Music Hall mmf-7 spins faster

Just grasping at straws here, but have you at any point taken your complete turntable to another location, such as your friend's house, and tried it there? Although it would seem unlikely, perhaps there is something grossly wrong with your ac power, either the frequency being too high, or unusually large amounts of harmonic distortion. If, as I suspect, the turntable's rotational speed is synchronized to the power line frequency, perhaps that could be the explanation.

Also, you've undoubtedly checked this, but just to be sure, could there be an accumulation of some sort of detritus around the rim of the small pulley, that would in effect increase its diameter?

Regards,
-- Al

As a matter of fact, I did: no change.

The small pulley is clean, the larger one too (as I have tried to correct that speed problem with a Pro-Ject Speed Box II).

I am expecting another motor from Music Hall, but at this rate, I doubt that will change a thing. We'll see...

Dweller, I did some research on the web about variable voltage modifiers (variac) and found them to be a very interesting item and not pricey at all (I confess that I didn't know anything about them before). Would you care to recommend a particular one (preferably sold at The Home Depot/Lowe's or Sears or Radio Shack) that I could use in that kind of application to make sure that I have the correct constant voltage? In addition, would it be "crazy" to use it in combination with my voltage regulator?

Please advise.

My only exposure to an audiophile grade variac was at Superior Audio (Chicago) in the mid 1990s. The propriator had a unit made by Merril Audio or Conrad-Johnson? -I can't remember. He used it to warm up his Tube amps (slowly and gently).

You could cruise Ebay or even AGon for used units.

I'm wondering if PS Audio's famous A/C conditioners have a voltage dial-in feature?

Finally, I think member TVAD could advise you better than I (BTW, TVAD is a former MMF-7 owner).

My feeling is that pursuing a variac-type device is not worthwhile at this point. Although I'm not familiar with this particular design, I would expect the design of any turntable to be essentially insensitive to ac line voltage variations, within a reasonable range (although it quite likely is sensitive to ac frequency); you've measured that the voltage is perfectly reasonable; you've tried a voltage regulator; you've tried the turntable at another location; and you've tried two alternative ac power supplies (your friend's, and the Speedbox).

Another thought is that in my (extensive) experience as an electrical engineer, often when a problem is particularly baffling, and making all kinds of substitutions does not help, it turns out that there are two problems simultaneously present. Such as one of the substitute parts having a similar problem to the original. I don't know what that might mean here, but it's something to think about while you wait for the next motor to arrive.

Regards,
-- Al