Replacing a Noisy / Faulty Turntable Motor or Power Supply (Things to consider)
Replacing a Noisy / Faulty turntable motor
If you have a faulty turntable motor or power supply which is noisy or develops a fault like running slow then you can consider:
- Repair or replacement of the faulty component.
- Replacing the entire drive system with an Origin Live dc motor kit.
For a variety of reasons explained below, repair or replacement is rarely the best option. To replace the motor you will need to find a nearly identical specification. The manufacturer of your turntable should be able to provide this but often the replacement motor is not only expensive but lacks the performance of the DC motors we offer. The other scenario is that your turntable manufacturer no longer exists so you need to find an alternative source – this presents a raft of issues:
- Most turntables use AC motors which turn at a fixed speed. Any replacement motor must turn at exactly the same speed as the original.
- A good number of older motors are no longer being manufactured
- Even if you find a compatible motor which has the correct speed, size and shaft diameter, you will then need to fit the pulley from your old motor. Sometimes the pulley is removable which makes this step easy. However, they are often press fitted, in which case removal is much more difficult, not to mention re-fitting to any new motor. The motor can easily be ruined if you are not careful and try to force things.
- To get around the problem above, some people try to acquire a replacement pulley. The problem with replacing a pulley is that it needs to be precisely the right diameter if the turntable is to run at the same speed. Also, the inner hole must be very precise and concentric if it is to fit your motor shaft without wobble. To get a pulley manufactured correctly by a local machinist is surprisingly expensive and a lot can be misunderstood or go wrong. We do not even quote for this type of work.
Faulty Turntable Power Supply
If your power supply has developed a fault then hopefully it can be fixed by the manufacturer. However this can prove even more costly than the price of our dc motor kit. If this is the case then it’s a good idea to question why you would want to have a mere repair rather than a massive upgrade.
The other solution which will work on many AC motors is to aquire a generic 50Hz quartz crystal controlled supply in place of your manufacturer supplied supply ( if it’s an electronic supply). These are often sold as upgrades for decks with AC motors but still don’t come close to the performance of the Origin Live dc Motor kit.
Conclusion
For fixing older budget decks it’s easy to baulk at the cost of something like a dc motor kit (starting at £250). In some cases the best answer is to simply part with a faulty deck and aquire a new one. The argument against this is that some older decks are still good performers against many of the mediocre modern turntables. The vast majority of designs have not advanced much ( if at all ) over the years. Many decks are built to a price without much emphasis on performance. It’s difficult to know sometimes how older decks stack up against newer rivals and forums are one way to gain access to wider experience.
What you can be sure of is that you can also upgrade the performance of an older deck enormously by installing an Origin Live dc motor kit. This alone can enable older decks to outperform modern equivalents. There are also other inexpensive upgrades like the Origin Live platter mat, upgrade belt and platter glide oil which all contribute to transforming performance not to mention our tonearms.
It’s an interesting mix of factors and your decision will depend much on budget and end aspiration. If you feel it’s time to part company with an older deck and wish for an upgrade that no amount of modification will ever come close to, then the Origin Live turntables are absolutely outstanding.