Sony PS-X6

Been fiddling with this thing, and it seems to be smoothing out its problems the more I run it through its paces. No more smoke, burning smell or grinding / knocking sounds when I run it. However, the tonearm has started acting up. When I hit the start button, it flies across the table, almost hitting the spindle, and rather violently engages the auto return, which then throws it back across the table and cuts it off. Anybody ever experienced anything like this?
 
Feel like walking me through that? Also, how would that affect the tone arm issue?

You'll need a service manual and a soldering iron.

The logic circuits on tables like this can behave very strangely when voltages get out of whack.
 
You'll need a service manual and a soldering iron.

The logic circuits on tables like this can behave very strangely when voltages get out of whack.
Got the service manual and the iron. I've opened the unit up. What am I supposed to be looking for?
 
That empire cart was worth the 75. Hope you get it going. Is Fred Longworth still doing his tt thang in San Fran? He could make it right.
 
Fred's in SF? Last I heard he still had a place on Adams Ave. here in San Diego...

John
 
Eh, San Diego - San Francisco - it can be easy to mess that one up of you're not in California (wet right now!). Fred's definitely not in SF but a great guy in Southern California.

To our OP, you'll need to measure the voltages from the power supply first. If they're not in spec, don't go any further until they are. Post a link to the schematic so the arm chair bench techs step up to help guide you.

Post lots of pics and do exactly as they ask and you'll get through it.

Cheers,

David
 
Fred takes a week or so off every summer for a poetry retreat in Idyllwild on the west slope of the San Jacinto mountains. He has a business partner who I'm sure will be taking over for him if and when he quits his day job.
But he is still on Adams Ave.

Mchael
 
Got the service manual and the iron. I've opened the unit up. What am I supposed to be looking for?

At the very least, you need to replace the capacitors in the power supply section. Highly electronicized direct-drive tables are twitchy about capacitor failures. I'd also recommend checking everything else in the power supply just to make sure a semiconductor or resistor hasn't gone out of spec.

As dshoaf noted, check the voltages first - but I'd at least recap the power supply anyway. I've seen cases where things tested good but went wonky under load.
 
Eh, San Diego - San Francisco - it can be easy to mess that one up of you're not in California (wet right now!). Fred's definitely not in SF but a great guy in Southern California.

To our OP, you'll need to measure the voltages from the power supply first. If they're not in spec, don't go any further until they are. Post a link to the schematic so the arm chair bench techs step up to help guide you.

Post lots of pics and do exactly as they ask and you'll get through it.

Cheers,

David


David,

Took a bunch of photos last night. Don't know if they'll be helpful or not, but anybody who can weigh in is a hero.

http://imgur.com/a/hAhDy

Also tried to upload the Service Manual, but its too big. Link is here:

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/sony/ps-x6.shtml
 
Ok, thanks for the links. That's the sort of thing that's needed. To get started, if you have a DVM, follow this step in the adjustments. Do not attempt other adjustments in any way - ignore them.

Your pictures show that you know where the test points are. What you need to do is:

1) Put the probes on the test points shown (this from the 1st step in the Service Manual, sec 3).

2) Read the voltage shown on your DVM and report it here.

3) If it is not near the 14v called for use a small _plastic_ slotted tool to adjust RV101 for 14.0 volts. Note the original position of the little pot in case you need to return it to that position.

4) IF you cannot achieve 14 volts, turn off the AC power and then rotate the pot from end to end 4 or 5 times. Power the AC up again and try step 3 again. note the range of measured voltages - one for each end of the range and report them here.

5) IF you can achieve 14 volts, allow the turntable to sit for a few hours and watch how the voltage changes over that time. Don't try to run the TT - just let it idle. This tells you whether there is drift in the power supply voltage regulator or not.

6) If it remains stable, though, button the table up and see how it works.

If it continues to go !bang! with the tonearm, what happens with the platter? Does it spin up to really fast? That is, does it fall out of regulating the speed? What happens if you rock the 33/45 speed switches a few times? Clean those contacts if you can with DeOxit.

OK, that's enough for now. Report out what you discover. If all the steps above make your eyes roll back in your head, that's ok. Find someone local to help you. Advertise on Craigslist. I know there are a number of AK guys in the area. Otherwise, find an old record store and ask the guy who to take a turntable to.

Cheers,

David

upload_2017-1-24_18-9-1.png
 
David,

Okay, tested the voltage per the diagram above, and it read 13.77. I let it idle as you suggested, tested it after an hour, and it was at 13.70, and then an hour later again, still 13.70. I didn't adjust it; is that within tolerance? BTW, what kind of plastic tool do you use to adjust RV101?

Put it back together and started it up. Same issues with the knocking noise while the platter is spinning, and the jerky return motion of the auto return. The arm doesn't go bang when the platter is on, only when it's removed, so I guess that's a non-issue after all.

Looks like the next step is to re-cap the power supply?



Thanks,

Grant
 
13.7 is too far out, IMHO.

So I sent back tonight to check the voltage again, as my potentiometer adjustment tool just arrived. I checked the voltage, and it read 13.77 again, and then the light suddenly went out and I lost voltage. Checked it again and it was -.17. Turned it off and on a few times, and it still reads -.17. Have any ideas of what might be wrong?
 
Ok, thanks for the links. That's the sort of thing that's needed. To get started, if you have a DVM, follow this step in the adjustments. Do not attempt other adjustments in any way - ignore them.

Your pictures show that you know where the test points are. What you need to do is:

1) Put the probes on the test points shown (this from the 1st step in the Service Manual, sec 3).

2) Read the voltage shown on your DVM and report it here.

3) If it is not near the 14v called for use a small _plastic_ slotted tool to adjust RV101 for 14.0 volts. Note the original position of the little pot in case you need to return it to that position.

4) IF you cannot achieve 14 volts, turn off the AC power and then rotate the pot from end to end 4 or 5 times. Power the AC up again and try step 3 again. note the range of measured voltages - one for each end of the range and report them here.

5) IF you can achieve 14 volts, allow the turntable to sit for a few hours and watch how the voltage changes over that time. Don't try to run the TT - just let it idle. This tells you whether there is drift in the power supply voltage regulator or not.

6) If it remains stable, though, button the table up and see how it works.

If it continues to go !bang! with the tonearm, what happens with the platter? Does it spin up to really fast? That is, does it fall out of regulating the speed? What happens if you rock the 33/45 speed switches a few times? Clean those contacts if you can with DeOxit.

OK, that's enough for now. Report out what you discover. If all the steps above make your eyes roll back in your head, that's ok. Find someone local to help you. Advertise on Craigslist. I know there are a number of AK guys in the area. Otherwise, find an old record store and ask the guy who to take a turntable to.

Cheers,

David

View attachment 857161

Updated above. Multimeter now reads -.17. Did I blow something?
 
That -0.17 volt reading leads me to believe one of the connections isn't being made. I'll bet you see a reading like that if the probes are removed from the TT but left connected to the meter, no?

Also, I'm pretty sure that you've selected the right voltage reading - it should be set for DC voltage not AC, correct? If that 13.77 DC volts is what you're reading, then adjust it a bit up toward 14.0 volts but I'd be happy with 13.77. I'd put plan for a recap eventually but not as the next step. They key is to figure how whether the direct drive system is working properly.

If you're hearing a knocking sound as the platter turns, see if you can find where it does by rotating the platter without it being powered. I'm suspecting that's a result of the inner rim touching something like the speed-reading pickup. That's the silver thing when you pull the platter off. Examine the inner rim for scratching. _Do Not_ try to clean anything you see there. That's a magnetic strip that, if messed up, will cause problems in the speed readings.

Please describe how the platter spins. Do you see the pips standing still for 33 and 45 rpm speeds? Do they stay stable? Do they wander? Do you have the yellow strobe light at all?, etc.

Cheers,

David
 
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