No sound from right speaker - Shure M97xE is suspect?

[crowe47]

I have had a fantastic Technics 1610 mk2 turntable for about 8 years and have been using a great cartridge, Shure M97xE, on it that I purchased about 10 years ago. A few months ago the sound on the right speaker went away, but there is nice sound coming still from the left speaker. When I use the tuner or blue ray player, both speakers emit great sound, so the speaker, turntable nor the receiver are the problem. I changed the cartridge from my Technics 1700 mk2 and there is great sound from both speakers. When you wiggle the blue lead wire connected to the Technics headshell and cartridge, then there is distorted noise from the right speaker. I installed new lead wires about same time I installed the new M97xE cartridge. I have made sure that the lead wires are tight and inserted properly. Hopefully, hopefully, the fix is to replace with new lead wires and not having to replace the M97xE cartridge which has given me wonderful music over the years. A new Shure M97xE is apparently very hard to find and I found a few are on eBay for $300-$550. I would appreciate any advice on solving my turntable problem, or any suggestions on a good quality cartridge for this particular turntable if I have to replace my cartridge.

 

[Duane]

The blue lead is for the left channel, not the right. Double check your connecions. Blue/white = left channel, green/red= right channel.

 

[mrwood200]

Bit of a problem, but you have the tools to solve this!

I have had a fantastic Technics 1610 mk2 turntable for about 8 years and have been using a great cartridge

8 years is a long time for a stylus. How many hours of actual use? > 1000? Probably not the problem here, but should be addressed at same time...

A few months ago the sound on the right speaker went away, but there is nice sound coming still from the left speaker. When I use the tuner or blue ray player, both speakers emit great sound, so the speaker, turntable nor the receiver are the problem. I changed the cartridge from my Technics 1700 mk2 and there is great sound from both speakers. When you wiggle the blue lead wire connected to the Technics headshell and cartridge, then there is distorted noise from the right speaker. I installed new lead wires about same time I installed the new M97xE cartridge. I have made sure that the lead wires are tight and inserted properly. Hopefully, hopefully, the fix is to replace with new lead wires

Any event prior to losing sound? moved something? dropped something?
Lead wires rarely go bad during use, but maybe something vibrated loose over time. Cheap enough to change. Bit of effort, but OK to proceed for troubleshooting. You may have loosened things up with you swapped cartridges.

and not having to replace the M97xE cartridge which has given me wonderful music over the years. A new Shure M97xE is apparently very hard to find and I found a few are on eBay for $300-$550. I would appreciate any advice on solving my turntable problem, or any suggestions on a good quality cartridge for this particular turntable if I have to replace my cartridge.

So you swapped cartridges & all works? What is the 2nd cartridge?
Did you swap back to M97? Can you check the cartridge for continuity?

​

Using an ohmmeter, you can check the continuity of a (Shure) MOVING MAGNET phono cartridge body.​

1. Remove any wires connected to the cartridge. You will test at the pins on the rear of the cartridge.
2. Set the ohmmeter so it can read up to 10,000 ohms.
3. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the white pin (L) and the blue pin (LG). The meter should read above 100 ohms and below 10,000 ohms.
4. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the red pin (R) and the green pin (RG). The meter should read between 100 ohms and below 10,000 ohms. The ohm reading should be the about the same as step #3 above.
5. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the white pin and the red pin. The meter should read "infinity" or "open".
6. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the blue pin and the green pin. The meter should read "infinity" or "open". (or 0-5 ohm)

​

If you get different results, the cartridge might have an internal defect. If you get similar results to the the numbers listed above, the cartridge is OK and any problem lies after the cartridge output.​

​

Post back with an update & we can discuss next steps!

 

[Montycat]

Remove the headshell and clean the contacts on both it and inside the end of the tonearm. They can get tarnished plus might not make good physical contact. If one pin on the headshell isn't protruding as much as the others (not common but it happens) or one of the spring loaded tonearm pins is not snapping back (a bit more common) it could cause this. Clean and prod the pins in the arm.

 

[cafe latte]

Bit of a problem, but you have the tools to solve this!

8 years is a long time for a stylus. How many hours of actual use? > 1000? Probably not the problem here, but should be addressed at same time...

Any event prior to losing sound? moved something? dropped something?
Lead wires rarely go bad during use, but maybe something vibrated loose over time. Cheap enough to change. Bit of effort, but OK to proceed for troubleshooting. You may have loosened things up with you swapped cartridges.

So you swapped cartridges & all works? What is the 2nd cartridge?
Did you swap back to M97? Can you check the cartridge for continuity?

View attachment 3626805​

Using an ohmmeter, you can check the continuity of a (Shure) MOVING MAGNET phono cartridge body.​

1. Remove any wires connected to the cartridge. You will test at the pins on the rear of the cartridge.
2. Set the ohmmeter so it can read up to 10,000 ohms.
3. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the white pin (L) and the blue pin (LG). The meter should read above 100 ohms and below 10,000 ohms.
4. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the red pin (R) and the green pin (RG). The meter should read between 100 ohms and below 10,000 ohms. The ohm reading should be the about the same as step #3 above.
5. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the white pin and the red pin. The meter should read "infinity" or "open".
6. Connect the ohmmeter leads to the blue pin and the green pin. The meter should read "infinity" or "open". (or 0-5 ohm)

​

If you get different results, the cartridge might have an internal defect. If you get similar results to the the numbers listed above, the cartridge is OK and any problem lies after the cartridge output.​

​

Post back with an update & we can discuss next steps!

I agree, 10 years is a very long time.
400 house would be huge for a fine elliptical even tracking light.
Chris

 

[Aerobat]

Pull and re-insert the stylus. I had one that dropped a channel frequently which is why I got away from these pickups (sorry Felix!).

 

[sound hound]

Using an ohmmeter, you can check the continuity of a (Shure) MOVING MAGNET phono cartridge body.

Just make sure the "ohmmeter" is digital, NOT analogue. I learned the hard way many years ago, and I hope I never forget it!

 

[Hajidub]

Just make sure the "ohmmeter" is digital, NOT analogue. I learned the hard way many years ago, and I hope I never forget it!

I don't think the OP's there yet, considering the blue wire (which brought back sound) is left and the issue is right channel. He's got wiring all crapped up. Good point on the analogue gauge, though for other things its much better.