 minutes to loosen up so that's negible in the larger perspective

 

[jumping jupiters]

Have you had the motor assembly apart? Do you notice any wear on either the motor flywheel or the tables?

The only thing I can say is that it should be common practice to assist the table's rotation before turning the motor on. The Rega manual even states this practice. That could be part of the trouble if you were not doing that. Premature belt wear would be the first problem. Bearing wear would be a long shot but maybe possible if 15 years slaving the motor on startup occured...not really likely though...age would perhaps be more of a problem if the bearing was never oiled.

These are really just some simple thoughts.

 

[Leopold]

Well that explains things... then I must say it has stayed rather healthy after all, considering the ignorance. I'm sure the belt needs to be replaced then, to begin with. Now I feel like a cave man...

Unfortunately the manual is misplaced since at least a decade. I'll check out the motor's flywheel and oil the table bearing. Is ordinary acid-free sewing machine oil ok?

Thanks very much for your advice!

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leopold Well that explains things... then I must say it has stayed rather healthy after all, considering the ignorance. I'm sure the belt needs to be replaced then, to begin with. Now I feel like a cave man... Unfortunately the manual is misplaced since at least a decade. I'll check out the motor's flywheel and oil the table bearing. Is ordinary acid-free sewing machine oil ok? Thanks very much for your advice!

Have you tried writing to service@rega.co.uk and asking them any of these questions? Ask especially about the oil, although sewing machine oil should be fine, I would feel safer if it were my deck.

These kind of motors misbehaving is very common. If not used for a while they sometimes start backwards or just vibrate. It's a really rudimentary circuit so the motor sometimes takes a bit of coaxing to work out whats it's meant to be doing.

Also it's worth cleaning the spindle and inner platter with isopropyl alcohol and cotton buds / q-tips where the belt sits occasionally, as dust and oil from your fingers changing the belt can contaminate the surfaces over time and impair performance. Also clean the belt itself and put it in a polythene bag with talc while u do this to make sure it's clean and dirtfree.

Having to touch the belt at all is a bit of a design weakness really, but these are just part of the joys of running a British designed turntable .

 

[Leopold]

Thank you for the cleaning tips, this is long overdue (i.e never been done...)! I'll also email Rega for the questions of which oil to use and the issue of the small spindle tending to detach/loosen from the motor axle. I'll relay the answer here when I get it.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leopold issue of the small spindle tending to detach/loosen from the motor axle.

Aha i didn't understand thats the problem you were having. Again this is a common one with these kind of motors. Basically the spindle is usually just glued on so they will proably tell you to re-glue it with superglue or something...