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Few problems on "new" tt

I just bought a Sansui sr-222 turn table, and, of course, there are a few problems... I just hope you guys can help me out.

First, it sounds awful... I gues the cartridge is'nt in to good a shape, but I could'nt tell (because I know nothing about turntables). It sounds "heavy" : the bass is kind of deap... The cartridge is a ltd-250 (?). I did not find any information on the setup (weight) it requires. If anyboby as any idea.
I will soon buy a knew one, but if I could have working meanwhile...

Second : it grinds. The belt seems to rub on its guide (speed selector). I tried to chang the adjustment, but it also changed the speed. So I set the speed again, and its noisy again. I tought about trying a silk wire.

Also : the motor shaft is spring loaded (I did not know that :-) ), The belt pulls on it when I start the tt, but on the short (and less restricive)side of its float, causing the shaft to rub on the rake (speed selector) and the belt to move on it. Could it be mounted with the float pointing in the wrong way?

I know these are pretty technical questions, and not fun to anwer at all. If you could help me, though, I would be glad to get to know how this thing works.
remi
bornin50
32 posts
 
Remi

The 222 and your records are definitely worth a new cartridge. Check out the Vinyl Asylum with a search on the Sansui for other views of it's potential. Poster 'Timestandsstill' has done a great mod on his.

Power to you for your diy work so far.

Regards
aceto
273 posts
 
Kill it before it kills your records and your enthusiasm. Let it go and wait as long as your budget demands.
remi OP
15 posts
 
Would you please explain how it could kill my records?

I thought that a correct cartridge with a good stylus and all this properly tuned could not arm my records... Seems I am misting, but I do not see where. I would really like to know.

(I'm almost glad I bought the sr-222 only to see all those different opinions...)
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Remi, in your original post you say, "I guess the cartridge isn't in too good a shape, but I couldn't tell...." I take this to mean that you do not know how many hours of use are on the cartridge, or how it was maintained. A diamond is very hard and vinyl is very soft. As a stylus wears the polish on the diamond becomes ragged and the cut wears where the diamond contacts the groove. This distortion in the original shape of the diamond stylus can actually recut the groove, destroying the audible quality of your records, forever. You should either find a Hi-Fi shop that has the proper microscope and knowledge to determine that your stylus is in good shape or buy a new one. This is especially true since new cartridges start at about $40.00. Good luck.
Marty
remi OP
15 posts
 
Thank you for that last bit of information on LP wear.

I've been recomended a Grado Black cartridge, but other told me it might be a little too heavy for the already heavy SR-222 arm wich is said to weight 11 grams... ( + 5.5g for the cartridge, wich would be .5grams over the 12-16grams total effective mass cartridge recommandation). However, I find this model interesting -- as far as I can trust the descriptions I had : good quality, rich sound, not too bright, affordable. Is .5grams over specs a big issue?

Note that I am not shure about the numbers I was given...
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