EMI 78 turntable rumble - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

EF80TVVALVE · 20th May 2017, 10:54 pm

Hi all,

I recently bought a 78 turntable attached and managed to get it working today after replacing the two capacitors. I have a problem with a lot of rumbling from the motor, it is causing the casing to vibrate quite badly and becomes very noisy depending on what surface it is on. Can anyone suggest what is may be or how to sort it?

electrogram · 21st May 2017, 12:13 am

If thats the one I think it is its one of the worst record decks ever designed. The drive consists of a motor with a rubber pulley that just leans on the inside of the turntable rim. Even if the pulley is still supple it will probably be noisy. On ones I have seen the pulley is lumpy or off centre or both.

Radio Wrangler · 21st May 2017, 6:17 am

There was a similar looking version (produced with either an HMV or a Colombia logo on the head) that used a large-ish induction motor and a worm-and-wheel gearbox to drive the spindle. My parents had one of this sort. I got given it to take apart when they bought a new record player.

David

Tractorfan · 21st May 2017, 2:23 pm

Hi,
I used to have a similar deck which had the motor spindle running on a rubber 'tyre' around the outside of the turntable. The weight of the motor on its pivots was all that kept the spindle from slipping. The 'tyre' on mine was rock hard after all those years and rumbled a lot! A poor design indeed.
It disappeared during the house move to France, so I never repaired it.
Cheers, Pete.

RojDW48 · 23rd May 2017, 8:12 pm

Is it a rim drive TT? I can't tell with the record in the way. I have a Columbia Grafonola rim drive from that era and it sounds fine. You might need to sleeve the drive spindle with some new rubber and the degree of 'lean' of the spindle on the rim should be adjustable. Don't leave the spindle in contact with the rim when not in use - that will result in little 'flats' on the drive rubber - then it really will rumble!

20th May 2017, 10:54 pm	#1
EF80TVVALVE Octode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Leicester, UK. Posts: 1,433	EMI 78 turntable rumble Hi all, I recently bought a 78 turntable attached and managed to get it working today after replacing the two capacitors. I have a problem with a lot of rumbling from the motor, it is causing the casing to vibrate quite badly and becomes very noisy depending on what surface it is on. Can anyone suggest what is may be or how to sort it? Attached Thumbnails

21st May 2017, 12:13 am	#2
electrogram Heptode Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Hereford, UK. Posts: 719	Re: EMI 78 turntable rumble If thats the one I think it is its one of the worst record decks ever designed. The drive consists of a motor with a rubber pulley that just leans on the inside of the turntable rim. Even if the pulley is still supple it will probably be noisy. On ones I have seen the pulley is lumpy or off centre or both.

21st May 2017, 6:17 am	#3
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,868	Re: EMI 78 turntable rumble There was a similar looking version (produced with either an HMV or a Colombia logo on the head) that used a large-ish induction motor and a worm-and-wheel gearbox to drive the spindle. My parents had one of this sort. I got given it to take apart when they bought a new record player. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

21st May 2017, 2:23 pm	#4
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,183	Re: EMI 78 turntable rumble Hi, I used to have a similar deck which had the motor spindle running on a rubber 'tyre' around the outside of the turntable. The weight of the motor on its pivots was all that kept the spindle from slipping. The 'tyre' on mine was rock hard after all those years and rumbled a lot! A poor design indeed. It disappeared during the house move to France, so I never repaired it. Cheers, Pete. __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

23rd May 2017, 8:12 pm	#5
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: EMI 78 turntable rumble Is it a rim drive TT? I can't tell with the record in the way. I have a Columbia Grafonola rim drive from that era and it sounds fine. You might need to sleeve the drive spindle with some new rubber and the degree of 'lean' of the spindle on the rim should be adjustable. Don't leave the spindle in contact with the rim when not in use - that will result in little 'flats' on the drive rubber - then it really will rumble! __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)