Comments on: Turntables 101 - part 1

By: Elliot

Elliot — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 01:25:54 +0000

Thanks much for the help Wojtek; I have tried your advice but this is what happens: I use the cueing switch to lift the arm, and I can get that above the starting groove of my 5″ record for a moment, but when it’s lowered about half-way it lifts back up, goes above the arm rest (starting point), and then goes to whatever one of the 3 points (7 10 or 12 inch) that the record player is set at, and just lowers there. Basically if I ever try to move the arm at a point beneath 7″ I’m met with resistance from the record player that doesn’t allow me to play any of it. If you have any more ideas for this situation or any feedback or anything that would be awesome; it’s really really frustrating. Thanks a bunch!!

By: Wojtek

Wojtek — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:20:46 +0000

Yes Elliot, as I’ve written, fully-automatic turntables can also be used manually (at least I never came across one that couldn’t be used like that). Just use the cueing button, the one that makes the arm go up and down (and I don’t mean the automatic start button). When the arm is up, move it gently so that the needle is over the starting/outer groove of your record. The turntable should automatically engage when you have the arm over the platter and start turning at the selected speed. Then push the cueing button again to let the arm go down in order to start playing the record. The arm should automatically go up and back to it’s resting place after the end of the record. I hope this helps :).

By: Elliot

Elliot — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Do you have an idea for this problem? I have a Technics SL-235 turntable that has a setting for 12″, 10″, and 7″. Recently though I bought a record that is 5″, and I can’t find a way to play it on my turntable. Is there a way to make my turntable manual so I CAN play it all the way through? or something else you’d advise? thanks!

By: Joy

Joy — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:40:10 +0000

LOVE your website! I hope you’ll find time to continue this turntable series someday. My husband has tons of vinyl but no working turntable and I want to buy him one but didn’t know even the basic terminology. Thanks!

By: Wojtek

Wojtek — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:05:51 +0000

Hey Mike. It seems that something is wrong with the returning mechanism. Now the question is whether your turntable does this function mechanically or electronically. If mechanically then I think there’s a pretty high chance of repairing this by any tech who has ever worked with turntables or even yourself, depending on how complex this mechanism is and how good you are with machines, gears and springs :). If electronically then it’s an entirely different matter, as those aren’t known to break at all and if then it’s probably some fault with one of the electronic sensors. That’s my general diagnosis, I’d have to know more about your turntable (for example brand and model) to help you better than this.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:14:01 +0000

Hi. I have a question. i have a semi automatic/manual turntable. recently i noticed that the arm with the needle doesnt come back to its ’starting position’. usually after a record is done playing the arm would return back to its resting or starting position. but now it just keeps playing and slips into the empty grooves of the record. any ideas of whats wrong with it?

By: Wojtek

Wojtek — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 19:00:28 +0000

In a manual turntable, after you set the needle on the record, be it at the beginning or somewhere in the middle for example, the needle will move along the record’s groove to it’s end by itself. So yeah it’ll move on to the next track :).

The whole manual/semi-auto/auto turntable classification revolves only around the way you can start and stop playing records and it’s progressive, that is you can use a semi-auto or automatic turntable just like a manual one if you wish.

By: dedi

dedi — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:23:47 +0000

hi, i want to ask, if i use manual turntable, how I manage track to next track…manually move song by song or the neddle will move automatically to the next song?

By: Jamie

Jamie — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:18:54 +0000

Hello,

My name is jamie O’Dwyer and i’m currently looking for informaion on an idea i’m working on for my HNC project. please see desing brief below,

For this third idea I will be looking in to making a tone-arm replacement mechanism which will lift the tone-arm off the record when it comes to the end it. This will be a simple gearing system with limit points to actuate the motors which will lift the arm up, and then move it back to the home position, then lay it down to rest.

This is a design that is already in existence although there is nothing in use for DJs in a club environment which will require it to be robust and reliable.

There will also be a function to turn the turntable off once the tone-arm has reached the rest position so you can play a record while you fall asleep. This will be a pressure switch on the home position, that once the tone-arm reaches this position, it will stop the motor and turn the turntable off.

The design will be small, compact and will remain unseen by the user which will hopefully not add too much to the overall cost of the turntable.
The turntable will need to be modified slightly to accommodate the motor and gearing housing.

It will be marketed to DJs, both club and bedroom. Anyone who would benefit from the functionalities listed above.

Any information and advice you could give me please send to jodwyer@durr.co.uk.

Thank you,

Jamie

By: Wojtek

Wojtek — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:34:17 +0000

I think that the tonearm mechanics/electronics in your turntable are pretty sophisticated Adi, so it would be pretty hard (and in some circumstances even impossible) to "convert" it to manual operation.

You should take it to a tech or at least ask around on some forums where people with proper tech "know-how" spend their time. I can recommend visiting the AudioKarma forums. You'll find the link over at the Links section of the blog.