any 1 know how to tune a record player?

[TheJester]

i have a record player (i know, talk about old, but still) i want to listen to a bunch of my parents' old records, i had it up and running at 1 point, but now, no matter what, they sound like crap (even for records, a clean record w/ a good needle, and such actually sound very good) i have it balanced, w/ about 1.5 grams of weight on it, but can't get it to sound any better, new needle, new cartridge? any ideas, i have no clue how to tune a record player seeing taht i'm only 16

[Trench]

*Wonders if it is possible*

*Wonders if he has seen one other than the Smithsonian*

[Mango]

ok it's most likely the whole cartriage or the spline on the needle (the part you can't see). I used to sell home audio and we carried the $3,000. record players that you see in magazines (and yes, they do sound better than regular ones) haha. Anyway, thats the extent of my phonograph knowledge. Those suckers can cost a lot too, upwards of $50 bucks if my memory is correct. Good luck!

[rhetor22]

well you could just have the speed too slow.

How are you sure that the needle is good?

Put your ear up to where the needle touches the record, and see if it sounds like crap there. Make sure you have the speakers turned off.

[TheJester]

i'm not sure if the needle is good, but last time i checked (5 months ago or so) it was just peachy, so i'm not sure, it hasn't been used, so i don't know why the needle would go bad, they don't just go bad do they? but it sounds as if i have a loose connection on the speakers (i know i don't, because cd's sound just fine, i don't think i could get a better connection on the speakers), and the vocals are always off, yes it's grounded, and yes everything is hooked up right, so it sounds like either the needle or teh cartridge?

*edit* any you guys that are dj's or something as day jobs?

[dave_p]

there may be a pitch control depending on the turntable in question. also if the antiskate is set wrong the needle wont want to stay in the groove. if you have too much weight on the head of the tonearm the excessive drag can cause pitch problems as well as wear the stylus. cartridges rarely fail, usually you replace them to accommodate a different stylus.
the belt may be stretched or just dirty. clean it with alcohol. any skin oil or dirt on the belt wil make the sound uneven and out of pitch.
lastly sometimes the fine wires in the tonearm will break or wear only hanging on by a thread. this will affect sound as well but sounds like a hum or ground problem. it wont affect pitch.