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Sony PS-LX500 / LX510 / LX520 / LX55 / LX57 knowledge thread

I grabbed a LX55 MK2 from my dad basement. It a bad tonearm belt, so I replaced it. Everything seems to be working as it should the arms moved, the auto worked. So, I hoked it up and it plays crazy fast out of control fast. 33 or 45 the light change but the speed doesn't change, there is also no quartz lock light on. There is no speed adjustment on it, so the aren't really pots to clean. I opened it up and it seem all that its controlled by switches in don't think deoxit would help, but who knows. Its super clean inside too, none of the caps are even bulging let along leaking.

Any ideas?
 
N84434 said:
Hello good people:
First time caller and long time listener here...
I've resurrected my dad's 520 that he bought new in 1991. I've recently gotten back into playing some vinyl, and his Sony seemed like a fine turntable to use. I cleaned it up, installed a new cartridge/Stylus, replaced the belt and replaced the rubber platter mat with an Acrylic one. I'm experiencing a "thump" through the speakers every time the tone arm tracks on the record. I've read about cleaning and lubricating the rod that the arm rides on, which I did. However, I've tried various lubricants with no success. I did thoroughly clean that rod, but still no success. I haven't tried just cleaning it and not using anything, so perhaps I'll try that tonight. Pretty much makes this turntable unusable.
What have you folks found to work, or are You just living with it?

I did read Levin's post about the Nano Lube, so maybe that's an option???

cheers...
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You may have figured out your problem already but I'll chime in now since I was fighting the same problem for a while and now cured it. Once the belt is replaced it is worth cleaning/lubricating the transport system - entirely. That would include the rollers on which the transport cord travels, as well as the bearing rod. I used a synthetic clock oil for the rollers and various greases on the rod, including graphite grease, dry teflon lube, and finally settling on good old fashioned white LibriPlate grease. None of these greases got rid of the thumping, although some would make it a bit quieter. Finally did a thorough interrogation of the repair manual and noticed that there is an additional support point, which is barely mentioned, called the "switch body". The switch body does 2 things: carries the contacts for the switch that determines the stop positions for the stylus carriage (2 record sizes and end of record) and provides a second support point for the carriage. After cleaning the "bar" beneath the rod and lightly lubricating it... no more heartbeat thumping!
 
rread13 said:
I upgraded both tables platter light for the record detection to a clear LED, nice and bright. I have made a few LP transfers with the PS-LX520 and a Shure 110HE cartridge to make some LP to CD recordings and the transfers sound really good.
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Do you happen to remember what LED you used for the record detection? I would like to use something brighter for my PS-LX510 as well.
 
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I've just picked up a PS-LX55 and it has the thumping (heartbeat) problem. i've tried lubricating the bar with no luck. The belt has a little kink but only slight. Should that matter?
 
I doubt it. I've temporarily used a rubber band at one point. As for the lubrication, I've found that with pslx55 that used to always work properly, if I don't use it for a year or so, that it needed to be silicone greased about 3-4 times before playing a record in full. It's can be a pain, but small one. Just grease the bar and use the forward and back buttons until it can travel all the way and ya shoupd be good to go. I had to gracefully nudge mine along last time. But it should eventually work.
 
thanks i replaced the belt and lubed the rail and it seems ok now.
but now the speed seems a bit slow. running at 32.91 rpm on the 33 1/3 setting.
Any way to adjust that?
 
bekobiliya said:
Do you happen to remember what LED you used for the record detection? I would like to use something brighter for my PS-LX510 as well.
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I’ve been away from the forum for awhile (my gear was in storage) the lamps I used were LED 7-9 volt 20ma rated and had a resistor inline heatshrink wrapped , not sure what value registers were but it was there to protect the LED from to much voltage. I don’t remember the source I bought from, likely an eBay seller from China, it was awhile ago. The bag had 8 lamps left in it, I installed lamps in two tables a PS-LX500 and a 520. The lamps are much brighter than the original incandescent. I had given my 520 table to my best friend when I moved from Florida. I bought a 510 recently and will be going through it soon, it works but the rebuild will be for preventative maintenance for longevity.
 
It's odd and yet probably a good thing, of all the nuances we take and differences audiophiles have along their journey. I'm grateful to have grown up using a PS-LX55......and even though I've had many more "high end" tables pass through my hands and yet.........without a doubt, I'll always have one of these tables in my main setup. And ironically, nostalgia be damned!! I flat out find these spurned linear tracking tables, to sound every bit as good as any other tables out there. Between potential preamps, amps, speakers and various setups or gear; one can tweak/change b/t carts, or a styli, etc. and get to where I require in regards to sound quality. ANother great side effect in my journey, has been thoughout all the various ignorant college roomates and parties, etc. (In terms of handling and using turntables in general) and yet all my great 1990s 1st pressings are still clean without scratches and still sound as if they are without any wear. Its nice to set it and forget it, as it were. or avoiding the inevitable accidental bump or misalignment to gouge a favorite record at times. I hope the hate keeps coming so they stay so dang affordable, for the most part. 10yrs ago we snag all of these models for 20 bucks, easy.
 
Has anyone had tonearm wire issues with the PS-LX55 before?
It seems that mine loses the right or left channel as well as getting hum sometimes.
If I open the arm cover and touch the tonearm wires with a toothpick the sound comes back again.
But sometimes the problem comes back after fitting a different cartridge. Probably makes the wires move slightly again.
Is there a fix where I don't have to dismantle the whole arm?
 
I'm not an expert here, but it really sounds like a cold solder, maybe a frayed or faulty wire to me if just moving a wire around can change how it behaves. If you are comfortable with a soldering iron, use some silver solder and start reflowing all solder points you can find, at least that is where I would start. I wish you luck!
 
gilrat10 said:
Has anyone had tonearm wire issues with the PS-LX55 before?
It seems that mine loses the right or left channel as well as getting hum sometimes.
If I open the arm cover and touch the tonearm wires with a toothpick the sound comes back again.
But sometimes the problem comes back after fitting a different cartridge. Probably makes the wires move slightly again.
Is there a fix where I don't have to dismantle the whole arm?
Click to expand...
I had a similar issue with a PS-LX500 I had. One of the internal tone arm wire for one of the channels somehow became dislocated or pushed out of the socket. I did have to take apart the arm and rebend the clips retension tab for it to lock into place. A bit of a pain but it was necessary to truely fix the problem.
 
Hi all, as a caution I am a bit of a rookie when it comes to repairing and maintaining electronics. I’m having some issues with my lx-510 tonearm tracking. I’ve just picked up this turntable from a friend and when I first tried using it the tone arm was stuck. I’ve replaced the belt and lubed up the rail which has almost seemed to work too well! Now the tonearm is “skating” (is what it’s called from what I can gather), where the stylus will quickly move across the record over the grooves and pulls the tonearm with it. The manual recommends adjusting the tonearm tracking force with the lever on the side of the tonearm, which I have done as much as I can towards the heavier resistance, but it hasn’t seemed to make any difference to the problem. Any suggestions?? Help! I love this record player and can’t wait to use it.
 
What you are describing is most likely still being caused by a carridge arm sled bearing (brass bearing) and rail (graphite impregnated) that needs to be cleaned. I had the same problem on multiple tables, once the maintenance of carefully disassembling the arm and rail and having an electronics cotton swab with lighter fluid or 91% isopropyl alcohol run through the arms brass cylinder to clean all lint or fibers out from ear cuetips. It must be absolutely free of any lint, fibers of any sort, and any grease. The rail is built with graphite inbetted in it, and if I remember correctly the service manual states not to use any lubes on it. If any are used I'd use only silicone, very lightly. You don't want to have a mechanisim that will eventually attract dust again and cause the very same issue you are attempting to resolve. Please try this first and report back. Below are further steps to take if the above does not solve your issue. Also I am assuming you have a new correct size belt and the motor pulley is not slick from any lubes, or oils? This also must be clean.


The tone arm should be virtually parallel at all times and have minute (very small) adjustments toward the inside of the record as it is play to maintain its tangential tracking. Is you arm toward the inside or outside of the record? If the arm is toward the inside it means it's actually lagging and being pulled forward. Have you ever had the arm cover off and watched the inside mechanism? There is a micro servo control that can be adjusted that may help. Do you have a copy of the service manual to read up on? One of the prior tables I owned had the same problem. I solved it by making a slight adjustment on the arms servo control and cured my table of the dreaded "crab crawl" some complain about. It's audibly imperceivable when listening closely even with headphones. If done correctly you will have zero arm thump even on very quiet passages on your favorite records.
 
Hey, so is the PS LX-510 able to play 180g records ? Saw some people saying it could and some saying it couldn't, thought to check it out.
 
Please, call me "Wil" - I haven't known myself as "Doz" in years.
I'm on my 2nd PS-LX500; the problem is, either the repair org and/or the original ownor(s) didn't give a damn about its "stylus drop point".
On 12" records, the tonearm drops AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE LEAD-IN.
On 7" records, it MISSES THE LEAD-IN ENTIRELY.
I want to know: How may I open the tonearm cover? And please tell me everything about the "arm pipe horizontal position adjustment screw".
Thanks.
 
Doz Hewson said:
Please, call me "Wil" - I haven't known myself as "Doz" in years.
I'm on my 2nd PS-LX500; the problem is, either the repair org and/or the original ownor(s) didn't give a damn about its "stylus drop point".
On 12" records, the tonearm drops AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE LEAD-IN.
On 7" records, it MISSES THE LEAD-IN ENTIRELY.
I want to know: How may I open the tonearm cover? And please tell me everything about the "arm pipe horizontal position adjustment screw".
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Wow no one has been here in a while to answer your question. The arm cover has three very small screws, remove them and the cover comes off. The arm screw that you'll adjust has a flathead screw while other adjustment areas have small Phillips ones. Put a record on your table and make small adjustments I believe counter clockwise, then press play and check if it dropped inward or outward. You'll quickly figure this out and make changes till it drops at the lead-in correctly. I don't have any 45's so I never needed to check this sizes drop on lead-in.
 
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