It seems like my turntable is playing my LPs out of tune. I've made sure everything is level, I've adjusted the azimuth, set the correct counterweight, and set the antiskate to the level suggested for the cartridge. What could be causing this? As far as I can tell, my stylus isn't bent or anything. I'm using a Pro-ject Debut Carbon turntable with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge that came pre-mounted with the turntable. My records have always sounded just slightly out of tune, but I just put in a new LP today and it sounds terrible. Is it possible that it's getting worse, or could it just be a bad pressing? Any help?
Turntable is making records sound out of tune...
- Thread starter hiimbored
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When you say "out of tune," does the music have a watery or warbling sound? If so, that's a coloration called flutter. There are several potential causes including a bad belt, a bad motor, problems with the motor mounting, or a mismatch between your tolerance for flutter and the speed stability that the turntable is capable of delivering.
Lube the bearing lately?
illini
The Past is Alive
The Pro-ject Debut Carbon doesn't have transport screws.
This is way over my head (and I don't have a printer).
Bob_in_OKC
Addicted Member
Dr Tinear makes a good point. Some people's ears are a little too good for the turntable. You might never be satisfied without a better one. I'd suggest asking other people to listen to it and see if they notice the same thing.
illini
The Past is Alive
Public library. Fedex office/Kinkos. KABUSA.com
By no means am I an audiophile. The out-of-tune sound is fairly obvious. It's not a "wobbling" as someone mentioned earlier; the instruments in the songs just sound like they are out of tune (the vocals sound pretty unaffected though).
marcmorin
RIP 1953-2020
Dang, by that description it sounds like country and western in reverse :scratch2:
Mchaz
Outputs roasting on an...
To check for speed stability I often turn to records with a pianist in a small jazz ensemble (Bill Evans trio is great). Speed problems become readily apparent to me when there is a warble in the sustained piano notes.
Of course a strobe disc is the most definite way of checking. As someone else mentioned, all you need to do is go to a public library with a couple of quarters to print one out. Cut out the spindle hole, lay it on the turntable, and point an AC powered incandescent light at the strobe disc. The light will flash imperceptibly at your mains frequency (60Hz for the US and 50Hz for much of the remainder of the world). The combination of the spinning lines on the strobe disc and the flashing light create an effect called aliasing (http://youtu.be/A-19SxqZ8Qs).
In the case of a strobe disc, the aliasing effect is used to our advantage. The spacing between the strobe disc lines is tuned to the frequency of the light, which flashes at the AC power frequency. The combination causes us to perceive the lines as being stationary when the turntable platter is spinning at the correct speed.
Simply put, if the lines appear to travel in one direction or the other the turntable is not spinning at the correct speed. If the lines appear to freeze in position then the turntable speed is spot on.
Of course a strobe disc is the most definite way of checking. As someone else mentioned, all you need to do is go to a public library with a couple of quarters to print one out. Cut out the spindle hole, lay it on the turntable, and point an AC powered incandescent light at the strobe disc. The light will flash imperceptibly at your mains frequency (60Hz for the US and 50Hz for much of the remainder of the world). The combination of the spinning lines on the strobe disc and the flashing light create an effect called aliasing (http://youtu.be/A-19SxqZ8Qs).
In the case of a strobe disc, the aliasing effect is used to our advantage. The spacing between the strobe disc lines is tuned to the frequency of the light, which flashes at the AC power frequency. The combination causes us to perceive the lines as being stationary when the turntable platter is spinning at the correct speed.
Simply put, if the lines appear to travel in one direction or the other the turntable is not spinning at the correct speed. If the lines appear to freeze in position then the turntable speed is spot on.
wushuliu
Super Member
Sounds like typical wow and flutter, especially as vocals are fine but instruments are not. I can hear the same thing even in Youtube clips of the entry level Pro-ject and Rega tables. Just means you are sensitive to it. Many of us are. This is a 'feature' not a bug for some tables. Unfortunately it means you are going to have to shell out a lot more money for a new table that has less of it. I did not notice it quite as much with the clips of the MMF 2.2 table however.
[Vintage/Technics recommendation in 3...2...1...]
Now that... we have resolved that this is issue is.. unresolvable..allow me to make a suggestion
you could.... Buy a new-in-box.. technics sl-1200
:lmao:
actually does anyone think if speed issues were the case then he could go get one of those Pro-Ject speed boxes?
I hear that they are a huge improvement in speed stability and overall somehow. If it was still bothersome then you could climb the ladder, and still have the speed box for your next TT
wushuliu
Super Member
I think buying a 'speed box' to remedy an issue that shouldn't be there sounds like throwing good money after bad. Might as well use that money to get a better table which would also have a better arm, better overall sound quality, etc.