TURNTABLE SETUP Questions thread - don't start a new thread, ASK YOUR QUESTION HERE!

[penmarker]

Taylor, you only need a phono preamp for now. What it does is it takes the signal from your turntable and amplify it while also equalizing it to a line level. Your turntable is not outputting line level output through the RCA jacks.
Your chain should be 
 
Turntable > Phono Preamp > old computer speakers or active speakers or amplifiers

 

[Taylor52594]

Thank you very much for your help! Can you recommend one for me? Preferably one in-stores. Probably in the $20-50 range.

 

[penmarker]

Quote:

Thank you very much for your help! Can you recommend one for me? Preferably one in-stores. Probably in the $20-50 range.

In store ones? They won't really sound as good - that being said, you can always upgrade to better equipment later, much like what I'm doing now!

Behringer has this USB phono stage that goes I think somewhere around $40-50, the U-PHONO UFO202.
What I'm using now is a great for value TCC TC-750, you can get it for about the same price.
Radioshack sells this phono stage too but I'm not sure about the price. You can try checking them out if there is a store close to you.
 
Bear in mind, you may get disappointed when you first started out. Budget setups will - will - sound bad because 1) they're budget setups and 2) you have no experience with it. Maintain focus and it'll pay off.

 

[grokit]

Quote:

So I just purchased an Audio Technica AT LP-60 turntable. I have never used a turntable before, but was sick of passing up on cheap vinyls at garage sales, etc. that I decided to give it a shot. I tried using the RCA adapters to plug into old computer speakers, but that didn't work and no sound was produced. I also tried hooking up to my computer speakers by connecting the RCA cords and then plugging in to the headphone jacks. So is it correct then, that I need some sort of receiver in between whatever speakers I have/purchase? I understand there are active and passive speakers. I am assuming all my speakers are passive. Regardless, I am willing to dish out some more money on additional equipment, but I have a Gigaware model 40-303 iPod dock that outputs excellent sound (also tried using this and no sound) and I didn't know if I could incorporate that into my setup or if I will be best served buying some sort of receiver AND a speaker system. I apologize if this post makes little sense, I am very new to turntables. Thanks for your help!

 
The LP-60 has a built-in, switchable phono preamp so no need to buy one.
 
If you have active speakers they should work if you have this built-in pre amp switched on:
 

But if you are correct and your speakers are passive (big clue: if they plug into power or have batteries they are active; passive speakers only accept audio signals), you will need to amplify them somehow.
 
If they work with your computer you could try plugging in the LP60's audio output (with the preamp switched on) into you computer's audio (mic) input. That would give you sound and let you try some vinyl rips (with free Audacity software).

 

[penmarker]

Ahh thanks for the correction grokit. I commented without looking first and assumed it doesn't have a built in phono stage. I stand corrected.
Taylor, the built in phono stage would be adequate until you can get yourself a replacement for it in the future.

In other news, I ordered myself the AT440mla and it should arrive in 3 weeks or so. Found out that the cantilever on my AT51 is bent maybe after some "oopsies" that I didn't notice. Instead of replacing the stylus, I thought why not just double the budget and upgrade.

One thing that concerns me, will the microline stylus dig thru my warped areas of a record? Got this good Woodkid album The Golden Age and the postage screwed up. Both records have this pretty bad warping on the outside.

 

[analogsurviver]

No stylus at anythhing like VTF possible can slice through a record. However, if that warping is severe and to the greatrest delight of certain Mr. Murphy menages to excite the catridge/arm resonance where it will cause the greatest instability - yes, ANY stylus can demage information in the groove, and yes, the more stylus tip profile is similar to the cutting stylus, more chance of getting the groove demaged by the stylus that can no longer be tracked at either correct geometry and/or VTF. High frequency information is the most vulnerable in this respect.
 
My amendment to the Murphy's law(s) : Murphy was an optimist .
 
Only a vacuum hold down system will flatten a severely warped record. And if warpage exceeds those capabilities, record flattening machine ( Furutech ) is the only REAL option. Checking the prices for vacuum and record flattening will lead you to the vicinity of my amendment.

 

[penmarker]

Quote:

No stylus at anythhing like VTF possible can slice through a record. However, if that warping is severe and to the greatrest delight of certain Mr. Murphy menages to excite the catridge/arm resonance where it will cause the greatest instability - yes, ANY stylus can demage information in the groove, and yes, the more stylus tip profile is similar to the cutting stylus, more chance of getting the groove demaged by the stylus that can no longer be tracked at either correct geometry and/or VTF. High frequency information is the most vulnerable in this respect.
 
My amendment to the Murphy's law(s) : Murphy was an optimist .
 
Only a vacuum hold down system will flatten a severely warped record. And if warpage exceeds those capabilities, record flattening machine ( Furutech ) is the only REAL option. Checking the prices for vacuum and record flattening will lead you to the vicinity of my amendment.

Here's a video of the said warping, do note this warping is on both vinyls. Ignore the ugly thingy on the cart, it's a makeshift longhorn using cable ties and plasticine.
 

 
I'm cringing looking at the warping. 
 
I'll be looking at methods to repair warping. My local friend suggested to use the glass sandwich under sunlight method. He had good experiences with his records so I think I should give it a shot. There's a new picture frame store opened, maybe I can find some 14' x 14' sheet of glass sold there.
 
Murphy's Law: If something wrong can happen, it will happen.
No statement is truer than this. Ha ha ha.

 

[analogsurviver]

Quote:

Here's a video of the said warping, do note this warping is on both vinyls. Ignore the ugly thingy on the cart, it's a makeshift longhorn using cable ties and plasticine.
 

 
I'm cringing looking at the warping. 
 
I'll be looking at methods to repair warping. My local friend suggested to use the glass sandwich under sunlight method. He had good experiences with his records so I think I should give it a shot. There's a new picture frame store opened, maybe I can find some 14' x 14' sheet of glass sold there.
 
Murphy's Law: If something wrong can happen, it will happen.
No statement is truer than this. Ha ha ha.

That warping is not that bad - it is "soft", without any abrupt changes.
 
Glass sheet sunlight method might work - to a point. The problem is, one should use something/anything in order to support the record grooved surface - meaning label area recess is needed, as well as outer diameter of the glass plate in contact with the record should be a bit smaller than the record diameter to allow for the usually thicker record rim. Otherwise, tinier warps all over the place might result, making situation worse. You could make a "spacer" out of some thin material ( paper sheet, plastic sheet, gasket cork, etc, thickness 0.5 - 1 mm ) and glue it to he glass sheet - precisely centered. A hole in the diameter of the record spindle through glass sheets would go a long way towards getting the record flat again. Precision required is hard to do in DIY - but is better than just two sheets of glass. If you up the ante, you end up with Furutech alike device pretty soon - machined record surfaces, precise centering, clamping etc - add time to develop it and it probably makes no $en$e.
 
If any of the local stores offer flattening service ( similar to record cleaning service, only far less spread/known/offered ) - use that.

 

[penmarker]

That's a little relief. So if I attach the cart on the headshell properly, the warping will not cause excessive damage to the grooves? I'm worried since the upward slope will increase the VTF and the downward slope will decrease it.
 
Yes I was a little concerned about the record rim being a little thicker than the rest of the record, but I didn't pay much attention to it assuming that it will flatten thoroughly. I'm more concerned with dust bonding to the vinyl grooves. 
 
So periphery clamps - yay or nay?

 

[Eee Pee]

Quote:

I thought why not just double the budget and upgrade.

 
 
That's the spirit!  

 

[analogsurviver]

Quote:

That's a little relief. So if I attach the cart on the headshell properly, the warping will not cause excessive damage to the grooves? I'm worried since the upward slope will increase the VTF and the downward slope will decrease it.
 
Yes I was a little concerned about the record rim being a little thicker than the rest of the record, but I didn't pay much attention to it assuming that it will flatten thoroughly. I'm more concerned with dust bonding to the vinyl grooves. 
 
So periphery clamps - yay or nay?

Dust is ALWAYS a problem - you have to insure dust is not trapped between flattening device and vinyl - or else you will embed those particles for good.  Nagaoka roller cleaner was/is good device to use ALSWAYS whenever you want dust free record surface without wet vacuum cleaning.
 
Rim clamps are $$$, because they have to be precise and accompanied by clamp centering device - you are looking at least 200 $ parting from your pocket - minimum. And they can not be positioned so precisely not to slightly unbalance the platter. If you ever drop that 500 gram or so rim weight on your arm/cart ...
 
With vacuum, it is necessary to use some thin soft material between metal vacuum platter and vinyl - or else you get the same dust problem of above.

 

[penmarker]

Quote:

 
 
That's the spirit!  

 

[penmarker]

OK guys,
 
Recently a friend inherited a Denon turntable from his late grandmother. It came with an amplifier system and it looks pretty beat up. The amplifier + tape deck + tuner aren't really working anymore, suspect some bad caps or something, but that's another story.
 
The turntable itself is a rather plasticky belt driven auto return auto start turntable, Denon SL-18A. No information found in vinylengine or anywhere else except for an excerpt from a newspaper
 

http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19810620-1.2.129.1.aspx
 
The problem with the turntable is

• No belt
• Probably needs lubrication here there.
• Needs a new headshell for a new cartridge because it came with a proprietary headshell + cartridge assembly with a lost stylus.

 
But everything else pretty much looks fine.
 

 

 
The complementary amp + tuner + cassette deck unit
 

 
How do I know what belt to get for it since we can't find the documentation anywhere? Are drive belts compatible with any turntable?

 

[analogsurviver]

Quote:

OK guys,
 
Recently a friend inherited a Denon turntable from his late grandmother. It came with an amplifier system and it looks pretty beat up. The amplifier + tape deck + tuner aren't really working anymore, suspect some bad caps or something, but that's another story.
 
The turntable itself is a rather plasticky belt driven auto return auto start turntable, Denon SL-18A. No information found in vinylengine or anywhere else except for an excerpt from a newspaper
 

http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19810620-1.2.129.1.aspx
 
The problem with the turntable is

• No belt
• Probably needs lubrication here there.
• Needs a new headshell for a new cartridge because it came with a proprietary headshell + cartridge assembly with a lost stylus.

 
But everything else pretty much looks fine.
 

 

 
The complementary amp + tuner + cassette deck unit
 

 
How do I know what belt to get for it since we can't find the documentation anywhere? Are drive belts compatible with any turntable?

If the old belt, even if stretched, torn etc is still there, you can measure that. If not, you can always resort to good old measuring with a thread or something similar - if you can reach the belt path with thread. Holes in the platter that facilitate belt removal/placement can also be used to thread the thread or similar to measure. From the pulley on the motor and portion of the (sub)platter shoulds be evident if you need round, square or, the most common, flat section belt. Belts are sold either by TT model ( difficult in this case ), diameter or lenght. Here one of the numerous possibilities:
http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-measure-for-a-turntable-belt/10000000010363966/g.html
Remember, belt is supposed to be under certain tension and should be of somewhat smaller dimensions than you have measured with thread. How much smaller/how much strecthed is a bit dependant if TT is fixed ( a la Rega ) or suspended subchassis ( Thorens, Linn etc ). The peskiest spec on TT belt dimension is the THICKNESS of the belt. After a belt change, you may well find your TT is running "a bit" slower ( belt thichness a bit less than original belt ) or a bit faster ( belt thickness a bit thicker than original ) - provided the original belt produced dead spot on speed ( VERY rare ). 
 
If your TT has some kind of speed regulation, this is of no consequence. If the motor is sinchronous, you can try another supplier in hope you get thickness of the belt more in the direction you need. Real speed solution for sinchronous motor driven decks is external power supply that allows for tweaking the frequency, hence the speed of the motor. 
 
Pic of that proprietary headshell/cart will help - might not be that proprietary after all - or at least we could decipher what stylus your friend would need.
 
Here a link to COMPATIBLE belt http://www.pointe-de-lecture.com/courroie/denon.htm They aso make custom belts for difficult cases.
 
But you can perhaps find a better price at vendors that sell per belt diameter / lenght IF you somehow determine the correct belt lenght. Since this TT appears to be a rare bird, I suggest getting two belts and storing the spare in glicerine. Belts, if stored otherwise, may well become dry or acquire funny shape(s) that will play havoc with wow and flutter.

 

[penmarker]

Honestly the belt has disintegrated and became so brittle it cracked and fell apart when we touched it. It looks like a shriveled dried earth worm. We have no idea whether the belt had shrunk and how it looked like back in its prime days. The thickness had also shrunk along, now its paper thin, all black and cruddy. I guess we can measure the length with a thread like you've mentioned.

No there is no speed adjustment, no power button even. The motor starts to run automatically when you lift the tonearm off the holder. It only have the speed selector (33/45) and another button that I forgot what its labeled as. It doesn't have a strobe light to check the speed as well. This is truly a plug and play kit.

I'll ask my friend to snap some more pictures of it and the headshell and cartridge etc. I doubt we would keep the headshell, we're going to get another cart for it so a new headshell should be in order. Or maybe I can just give him my AT51 since my 440mla is on the way, hope it aligns well.