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Apocalypse Now?—Technics sp10 problem s

I’d been enjoying my Technics sp-10 mkii for a couple of months now but recently it’s sending out signs of giving up the ghost.

When I first bought it, the start/stop function was halting in the sense that I would have to push the button several times in order for it to perform the function. Independently of that, I bought bearing grease and after adding some drops, the halting start/stop problem more or less disappeared. Great.

But then the strobe light went out. It still comes on occasionally but it’s intermittent. Unless that’s a sign of deeper ailments though, I could care less about that.

Worse: if I play a record now after first turning on the TT, the speed is obviously haywire. One symptom is that the gear mechanism is clearly audible in the form of an unusual and grating grinding sound. Playing records when it’s like this is of course out of the question. The good news is that, for now, if I let the motor spin by itself (without the cartridge on) for about 10 minutes or so, the issue goes away. That is, the speed is dead on for the remainder of the listening session (I played it for almost 8 hours yesterday with no problems), and the grinding noise is gone. The bad news is that all this may be just a sign of an impending apocalyptic failure.

So, I'd like to deal with the issue before it gets to that stage. Can someone suggest the cause? Or better: the cure. Or, alternatively, and best of all since I’m not handy enough to actually fix anything complex, can anyone suggest a reputable service shop where I could bring it? I live in Los Angeles. I’m hesitant to ship it because I don’t have the motor clamp for shipping. For all I know, that may be the original cause since the seller shipped mine without the clamp. I guess I could have a clamp fabricated if that’s my only choice.

It’s a wonderful TT and would hate for it to die so soon in our journey together. Final question: if there’s a repair shop, should I go ahead and replace capacitors, etc..? What are people’s opinions on that?

Thanks.
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pryso
1,933 posts
 
Banquo, two suggestions.

One of the best turntable experts in the US is not far away - Brooks Berdan (I think in Monrovia). I would call him Monday morning and ask for his recommendation.

If that fails send me a PM for a suggestion in San Diego.

Good luck.
lewm
13,118 posts
 
I agree with Tim. If Bruce Berdan is still working, then he is the guy closest to you who can help you the most. However, last I heard he was ill and/or retired or retiring. Anyway, it would pay to contact him.

When you say that the shaft is loose, can you amplify on that? Do you mean that the spindle can be "wiggled" when seated in the bearing well? If that's true, it is unlikely that this extensive level of wear occurred during your period of ownership. Is there any visible wobble when the platter spins?
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banquo363 OP
371 posts
 
Thanks Pryso, I'll call Brooks Berdan tomorrow. I've also emailed Bill Thalmann.

Lewm: nothing is loose and there's no wobble that I can detect. When the spindle housing is lifted off the motor, there is a shaft that is revealed. The top of that shaft (which comes into contact with the bottom of the spindle housing) is worn. It's not smooth and there's uneven wear. I don't know whether that it is to blame for any of the symptoms. This was a studio TT so it doesn't surprise me that there's some wear. What does surprise me is that the brake looks brand new (maybe they rarely used it?).

What puzzles me is why the buzzing noise and speed issues go away after running the motor for a bit. I'm happy that it does, of course, since it would be useless to me otherwise.

And I've noticed another symptom just now: when the buzzing reaches its peak level, the entire TT vibrates (I have no plinth; the motor rests on 3 Audio Technica feet).
rwwear
2,871 posts
 
You may want to check here:
http://www.artisanfidelity.com/Detailed-restoration-photographs.html
lewm
13,118 posts
 
Dear Banquo, Your verbal description does not paint a picture I can remember from having been "inside" my own SP10 Mk2. Perhaps I will take a look to refresh my memory. In any case, it is a relief to know that you don't have any spindle or platter wobble.

Now you say you have no plinth, it is possible that the vibration you experience at start-up is normal, if it goes away within a few seconds. The high torque of the motor WILL cause the chassis to want to spin in the opposite direction from platter rotation. (Remember Newton's 3rd Law of Motion?) At turn-on, max torque is elicited until the platter moves off from rest. During that brief period, it is quite normal for the un-anchored chassis to vibrate irregularly. I don't know whether this is the complete explanation for your dilemma, but it certainly sounds like this normal phenomenon is playing a role. In my own case, my Mk2 acted like it could walk off the shelf, when I started it up prior to its installation into a plinth. I daresay the Mk3 might actually take off in that scenario. Try physically restraining the chassis, and tell us what happens then.
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