The"what,what?" Rega white belt upgrade

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by raferx, Aug 3, 2013.

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  1. Did you ever check the running speed?

    You can find quite a few reports online where the Rega tables are running slightly fast, like mine did (and also my friend's RP3). If yours runs about 0.3% to 0.5% too fast (like up to 33.5 rpm), then the Edwards Audio "Little Belter" should fix that and bring you pretty much spot on.
     
  2. With regards to pitch and/or wow & flutter or with regards to general sound?
     
  3. deniall

    deniall Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Australia
    Got my Edwards Audio "Little Belter" the other day and I have to say, I'm impressed. The speed has noticeably improved and everything seems just a bit cleaner overall. I'd really like to get a test record and compare with the standard belt but that'll have to wait a while.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Markym likes this.
  4. dianos

    dianos Forum Resident

    Location:
    The North
    My RP6 runs a bit fast so I have ordered the Edward blue belt and hope it helps.
     
  5. fantgolf

    fantgolf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rochester, MN
    Thanks for all of the tips. I'll start with white belt and see how my ears are with it. I'll probably get the blue belt anyway and compare them.
     
  6. fantgolf

    fantgolf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rochester, MN
    Thanks to all of the minds and ears that have helped in this thread. That's what makes this forum great. I've never been able to check the running speed and not sure how. However, I received the white belt yesterday and gave it a try. The improvement was subtle and definitely audible but needs to be more. I've ordered the Edwards Audio "Little Belter" and am anxious to try that. If it is more of an improvement than the white belt, I'll be very pleased.

    I'm using the new mono versions of Rubber Soul and Revolver for the listening tests.
     
  7. Erocka2000

    Erocka2000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY, USA
    A cool easy way to check the speed is with the iRPM app on your phone. I attach my iPhone via blu-tack to an old 45 adapter, then place it on the spindle of my table. From what I can tell, it gives a pretty accurate reading.
     
  8. deniall

    deniall Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Australia
    Get a test record and download the free 'platterspeed' app to check speed..
     
  9. ncblue

    ncblue Well-Known Member

    Location:
    OBX, NC USA
    My P9 ran right on 33 1/3. Checked it twice
     
  10. I don't think that app is available anymore, at least I couldn't find it here in Germany. There is an app with the same name, but it has to do with power management.
     
  11. ghn5ue

    ghn5ue Forum Resident

  12. Thanks for the link.

    But that is not the original app, since you need a record with a test tone for this app. The other app, you simply placed your iPhone on the turntable with the app open, then start your turntable, and the app would display the speed in such a way that the image is standing still despite the display of the phone rotating. It uses the internal gyro sensors to measure the rpm.
     
  13. Liquid Len

    Liquid Len Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yorkshire, UK
    You mean this one:



    A very useful app, and free too; can't find it now on UK app store!
     
  14. Luca

    Luca Wolf under sheep clothing

    Location:
    Torino, Italy
    If a turntable needs a "luxury" belt to get a decently stable and starndardized speed... IMHO something's very WRONG with that table.

    And it still leaves me very puzzled HOW a belt upgrade could provide correct speed to a table which doesn't have it by default (seriously bad engineering in my book).
     
    Linto likes this.
  15. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    iPhone app: Turntabulator - mesures turntable RPM.
     
    octaneTom and rjstauber like this.
  16. I don't think the stability is much affected, unless the old belt is worn out. The standard black belt has less tight tolerances, which can relate to the overall thickness of the belt as well as having a tighter tolerance for the thickness over the whole length of the belt.

    The overall thickness will slightly influence the speed of the turntable. This will happen with any belt drive turntable. The Edwards Audio "Little Belter" is a bit thinner compared to the original Rega belt, and this results in a slight speed change.

    Any belt drive turntable will have a tolerance with regards to the speed. Of course, this tolerance will be smaller with the higher quality models.

    It is nice to have the choice of different belts to bring the speed closer to the ideal value.
     
    Billy Budapest likes this.
  17. Got this app, very cool.

    Using "EXACT" mode, I now get the following results:

    Without the needle in the groove: 33.35 rpm
    With needle in the groove: 33.32 rpm

    Results are very reproducible. sometimes it shows a 0.01 rpm difference from the values above for the first displayed result, but it keeps measuring and from the second displayed value, it usually stays with these values posted above.

    So, there is a minor difference between the needle in the groove and not, but it is max. 0.1%.

    Really happy with the speed of my Rega RP6 now, and a great app to have.

    P.S.: I also played a classical record with soft guitar music to see if the musical content (vs. rock music) would make a difference with regards to the difference in resistance/drag the needle in the groove adds.. I got the same results as above.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
    Antares likes this.
  18. P.S.:

    Switching on my PSU to 45 rpm, I get the following values:

    Without the needle in the groove: 45.12 rpm
    With needle in the groove: 45.07 rpm (approx. 0.15% fast)
     
  19. fantgolf

    fantgolf Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rochester, MN
    Borrowed a KAB speed strobe from a friend who lives 100 miles away while I was passing through. The white belt was still fast (as I expected) but then the blue belt was slow and both were audible but slow was less audible. Will the white belt slow things down with use or the blue belt speed up with use? I can't believe I'm asking these questions. Very frustrating that you can't adjust the RP6 TT to the correct speed. Would a record weight or something like a acrylic platter change the speed? Thanks, Bill
     
  20. How much speed difference are you talking about?

    Between the white belt (Rega) and the blue belt (Edwards Audio), it should only be around 0.2 rpm difference, maybe 0.25 rpm. Did you measure with the needle in the groove?

    If the difference is less than 0.2%, then it should be o.k.

    You can get a different sub-platter, like others have recommended.

    This one seems to be one of the best fits for the Rega RP6:

    http://groovetracer.com/RP6Subplatter.htm
     
  21. The belt upgrade is not as crazy as it sounds. Considering that a belt does double duty to both drive the platter and isolate the motor, it is a critical link in the playback chain. I'm sure that its elasticity and grip as well as its vibration dissipation qualities affect wow & flutter and rumble.
     
    rjstauber likes this.
  22. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    I got better results from the OEM black belt: 33.51 vs old white belt: 33.57, very new white belt: 33.64. Go figure!
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2014
  23. I think the black belt has a larger tolerance range, so sometimes you can get a slower Speed compared to the White belt, and sometimes it is faster.

    If the speed is a concern for you, you might want to give that Edwards Audio "Little Belter" (blue belt) from Amazon.co.uk a try. I would think this will bring you to around 33.4 rpm, maybe even to 33.35 rpm. They are not that expensive and easy to change.

    Audio quality should also be good with that blue belt.
     
  24. Ntotrar

    Ntotrar Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tri-Cities TN
    Might just order the blue for the sake of science.
     
  25. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest

    Hey Roland...what do you mean needle in the groove? Don't you just put your phone on the TT and let it spin? How would you put a record on, and then put the needle in the groove with the phone in the way?
     
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