Record player playing fast - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

lightning · 5th Oct 2022, 9:02 pm

l have a Fidelity HF42 suitcase record player which l've owned since l was a kid.

However it plays noticeably fast, to the point where l can't really use it. lt's probably only 5-10% out but renders it unusable.

I take it there's no way to adjust or change the speed, it's got a synchronous motor driving an idler wheel against the platter.

lt's fast on all the speeds. Maybe if l held a file against the motor spindle to reduce the diameter of the stepped pulley very slightly? 33 and 45rpm

16 and 78rpm are never used.

Station X · 5th Oct 2022, 9:21 pm

Chances are the motor has dropped due to perished grommets. This means that the idler does not sit correctly on the motor spindle.

ben · 5th Oct 2022, 10:19 pm

First thing to do is remove the platter and check the motor pulley. It should be shiny metallic in appearence. If there is any buildup of crud there, the symptoms are as you describe. I notice this more with plastic platter decks. Clean with IPA. For stubborn deposits use an emery file.

Do the same for the inner rim of the platter.

The rubber grommet failure will likely make it slow down not speed up, but do check them.

Thee is a metal screw on the idler bracket which allows some fine tuning of the speed.

Chris R · 6th Oct 2022, 2:15 pm

Is the idler mounting free to move vertically up and down its spindle?
It could be sticking between two speeds.

Chris R

5th Oct 2022, 9:02 pm	#1
lightning Heptode Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 712	Record player playing fast l have a Fidelity HF42 suitcase record player which l've owned since l was a kid. However it plays noticeably fast, to the point where l can't really use it. lt's probably only 5-10% out but renders it unusable. I take it there's no way to adjust or change the speed, it's got a synchronous motor driving an idler wheel against the platter. lt's fast on all the speeds. Maybe if l held a file against the motor spindle to reduce the diameter of the stepped pulley very slightly? 33 and 45rpm 16 and 78rpm are never used.

5th Oct 2022, 9:21 pm	#2
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,288	Re: Record player playing fast Chances are the motor has dropped due to perished grommets. This means that the idler does not sit correctly on the motor spindle. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

5th Oct 2022, 10:19 pm	#3
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Record player playing fast First thing to do is remove the platter and check the motor pulley. It should be shiny metallic in appearence. If there is any buildup of crud there, the symptoms are as you describe. I notice this more with plastic platter decks. Clean with IPA. For stubborn deposits use an emery file. Do the same for the inner rim of the platter. The rubber grommet failure will likely make it slow down not speed up, but do check them. Thee is a metal screw on the idler bracket which allows some fine tuning of the speed. __________________ Regards, Ben.

6th Oct 2022, 2:15 pm	#4
Chris R Pentode Join Date: Nov 2021 Location: Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, Scotland, UK. Posts: 183	Re: Record player playing fast Is the idler mounting free to move vertically up and down its spindle? It could be sticking between two speeds. Chris R