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Cleaning Tonearms?

behemothbehemoth 2,189 Posts
edited December 2008 in Strut Central
any advice on what could be the problem? sound only comes out of my left speaker. it is definitely a needle issue because the speaker works if I play music out of my iTunes...b, 21b, 21all the connections are there. it was working yesterday...b, 21b, 21any thoughts?

  Comments

  • jaysusjaysus 787 Posts
    1) try switching headshells, if the same thing happens, take a pencil eraser and clean off the contacts.b, 212) is it an ortofon? ortofons are notorious for the headshell crapping out. flat contacts are no good. (i like the OM style mounted on a technics headshell)b, 213) buy some contact cleaning solution and clean them rightb, 214) maybe your turntable crapped the bed. try another turntableb, 215)maybe you fucked up the anti skate settings?
  • behemothbehemoth 2,189 Posts
    it is a Shure and it was working less than an hour ago. its just really confusing!b, 21b, 21im gonna try the pencil eraser trick
  • FrankFrank 2,370 Posts
    I always have contact spray and q-tips with me when dj-ing.b, 21You wouldn't believe the gunk I cleaned out of headshells.b, 21Not only a few DJs lick the back of their hand and moisten the headshell contacts with their spittle to solve problems.b, 21Give it some years and there's some nasty build-up clogging the contacts inside the tone arm.
  • FrankFrank 2,370 Posts
    don't use the pencil eraser!b, 21Use a cigarette filter instead.
  • behemothbehemoth 2,189 Posts
    I licked my fingers and rubbed em on them. I always do that but it isnt working now. I feel like i have bad luck with turntables
  • djkingottodjkingotto 1,704 Posts
    i usually take a napkin, twist it up, wet the end and clean out the inside of the tone arm. q-tips would work better, but in a pinch the napkin trick works.
  • FrankFrank 2,370 Posts
    if the build-up is getting real nasty you can lick that shit as long as you like and it won't work... another problem could be that one of the springs that push against the contacts from inside the tonearm broke, in that case you're out of luck and need to have it fixed.
  • behemothbehemoth 2,189 Posts
    i put some isopropyl on a q-tip and cleaned the inside and the connectors on the cartridge itselfb, 21b, 21no diceb, 21b, 21i heard a pop when doing it and thought the connection to the right speaker was good to go but then i tried and the same shit
  • FrankFrank 2,370 Posts
    hmm... if you look inside the tonearm you should be able to see the four contacts, if one of them is visibly further back then the other three, you'll need to get it repaired.b, 21b, 21Have you tried another headshell?
  • behemothbehemoth 2,189 Posts
    i looked. none of them look further back than the others. tried a new headshell and cartridge and same thing...so i am guessing the problem lies within the tonearm connectionb, 21b, 21i just dont understand how something perfectly new can be fucked this fastb, 21b, 21this happens with all tables i have
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    -are all the wires in the headshell in place?b, 21-check the back of the speaker, are those wires in place?b, 21-check the turntable's RCA cables - pushed all the way in?b, 21b, 21I had the same problem with both 12s. One I cleaned everything - the connector pads on the head, the cylinder, around the needle and the arm's interior incl. connector pads with record cleaner solution - that worked for me. But with my other one, the RCAs were shot and I had to get it replaced. It cost less than $20 with parts and labour.
  • behemothbehemoth 2,189 Posts
    Speaker is fine. iTunes works through them. cleaned everything. the table is a Technics so if there was a problem with the RCA on the turntables end i wouldnt be able to tell since they are built in
  • DongerDonger 854 Posts
    /font1
    font class="small"1Quote:
    /font1
    h, 21
    b, 21I always have contact spray and q-tips with me when dj-ing.
    b, 21You wouldn't believe the gunk I cleaned out of headshells.
    b, 21
    b, 21
    b, 21
    h, 21
    font class="post"1b, 21b, 21Is there generic contact spray I can buy at like a radio shack, or are you using a product marketed specifically towards DJs?b, 21b, 21In the club I've dipped a napkin into some straight vodka to clean shit up.
  • FrankFrank 2,370 Posts
    /font1
    font class="small"1Quote:
    /font1
    h, 21
    b, 21
    /font1
    font class="small"1Quote:
    /font1
    h, 21
    b, 21I always have contact spray and q-tips with me when dj-ing.
    b, 21You wouldn't believe the gunk I cleaned out of headshells.
    b, 21
    b, 21
    b, 21
    h, 21
    font class="post"1
    b, 21
    b, 21Is there generic contact spray I can buy at like a radio shack, or are you using a product marketed specifically towards DJs?
    b, 21
    b, 21In the club I've dipped a napkin into some straight vodka to clean shit up.
    b, 21
    b, 21
    h, 21
    font class="post"1b, 21b, 21I've been using this stuff for years: img src="http://bernhardwagner.net/soundz/MPX_G2_FrontPanelRepair/contactSpray.JPG"1 b, 21bougth it in Germany, you're in Berlin, aren't you? Conrad Electronics carries it. They also have cans of compressed air by the same brand that are great for blowing out tonearms.
  • DongerDonger 854 Posts
    No I am in NYC, but I'm going to keep an eye out for some similar shit.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    /font1
    font class="small"1Quote:
    /font1
    h, 21
    b, 21Speaker is fine. iTunes works through them. cleaned everything. the table is a Technics so if there was a problem with the RCA on the turntables end i wouldnt be able to tell since they are built in
    b, 21
    b, 21
    h, 21
    font class="post"1b, 21b, 21oh yea, sorry about that, you said so about the speakers.b, 21b, 21Short of jiggling them around for crackles and pops and/or opening it all up yourself, you wouldn't be able to tell too much about the RCAs from home. if the cleaning and dummy-checks are all clear, you may have to take it in. I'm suggesting the cables because that was the problem with my player when I had the same problem...wait are you just getting one channel thropugh the one speaker or is it all coming through the one speaker? Have you tried between mono and stereo records?
  • djkingottodjkingotto 1,704 Posts
    /font1
    font class="small"1Quote:
    /font1
    h, 21
    b, 21Speaker is fine. iTunes works through them. cleaned everything. the table is a Technics so if there was a problem with the RCA on the turntables end i wouldnt be able to tell since they are built in
    b, 21
    b, 21
    h, 21
    font class="post"1b, 21b, 21they're only "built in" on one side. unplug the red end to see if the white works and vice versa. if there is a short in the rca - which is common - its an incredibly easy fix if you can handle a screwdriver and a soldering iron.
  • DongerDonger 854 Posts
    Itunes isn't running through your DJ mixer though, is it? It still may not even be a tonearm problem. b, 21b, 21Sometimes the most obvious issues are overlooked.b, 21b, 21Did you see if the rca cables are a tad loose?b, 21b, 21Did you accidentally hit the pan switch on that channel?
  • behemothbehemoth 2,189 Posts
    /font1
    font class="small"1Quote:
    /font1
    h, 21
    b, 21Itunes isn't running through your DJ mixer though, is it? It still may not even be a tonearm problem.
    b, 21
    b, 21Sometimes the most obvious issues are overlooked.
    b, 21
    b, 21Did you see if the rca cables are a tad loose?
    b, 21
    b, 21Did you accidentally hit the pan switch on that channel?
    b, 21
    b, 21
    h, 21
    font class="post"1b, 21b, 21just dropped the needle and it works nowb, 21b, 21it must be shorted somewhere
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