Tonearm skating across record

[cbbrew22]

I have a Audio-Technica LP60 automatic turntable. I just moved and everything was working just fine before the move  but now that I have it set up in the new place, its not working. When I go to play a record the tonearm just skates across the whole record when I turn it on and then it auto returns and turns off. The tonearm does lower but I did not notice it even touching the record and could not hear any subsequent noise from it doing so.

 

I know, I know, its a cheapo and should probably just get a better TT but this is what I have while I save up for the next one.

 

Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks!

 

Edit: Corrected the turntable model (poor memory at work folks)

[jase]

When you say you have it set up in the new place, do you mean you plugged it in and turned it on. Or do you mean you set it up, as in counterweight, anti-skate, tracking angle etc..?

[Youinreverse]

I have a sony PS-LX250H automatic turntable. I just moved and everything was working just fine before the move  but now that I have it set up in the new place, its not working. When I go to play a record the tonearm just skates across the whole record when I turn it on and then it auto returns and turns off. The tonearm does lower but I did not notice it even touching the record and could not hear any subsequent noise from it doing so.

 

I know, I know, its a cheapo and should probably just get a better TT but this is what I have while I save up for the next one.

 

Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks!

My first turntable was an automatic Kenwood that sounds like it was similar to yours. With some colors of vinyl, especially clear, it would just go right over the record and returns. I figured it was a sensor in the tonearm that went bad. It worked fine with black vinyl and other darker colors.

[cbbrew22]

My first turntable was an automatic Kenwood that sounds like it was similar to yours. With some colors of vinyl, especially clear, it would just go right over the record and returns. I figured it was a sensor in the tonearm that went bad. It worked fine with black vinyl and other darker colors.

 

 

I tried with black and colored vinyl to no avail.

 

 

When you say you have it set up in the new place, do you mean you plugged it in and turned it on. Or do you mean you set it up, as in counterweight, anti-skate, tracking angle etc..?

 

This is a VERY basic turntable - no counterweight that I can adjust, no anti-skate, etc.

 

 

[slinch]

Well the most permanent fix to this is to throw it in the trash and burn it just to be safe, but it might be fixable some other way as well. You can try hammering the tonearm down through the plinth. If that doesn't help, taking it to a highway overpass and throwing it in front of an 18-wheeler might do the trick. It's hard to figure out the right solution without knowing more details about the problem.

 

But yeah, this is a common issue with vintage tables, where rubber parts in the tonearm mechanism deteriorate due to age and become very sticky, causing the arm to move when it shouldn't. As this isn't a vintage table, it just means that something most likely went wrong with the mechanism, perhaps during the move. If you know your way around stuff like this, you can try to find the problem yourself, if not, there's not much else to do other than the solutions described in the first paragraph.

[cbbrew22]

Well the most permanent fix to this is to throw it in the trash and burn it just to be safe, but it might be fixable some other way as well. You can try hammering the tonearm down through the plinth. If that doesn't help, taking it to a highway overpass and throwing it in front of an 18-wheeler might do the trick. It's hard to figure out the right solution without knowing more details about the problem.

 

These are looking like my best options right now.

[jtcohenour]

Unfortunately I sounds like you are going to have to save your money for a new TT sooner than you anticipated.

[cbbrew22]

Well, it was the stylus. I got a new one in the mail yesterday and tried it out and all is good again. I actually got the stylus for free which was sweet (who knew you could buy an audiotechnica stylus from staples.com - and I had some rewards cash... score)

 

But the best news out of it all is that I used my TT not working as an excuse to upgrade and I am ow the produce owner of a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (once it ships, that is). Now I will just have a second turntable for another room in my apartment. I'm a happy man.

[jtcohenour]

Well, it was the stylus. I got a new one in the mail yesterday and tried it out and all is good again. I actually got the stylus for free which was sweet (who knew you could buy an audiotechnica stylus from staples.com - and I had some rewards cash... score)

 

But the best news out of it all is that I used my TT not working as an excuse to upgrade and I am ow the produce owner of a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (once it ships, that is). Now I will just have a second turntable for another room in my apartment. I'm a happy man.

 

Congrats