Turntable Speed

I recently got a lovely Ariston RD80 and spent a bit of time at the weekend getting it set up correctly.

I’ve added my RB250 arm and an Ortofon 2M Red and have to say I really like the sound it’s giving me, however, it is running ever so slightly slow (Turntabulator App saying 0.7% at 33.1rpm).

I’ve added new oil to the bearing, lubed the motor with a couple of drops of oil as well as getting a new belt but it’s still at 33.1rpm.

Should this concern me or is it within an acceptable tolerance (app says it’s “Ideal”)? I also have a Technics SL1200 which as you would expect bang on the money with its speed as well as an RP3 and we all know Rega’s run a little fast so maybe it’s being used to these TT’s which is making the Ariston sound perhaps slower than it actually is?

Would a change of motor be worth while on such an old deck (even if I could find one) or even an upgrade?

Use the pots to adjust the speed.
You should find them either side of of the 33/off/45 switch.
Owner's manual is on Vinyl Engine.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Stratmangler

Use the pots to adjust the speed.
You should find them either side of of the 33/off/45 switch.
Owner's manual is on Vinyl Engine.

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Thanks but I have the RD80, not the RD11. It doesn’t have that function


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0.7% is not an acceptable variance in my book. Sadly, the RD80 has a synchronous AC motor that is frequency locked and has no adjustment. The only tweak you can give it is with different belt tightnesses and thicknesses which will make a small difference, but it’s a bit hit and miss.

I had a Logic DM101 a few years back that I really liked but I got rid of it in the end as the fact that it ran slightly slow got to me in the end. I blame those damn Quartz Locked direct drives and their irritatingly precise speed stability!

What's 0.7% in turns?

Have you tried the app on your Technics deck? I don't know this particular app but some are not known for their accuracy.

Speed apps on phones are not very consistent, far better to download and print out a strobe disc and then use a 50hz strobe app, True Note is the one I use and its results are consistent and showed up the inaccuracies of the RPM speed app I’d been using previously.


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Thanks all for the replies. In my search to 'fix' this alleged issue, I fear I have done more harm than good!

I now cannot stop the motor pulley slipping all the way down to the bottom of the spindle which in turn now stops the belt staying on the platter.

Moral to be learned me thinks -* leave well alone in future!

Sorry, just noticed you said this slowness was measured with an app. As most of these are about as much use as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking contest, I'd try it again with a proper strobe disc and a fixed frequency light source (or an oscilloscope and a test record...) before panicking.

Once you've fixed it, of course... ;)

I'll come back to this tonight. I may have some tips.