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Speed Problem - Crosley CR 48PH

B

BruceOne

New Member
I am in need of some assistance. I managed to acquire a Crosley CR 48PH from an auction. It was stated that the turntable did not spin, turns out the belt had just popped loose. The problem is a speed one now.

During my first work with it, the speed was too slow at 33 1/3, it was running at about 27 rpm. I did some lube work on the motor and other parts, and I shrank the belt a bit. Now, it’s running a touch fast.

There are no speed control screws anywhere in the unit that I can find. There is a local vinyl store that will most likely have a replacement belt but I’d love some opinions as to whether that is the culprit before I spend the money. Any thoughts that might fix this issue would help. Thanks!
 
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BruceOne said:
I am in need of some assistance. I managed to acquire a Crosley CR 48PH from an auction. It was stated that the turntable did not spin, turns out the belt had just popped loose. The problem is a speed one now.

During my first work with it, the speed was too slow at 33 1/3, it was running at about 27 rpm. I did some lube work on the motor and other parts, and I shrank the belt a bit. Now, it’s running a touch fast.

There are no speed control screws anywhere in the unit that I can find. There is a local vinyl store that will most likely have a replacement belt but I’d love some opinions as to whether that is the culprit before I spend the money. Any thoughts that might fix this issue would help. Thanks!
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A new belt would be worth a try.

I doubt anyone on here has any experience with Crosley.

If you look around you'll probably realise why.
 
Welcome to AK, Bruce! Well, you're likely going to get kind of a "cool shoulder" here talking about the Crosley.....but hey, maybe that's your first table and you'd like to get it running so you can decide whether records are for you or not? Messing with belts can really be a hit and miss proposition so you can either continue to do that and take your chances, or you can get a new one (for about $18 from lpgear) and at least have that piece of the puzzle sorted. Whether or not that fixes the speed problem is anybody's guess, though. As Ken and gizzy say, these tables may never spin exactly right, so new belt or not, roll the dice. They are more of a novelty, a toy of sorts, than a real tool with which to experience vinyl records. But, you can have some fun with it and not spend a ton of $$$ in the process. If you get it working, at least almost working right, you can probably find someone willing to pay you what you have in it and call it good. Good luck with it and again, welcome to the forum amigo!
 
Fair that there are much better turntables out there. I certainly don't endorse Crosley, we knew it was cheap when we got it. However, our vinyl collection is not vast, and I don't really have a high-end audio setup, and I'm not yet seeking to create one. This particular unit was obtained for an outstanding price, and despite the speed issues, the sound it puts out is actually not bad at all. I certainly wouldn't call it superb, but it will definitely do what we need it to do. The look of the case is appealing for where it is going, and it will do there what we need it to.

The belt seems like the culprit since it ran too slowly at first, and now runs too quickly. I'd also seen posted theories about adding some special tape along the belt path (around the platter portion or around the spindle) as a means of adjusting it. Perhaps it is accurate that the player might never have spun at exactly the correct speed, but it would be worth exploring to see if it could be. I have a friend who might be able to help me look at the main board and see if a speed control of sorts could be added. But, before that investment becomes a priority, I was hoping some might have some thoughts on it. I greatly appreciate any info! Thank you!
 
Thanks for reporting back, Bruce, and best of luck with your venture! I kind of had the thought that this might be your objective and a valid one indeed, so getting a new belt might very well be worth the small investment. Again, welcome to AK amigo!
 
As suggested, I'd buy a new belt and go from there. If the speed is incorrect on any belt drive - Crosley or expensive Rega etc - it's the place to start.

I'd also clean the motor pulley and the belt placement on the platter. If you have some Iso prop alcohol use that, if not, a barely damp microfibre cloth should be fine.
 
BruceOne the Crosley table is in the toy class of turntables that would be best left for children 10 and under, even they might be disappointed. The reason you paid so little for it is the build quality/design/materials/performance are as poor as it gets. If it was me I wouldn't invest one more penny in it and kick it to the curb.
 
I know we're all trying to be nice to the OP because he's new, but let's call it what it is: it's a garbage turntable, plain and simple.

Sorry, OP.

We'd be much more helpful asking the OP if he has a budget to work with, so he can get something that'll actually work properly.

I wouldn't waste one more second of my life trying to "fix" it.
 
I see these Crosley turntables at Goodwill all the time for $19.99 - $29.99 and honestly wouldn't recommend them if they were free.

My recommendation to the OP is to drop it off at your local Goodwill, take the tax deduction and let it become someone else's problem.

Records have come quite expensive and valuable. Best case, your records won't sound right on a table incapable of spinning the platter at the correct speed. Worst case, if the tonearm is maladjusted or out of spec, or the cartridge is improperly aligned and tracking too heavily, it could damage your records. Even a modest record collection is worth more than one of these poorly built Croselys.

It's too bad the OP doesn't list his location in his profile. If he is located anywhere near me, I'd offer to help him find a good deal on a used, vintage table and offer to service it and install and align a cartridge for free. I'm sure there are other forum members that would offer to give him a hand. He may not have bought the "right" table, but if it's help he wants, he came to the right place.
 
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