Troubleshooting a Turntable

[paintballwebs]

Hey all, I am fairly new to the vinyl scene and I picked up a Garrard DD 131 at a garage sale today for $10 US. I was trying to listen to an album when I returned home, but the turntable is not outputting the audio to my receiver. It is working correctly as far as I can tell, because I can hear the album very faintly out of some internal speaker inside of the turntable. If anyone has any ideas, or if I am doing something wrong, please let me know. Thanks very much for your help.

Edit: I noticed that on the audio out cord, there are 3 seperate wires, the two audio plugs, and a third (smaller, running down the middle of the two audio wires) that has been cut off. Is this third cord necessary for audio output?

 

[DayLaPaul]

The third wire is probably the ground. There should be a spot on your receiver to attach it to. If not, find something metal.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: paintballwebs
Hey all, I am fairly new to the vinyl scene and I picked up a Garrard DD 131 at a garage sale today for $10 US. I was trying to listen to an album when I returned home, but the turntable is not outputting the audio to my receiver. It is working correctly as far as I can tell, because I can hear the album very faintly out of some internal speaker inside of the turntable. If anyone has any ideas, or if I am doing something wrong, please let me know. Thanks very much for your help.

Edit: I noticed that on the audio out cord, there are 3 seperate wires, the two audio plugs, and a third (smaller, running down the middle of the two audio wires) that has been cut off. Is this third cord necessary for audio output?

Turntables of this vintage need to be "pre-amped".

Older receivers had a "phono" input that took care of this.

If your receiver has no phono input, you need to buy a phono pre-amp.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: paintballwebs
It is working correctly as far as I can tell, because I can hear the album very faintly out of some internal speaker inside of the turntable.

:laugh:

Excuse me for chuckling, but there is no "internal speaker" inside the turntable. What you are hearing is the needle picking up the analog recording on the vinyl.

 

[deftron]

LOL the sound is coming directly from the needle / record ... there's no internal speaker.

Yes, third wire is ground but it it still should work hanging loose, just not too safe.

Most, likely the line out of the turntable is broken or your receiver doesn't have a preamp / turntable ability (many new ones do not). Do you have PHONO as a choice
in source selection ?

 

[paintballwebs]

Originally posted by: feralkid

Originally posted by: paintballwebs
It is working correctly as far as I can tell, because I can hear the album very faintly out of some internal speaker inside of the turntable.

:laugh:

Excuse me for chuckling, but there is no "internal speaker" inside the turntable. What you are hearing is the needle picking up the analog recording on the vinyl.

That is what I thought too... but had no idea of where it could be coming from. I think the problem is the pre-amp that people mentioned. Thanks for the quick help.

 

[paintballwebs]

No I don't have phono. Ill look into the preamp. Thanks for the speedy responses. Once again ATOT comes through in the clinch.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: paintballwebs

Originally posted by: feralkid

Originally posted by: paintballwebs
It is working correctly as far as I can tell, because I can hear the album very faintly out of some internal speaker inside of the turntable.

:laugh:

Excuse me for chuckling, but there is no "internal speaker" inside the turntable. What you are hearing is the needle picking up the analog recording on the vinyl.

That is what I thought too... but had no idea of where it could be coming from. I think the problem is the pre-amp that people mentioned. Thanks for the quick help.

Best of luck to you. Enjoy.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: deftron...Yes, third wire is ground but it it still should work hanging loose, just not too safe...

The ground wire has nothing to do with safety; it is there to reduce hum from the turntable.

 

[deftron]

You can get a phono preamp for like $20 from guitarcenter (DJ section) or get an old receiver with a preamp/PHONO source from a thrift store or yard sale for about the same price, if you just want to mess around and play some records.

 

[feralkid]

Originally posted by: deftron
You can get a phono preamp for like $20 from guitarcenter (DJ section) or get an old receiver with a preamp/PHONO source from a thrift store or yard sale for about the same price, if you just want to mess around and play some records.

Actually, you can find them all over.

Just google "phono preamp".

 

[deftron]

Originally posted by: feralkid

Originally posted by: deftron
You can get a phono preamp for like $20 from guitarcenter (DJ section) or get an old receiver with a preamp/PHONO source from a thrift store or yard sale for about the same price, if you just want to mess around and play some records.

Actually, you can find them all over.

Link.

I meant like in person...

Guitarcenter or radioshack is probably your best bet.

BTW that link is fail

 

[feralkid]

I meant good ones are online.

Google is your friend.

Radioshack sux.

 

[Squisher]

http://www.needledoctor.com/On...ySbxiNe34Pa38Ta38Qaxr0


btw-you most likely have a Moving Magnet cartridge