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Help... my turntable is alive!

I am hearing a heartbeat through my turntable between tracks, and also when the music is very quite in the song's track. This noise is at 33 BPM in sync to the turntable rotation. It's very quiet unless of course the volume is turned up, but can clearly be heard. I don't think its rumble as it has a distinct "heartbeat" sound.

My turntable is a Basis 2500 with a Graham 2.2 arm and a Goldring 1042 cartridge set at 1.70 grams tracking force. Any guesses here? Is the bearing on the turntable shot?

Thanks
koestner

Showing 12 responses by moonglum

moonglum
619 posts
 
Sounds like something could be mechanically "bottoming out" if it is periodic e.g cartridge rear end hitting a warp or negative VTA causing the thicker section of the tone arm to hit a warp(?)

It's a long shot but perhaps when the Graham counterweight is ultra close to the pivot could become momentarily grounded with an extreme warp? I'm not very familiar with the 2.2 so this could be a big misconception on my part.
moonglum
619 posts
 

Dear Cleeds,

Positive, Neutral, Negative VTA are popular expressions which have been around for a while.

Put simply, it’s easier to type "Negative VTA" rather than "I arranged the tonearm so that the pivot was lower than the stylus" or a similar verbal "fudge".

You can call it "physically impossible" if you wish. Whatever floats your boat and makes you feel good.

;^)

Regards,

moonglum
619 posts
 

Dear Jim(Jea48),

We posted simultaneously so I didn't see your comment until the window refreshed.

Many thanks for posting that link. :)


It seems I’m not the only one with a "BS" problem ;^)

What a relief to know I’m in good company! :D


Bill


moonglum
619 posts
 

Dear Cleeds,
Since you haven't offered an alternative convention but merely stand by your original position there's little more to be said. I'll keep using that convention because it does describe the tonearm's attitude with respect to a neutral reference point. ;^)

Bill

moonglum
619 posts
 
Never thought about it before but here's my take on it : if one considers that the pivot is the primary means of adjusting VTA and that the movement is constrained to the vertical axis, if one assumes that "horizontal"/"neutral" VTA is effectively "zero" on that axis then  raising the arm is deemed a "positive offset" while lowering the pivot is deemed a "negative offset".
It is possible that this is where the expressions have been formed.

If viewed in this way there is a logic to each statement even though you may not strictly be able to "Google" the origin of such a "convention"?


moonglum
619 posts
 
Dear Cleeds,
I think you are are confusing angular quantification of VTA with *someone's* attempt to indicate the direction of a VTA adjuster on a tone arm. This "positive" or "negative" attitude does not attempt to account for angular displacement just the general attitude of the tone arm post-adjustment.

If you can offer a better "convention" that describes it by all means do so and we'll use that instead. ;)
We await your deliberations with interest.

Bill



moonglum
619 posts
 
Good suggestion Folkfreak. Indeed, I've often used those terms myself. ;)

Of course, since they are synonymous, if we substituted one of these into Cleeds "objection" it would have emerged as, "There's no such thing as a tail-down VTA! That's physically impossible!"
(Just to show I can also quote out of context when required ;)

Have a good day :)
Bill
moonglum
619 posts
 
Where's my previous post!!!!!!!?????!!

Now that you have highlighted the need I rather like the expressions positive/negative VTA. In fact I plan to drop them into casual conversation as often as possible. ;^)
Have a nice day.

Bill
moonglum
619 posts
 

I’ve just been told my earlier post was deleted by a Moderator.

As far as I can recall it was well reasoned and explanatory without abuse or profanity.

I’ll show part of it recreated (with updates) as well as I can recall here :


I fail to understand the problem you (Cleeds) have with the words “negative & positive” in relation to a tonearm’s VTA setting to the extent that you would accuse me of being “ignorant” or “embarrassed”.

If you were a pilot, height/altitude can be expressed as a positive (above sea level) , zero (sea level) and a negative value (below sea level – some airports are a few feet below sea level). Why would you object to people out there applying a similar “convention” to describe the height of a tonearm pivot or arm tube? Also why would you take the reference point "zero" on the Y axis to be associated with a cantilever? I didn't mention cantilevers at all and would challenge you to show me where in this thread?

This “convention” was NEVER directly associated with the cartridge. Why are you trying to make out that it is?


Cleeds said :

“…had the OP initially properly set his VTA, he wouldn't have had his phono cartridge bottom out in the first place.”

 

You’re the only one alleging that the OP did not “initially, properly set his VTA”. I’m sure the facts will become clear when the OP chooses to reveal them.

One clear erroneous assumption by you was equating the expression “NEGATIVE VTA” (SETTING) directly with a cartridge rather than a tonearm VTA adjuster. The context was clear, you ignored it.

Message ends.


Cleeds, it’s clear we’ll have to agree to disagree on this.

"Each to his own".

Bill.

moonglum
619 posts
 

Dear Clearthink,

The OP does not need to buy a new belt. The solution is simply to wash it in warm soapy water then rinse & dry and it will be good as new.

Have a good day.

Bill.

moonglum
619 posts
 

Good suggestion Dover.

I too considered that at the time but wasn't sure if it would produce the sound the OP refers to.

Definitely worth checking if there's daylight between them at all times.

Bill.

moonglum
619 posts
 
Dear Cleeds,
Yes you're quite right. It's unlikely the OPs problems would be compounded by this but it's a possibility.
If fact you've inspired me to acquire a spare for my own turntable even though it's not too old.

Back when I had a Linn the oldest belt was about 20 years old! Regular updates meant previous ones would be only 2-5 years old but were routinely discarded by the dealer even though they were fine.
Thanks for that anyway ;)
Bill
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