Just bought a turntable....questions questions

[mushroomgod]

Hi All,

I picked upa second hand Rega Plainer 2 (glass plater version/stright arm) and I have a few questions if thats okay?

all up and running it sounds great but theres 2 very minor poblems..

The moter takes quite a while to get up and running, infact I think the motor is fine - I think the problem is the belt, is it common for them to loose slack over time? Edit....Iv removed the glass plater, I think the motors fine, I think its the little black disk that the belt runs from, it seems to spin a bit before it gets upto speed.

I didnt expect it to have built in/attached phono leads, On inspection they are a little dirty, maybe a little corroded. Has anyone ever replaced these with higher quality ones, they seem to travel into the plater though and I can see no real way of getting to them other than to remove the arm?

cheers all!

 

[chebby]

Get a new belt anyway. If you don't have a Rega dealer nearby then phone one and they will send it to you.

Don't stand there watching a Rega struggling to start up.

Use the 'digital startup' method always with any heavy plattered belt drive TT. (Not just Rega's)

Take a digit - either hand - and use it to push the glass platter in the correct direction and at the same time switch on. It preserves the life of both motor and belt.

Don't switch off/on again in between records. This is why there is a felt mat to facilitate flipping a record over easily whilst the platter is still turning.

mushroomgod:I think the moters fine, I think its the little black disk that the belt runs from, it seems to spin a bit before it gets upto speed.

If the pulley is slipping on the motor shaft/axle then it needs to be eased off and then put back on with a small spot of superglue.

Make sure the pulley is at the same height when back on the shaft otherwise the belt will run too low on the sub-platter and fall off or, if too high, the top of the pulley could 'foul' on the underside of the glass platter.

I can't help you with dirty/corroded contacts apart from advising you clean them as best you can. This is between you and the vendor and comes down to the truthfulness of the description and whether it merits a refund or not.

Either that or send it to a Rega dealer to give to Rega for servicing. (This is why people buy new stuff with 3 years of support. Buy used in 'unknown' condition from a stranger and you risk having to spend a lot more getting it good again.)

 

[John Duncan]

As for the wiring loom, there are DIY and fitted kits available (google Origin Live and Incognito), but they might be a bit more than you want to spend, and Rega would argue that the existing wiring is fine. Worth cleaning the phonos with some Servisol though.

 

[mushroomgod]

cheers for the advice guys!.. Going to find some glue and refit that pulley.!

As for the phonos, there not to bad, and Im not that worried about it, Im sure a good clean with fix them up no problem. Apart from the small minor problems Iv raised, its in perfect condition, not a scratch, not a dent, not a sciff anyware, and it sounds better, cleaner than my MTTI , so Im a happy bunny!

 

[Oldenbroke]

I have been running an older RP2 - wood surround, glass platter, 'S' chrome arm / Rega cartridge, since 1982 - and that was second hand. Only changed the belt twice and have never replaced the cables or had it serviced. Still sounds fantastic. The 'digital start' is good advice (I was told the same thing when I bought mine!). I am sure you will get many years of happy listening from it, enjoy.

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Belts are around £15-20 and well worth it for the little they cost. Mine needed replacing every 1000hrs or so, so a Planar could well need a new one.

It's normal for the platter to take quite a while to come up to speed (anything up to 20 seconds - I normally gave mine a helping hand), and putting your finger on the top of the motor pulley can give the impression that it's slipping, as it's an AC motor, so the vibrations have that effect. Again, a new belt may help.

As for the phono plugs, you can get decent gold-plated ones from Maplin, and they aren't too tricky to solder onto the phono lead. Failing that, a dealer should be able to do this (or find a techy mate who can!)

Good turntable though - nice purchase!

 

[Anonymous]

When I had a RP3 there was a motor upgrade for about £150 which improved start up speed and gave a more stable speed under running - well worth it MAX did mine.

 

[chebby]

crimsondonkey:When I had a RP3 there was a motor upgrade for about £150 which improved start up speed and gave a more stable speed under running - well worth it MAX did mine.

The upgrade kit is £80 for the Planar 2 version and £85 for the Planar 3 (presumably 'MAX' charged the extra £70 for fitting.)

Here is a current April 2009 Rega pricelist (look under accessories.)

Details on Rega website. (Check the instructions link. Soldering skills required)