Your Guide to Troubleshooting Your Turntable

As with all things electrical, your turntable is just as vulnerable to faults. When this happens, calling in the professional shouldn’t be the first and foremost thing on your mind. Although some issues require a professional touch, you shouldn't be too quick to judge. Try checking things out for yourself. You not only save some money but also keep yourself busy and educated all in one session.

So, here’s how we help you; we’re giving you a list of steps you can follow to fix any issues arising with turntables in your home. This way, you don’t have to spend your free time in the frustration of now knowing what to do, and your turntable repair goes as smoothly as possible.

1. General inspection of the player

Switching off and disconnecting the turntable is the first step in the inspection. Examine the turntable for any signs of wear and tear. Examine the item for any damaged or missing components, dents, or chips. Compare the issue at hand to the owner's handbook or an image of the turntable when it was new.

Examine the connections on the turntable. Check the wires and connectors for broken or frayed connections at the power source. Examine the wires' continuity using a multimeter.

From the plug to the cartridge, use the multimeter to check for continuity and shorts. Examine the output cord for electrical and physical connections that are secure. When checking the signal route via the wires, a signal tracer is a handy instrument for generating a test signal. Once done, you can move to the next step.

2. Cleaning the turntable properly

The last thing you want with your record player is getting dirt on it. Although many of them come with dust seals and covers to prevent these component-damaging materials from dealing their damage, we strongly recommend you do manual cleaning. This is because dust and grime can still settle on the seals.

These particles won’t do any damage the first or second day they accumulate but, if left for long, they would make your device both faulty and unbearable to use. 

To get this done, get some anti-static, some rubbing alcohol and use them together. The rubbing alcohol removes tough particles and fingerprints. 

3. Cleaning the stylus

Experts highly recommend you clean your stylus after every playing session to keep your turntable in top shape. However, since we’re in real life, you could clean yours after every two or three playing sessions. You could use a paintbrush or a brush made for this purpose. 

You could also use a brush with soft bristles to get the job done well. Once ready, wipe the stylus from the back to the front. Doing it in any other way could cause potential damage to the needle. If you have some cash to spare, you could spend some on getting a polymer bubble cleaner to make cleaning your stylus a lot easier. 

4. Replacing the cartridge (if need be)

If, during your inspection, you notice all other components working in good condition, check out the cartridge. Unknowing to some, the cartridge is usually where most issues arise with a turntable. To confirm your suspicions, all other connections would be operational but the cartridge fails to produce a working signal. 

To fix this, note the manufacturer and model of the turntable and the cartridge before getting replacement parts. This is key to getting just the right one for your turntable. While at it, you might want to get a screwdriver as well for fixing the replacement parts.

5. Replacing the needle as well

Just like the cartridge, the needle also needs replacing as well. And while at it, it’s recommended you check the model of your needle so you don’t get the wrong replacement for your turntable repairs. Next, check through the manufacturer’s manual and follow the outlined steps. Feel free to seek help from professionals if you can’t do things yourself. 

When repairing your needle, you should use a magnifying lens to get a clearer view of the needle before removing the minute needle. Once done with the needle replacement, test its functionality with your old records before putting your favs at risk.

6. Replacing the tonearm cables

Tonearm cables that are broken, frayed, or defective should be replaced. Solderless or crimp connections should be used to replace the phonograph cartridge connections. 

Because the wires are tiny and easily broken, you must be very careful when threading the replacements through the tonearm. Cable connections may also be rusted or filthy. Reinstall these connections after cleaning them with sandpaper or emery cloth.

7. Repairing the power source of the turntable

When opposed to record cleaning and needle replacement, repairing the power source is significantly more difficult. If you are a hands-on person, though, this should not be an issue. The power supply will usually quit operating after a lengthy period of use. The problem is usually caused by snapped wires or a faulty circuit.

As a result, you may begin troubleshooting by examining the power supply and determining what is causing the failure.

The only way to fix a damaged circuit board is to replace the complete component. That may include soldering; as a result, be sure you're comfortable doing so. If the problem was caused by snapped wires, you can either replace the cables entirely or try to rejoin them. If any of this makes you uncomfortable, you might consider purchasing another power source. The good news is that they are not prohibitively costly.

Keep in mind that, when doing your turntable repairs yourself, things are likely to be confusing. If you ever reach this stage, make sure you refer your problems to a professional so they could help you out.

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