My turntable sounds like the speed is too slow

Perhaps clean and lube the bearing?

First get hold of an inexpensive strobe or use the cell phone app and verify that it’s running slow and how slow.

To check for belt slip, make a mark on the platter and the belt, eg, using a magic marker, and see if the two marks stay aligned as the platter rotates.

Thanks for the tip.  I measured at it reads average 33 1/3 RPM.

I guess it’s not the speed?  What else could I trouble shoot.

alexnguyensoun

I measured at it reads average 33 1/3 RPM. I guess it’s not the speed?

How did you measure that? An "average" speed can still have substantial speed deviation, which can be measured as wow and flutter.

If the speed is consistent and correct then focus needs to shift to the cartridge setup.  Has it always had this “muffled vocals” presentation or is this a recent change?  Check VTF, and alignment of the cartridge as your next steps.

Well, if the speed is correct:

it's more than likely coming from the cartridge"

how are your alignment skills/have needed tool set?

alignment: was it working well before? were/are the two screws tight (try moving the cartridge body by hand, twist sideways, move front to back, IOW, IF it was not tight, it could have moved.

arm height, parallel to lp when playing?

stylus worn/perhaps loose from cantilever or rarely chipped; cantilever flattened (low rider), or bent sideways; tracking force or anti-skate or both seriously off

Dear @alexnguyensound  : A gentleman mentioned re-start the cartridge/tonearm overall set up and additional you need to make sure that either LP surface and cartridge stylus typ are well cleaned.

Maybe the last source could be a " problem " in the tonearm bearing that does not flow " freely ".

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOTDISTORTIONS,

R.

Allot of great advice already so the only thing left is what the TT is sitting on or next to may be contributing to you problem?

Playing a 45RPM record at 33 1/3?

The cell phone apps for turntable speed are not accurate.  In my experience they read fast by about .3 to .5 rpm.  If your cell phone app is reading 33.33 chances are your ears are correct and the TT is slow.

Another way to check speed is time the length of the recording and see if it matches the stated time on the sleave.

Playing a 45RPM record at 33 1/3?

I bet I'm not the only one with a new and unheard record who forgot to change the speed and thought it sounded strange...

If you don't trust your cellphone app, maybe mark the platter, play a record and use the phone's stopwatch function to time 100 revolutions which you can count. Should take 180 seconds. If it does, time to look downstream starting with the stylus, the cartridge the mounting geometry etc.

First off make sure it is the turntable. Do your other sources sound normal to you?

If they do you have a problem either with your cartridge or phono stage. Look at the cartridge carefully, it the cantilever straight? It the diamond still there at the end? Does it look normal under magnification? If you have another cartridge set it up and listen. If it sounds fine the first cartridge is defective. If it sounds bad you have a problem with your phono stage. 

Good Luck 

@dogberry we’ve all done it. When Diana Krall sounds like Thurl Revenscroft, you know you’re playing her 45 rpm record at 33. Hit the speed button or drop the belt onto the second pulley. Depends on turntable.

The cell phone app is accurate enough that if it says 33 1/3 it’s close enough. Your ears would not hear the difference so it’s not the speed. I would check your cartridge setup as others have suggested.