New RP3 - noises galore. Help!

I've been thinking this as well - a process of elimination. Are the wires/Is a lead wire at the cart not contacting another wire, etc.

 

Yes he did. He reinstalled the cartridge since I took it off before handing the turntable to him and he suggested he'd install it for me.

 

I verified that initially before bringing it to the tech. If only it had been that simple a fix...

 

So your gift to your FIL is your time and energy in helping him get this done, but it's actually his money that you're using to make it happen right? The gift is, in fact, your expertise and willingness to defray the logistics of getting a good table to him? If so, you're at the point where the logical thing to do is to tell the dealer to piss off, return for refund and start over. Buy something brand new from another dealer, or online, and be done with it. I would also not buy the unit listed here as you mentioned it is not what your FIL would want. Why not just get him exactly what he wants, including color, with the money he is spending? If the P3/RP3 is too much of a stretch, just suggest the P2 or any of the multiple options in the appropriate price range. I'm not trying to be hard on you, but instead suggesting that it's time to carve a workable path that works for you in the midst of this situation. You say the dealer has been great but I beg to differ.

 

Send it back, get a Project.

 

(I've been reading this in frustration for you - I'm on your side - remembering somewhat similar situations I have had, for many kinds of things, including once with a horrific turntable that I bought brand new sealed that I thought was top of the line. The following is based on my experiences.)

I'm not sure what the economics of this are - you have called this both a gift, yet indicated that your FIL is paying for it. I am narrowing in on that your FIL told you to get him something good, that he would pay for, and he trusted/invested in you to get it done, and the "gift" is your expertise (which I know is good) in picking a good value higher end unit for him.

For myself, new is always nice, but I do not rule out buying refurbished or used, for many kinds of audio, and other things. But this one has gone wrong, especially for the level of quality this is supposed to be and from an authorized dealer. I often have bought something from a thrift shop, tuned it up and fixed it myself, or paid someone to fix it, and still felt good that I got a neat deal. This one has gone horribly wrong.

If this is a gift to your FIL, why did you ask him what he wants to do about this? Was it for information/advice from him, and he doesn't seem to care a lot and does not know audio and has not been working with this unit or that dealer, or something else?
When you present a gift, you present a fully working gift, don't burden the giftee with problems like this. He may even be feeling guilty that this has caused you this problem. And him. (And all of us even if we have been only lurking on this thread so far.)
Get a refund, you have done everything you can be expected to do to have this dealer fix it. Enough is enough. It should have been in perfect working order when you bought it, then it should have been in perfect working order when they returned it to you after this fix. It is not, get a refund.

That's a grounding issue, the arm itself is not grounded, and a motor issue of which we've seen many complaints here about several brands. Get rid of it.

That would be a disaster. No warranty, no dealer, unknown mods by unknown people, up for sale? NO WAY. Especially after what you have been through with this, NO WAY.

I think karma (and-or whatever belief you have) is telling you that this one is not for you or your FIL. This time (based on my own experiences) you want a factory fresh brand new full warranty unit from a decent dealer. If you have a certain budget to stay within, this time get a NEW unit from a decent different dealer, even if it is a "lower" model.

 

I did not see that before I wrote mine

 

Why not a brand new P2 for $675 from one of the bajillion dealers that carries them?

 

The table is/was mine. It's sold now so you don't need to lose any sleep over OP buying it. And buy the way, the "mods" are upgraded parts -- no "modifcations" necessary. Thanks for your vote of confidence all the same.

 

Whoa - sorry! I saw "classifieds" and I was not even thinking of this place, but "classified" newspapers and craigslist and the like. If S had written "classifieds here on the forum" I might have said "looks good, go for it!"