Cheap turntable mods...

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Mikay, Mar 6, 2015.

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  1. Mikay

    Mikay Active Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    These are some of the things I've learned over the years.

    - Antiskate 'test record': Get something like this: http://www.artcove.com/cgi-bin/fabr...&file=85&Category=384&Page=2&v=1#.VPnbHphMHGg, have a glass store or qualified friend drill a 0.286" (7.26mm) hole in the exact center, and then, with this mirror on your turntable and the needle riding on it and the platter spinning on a LEVEL turntable, adjust anti-skate until the arm doesn't drift inward or outward.

    - Unscented "Swiffer" sheets make a nice and inexpensive record duster/brush.

    - Mr. Clean Magic Erasure is a great stylus cleaner. Cut about a 1" chunk off of the end of a Magic Eraser bar. Lay on edge next to your platter. Carefully, using the cue lever, lower and raise your stylus in and out of the foam bar. DO NOT pull the Magic Eraser foam across the stylus, you could rip the diamond off! Just lower and raise the stylus in and out of the foam 5-6 times...that will more than be sufficient.

    - A small LED flashlight is handy to keep by your turntable. For some reason, dust/dirt on records really shows up under LED light. I have two gooseneck LED lights from IKEA above my tables.

    - Bullseye levels are cheaply obtained at the hardware store. I keep one by each turntable. I make sure that the platter is level in the travel arc of the stylus across the platter. That often isn't the same as having the plinth level.

    - Keep an eye out at record stores, Ebay, etc. for old Shure test records. They're really handy for letting you know what's going on with your turntable. They're kind of an 'obstacle course' for your cartridge.

    - Racquetball (Squash) balls cut in half make great turntable feet. Use 3 instead of 4 to make it easier to level.

    - If you have a really bouncy floor, try hanging your turntable from the ceiling. You can use cable or a non-stretching rope. Include those turnbuckle things to make it easy to level, and hang from 3 points, not 4.

    - In dry areas and/or in the Winter, touch your (metal) spindle with one hand, your (metal) tonearm with the other, to discharge static immediately before playing a record.

    - Ebay and Harbor Freight Tools are sources for inexpensive digital scales, like drug dealers use. They also are wonderful digital tracking force gauges. They are a lot more accurate than the dial on your tonearm. Whether you trust them for heroin is up to you. (ok, so I have a sick sense of humor)

    - Cheap alphabetical/genre dividers for your record collection that are really attractive can be made by checking out this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phot0matt/sets/72157622081485242/

    - DIY record bins from a single sheet of plywood. Add casters (about $14 from Harbor Freight) and you're all set, each holds about 550 records
    http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=337891&page=2

    - An old deck of cards can be handy for leveling a turntable. Slipping the appropriate number of cards under low feet is easy, and they're uniform in size.

    - Nothing sounds better than a clean record. Consider building a record cleaning machine. It doesn't have to be fancy. An old, non-working turntable works great as a workstation. There's all kinds of information at this link: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=318672

    - Record cleaning fluid recipe: 1 gallon distilled water, 1 pint 92% or better Isopropyl Alcohol and 40 drops of Kodak Photo Flo (available here: http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-1464510...id=1425662961&sr=8-1&keywords=kodak+photo+flo in a lifetime supply. The Photo Flo is a surfactant, causing the fluid to go down into the grooves instead of beading on top.

    - Inexpensive and very effective record clamp: Go to the hardware store and buy a foot of 1/4" rubber gasline. Cut into 3/4" lengths. Push over the spindle to clamp record down.
     
    DryWhiteToast, vinyl13, fsj and 4 others like this.
  2. BayouTiger

    BayouTiger Forum Resident

    Nice little list there!
     
  3. joelongwood

    joelongwood Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wading River, NY
    Excellent! Thank you. :)
     
  4. youraveragevinylcollector

    youraveragevinylcollector Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hartwell, GA
    - Mr. Clean Magic Erasure is a great stylus cleaner. Cut about a 1" chunk off of the end of a Magic Eraser bar. Lay on edge next to your platter. Carefully, using the cue lever, lower and raise your stylus in and out of the foam bar. DO NOT pull the Magic Eraser foam across the stylus, you could rip the diamond off! Just lower and raise the stylus in and out of the foam 5-6 times...that will more than be sufficient.

    Would it be a good idea to use the soft paintbrush method for a stylus?
     
  5. Hubert jan

    Hubert jan Forum Resident

    Replace your needle when the inner grooves start sounding sibilant or scratchy.
    Expensive or cheap cartridges all sound good with a needle in good shape.
    If a record still sounds noisy after cleaning play wet. This makes the record quiet and distortionfree. Why ? I don't know.
     
  6. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    The effectiveness of using a blank disc for adjusting AS is debatable.
     
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