Sony HP-211 turntable turning slowly

[Benny A]

Hi all - first post on here so really hoping I've got everything right!

I have an old Sony HP-211 that I've recently and lovingly inherited, everything seems to be working as it should except the RPM is slightly out and I can't see how to fix it. I removed the deck yesterday, but I couldn't see anything obvious that needs replacing or can be adjusted. The motor is turning fine and I can't see anyway to adjust the speed of it, the rubber wheel it contacts looks to be fine (still soft) and in contact correctly - the only thing I can think is that this wheel may have worn and be slightly smaller than it should be, hence turning the turntable slower. Does this sound right? Or the motor isn't turning quick enough anymore.

Any advice would be greatly welcomed, this is my first vintage turntable and I really want to restore it to it's former glory.

Many thanks,
Ben

['LIVEWIRE?']

The diameter of the idler wheel should not make any difference to the plying speed if this is a standard rim drive deck, althoug I understood that Sony made belt drive turntable.

[Benny A]

Thanks - I can confirm that it's not a belt drive.

I figured that if the idler wheel had worn or shrunk by say 0.5mm in diameter then as it was being turned via contact with the stepped axial on the motor, then one turn of the motor wouldn't equate to the correct turn distance of the idler wheel and then the deck would be slightly slower. My logic was just based on the 2 sizes of steps on the motor axial that equate to the 2 different speeds of the deck. Sorry if I'm not explaining that very well or using the wrong terminology.

If it's not the idler wheel then do you think it's more likely the motor not turning at the correct speed?

Cheers,
Ben

[paulsherwin]

The idler wheel size won't affect the speed. Just have a think about the physics involved. There are two likely explanations:

1. The motor is simply running at the wrong speed, maybe because of a fault in a controller module or because it requires adjustment

2. The motor, platter and idler bearings are gunged up with old oil and grease, and the drag is loading the motor and slowing things down

Good luck with it.

[ajgriff]

Another explanation is that it's working fine. Marginal speed variance is normal and doesn't have much influence when listening to records. How are you measuring the speed? How does it sound?

Alan

[paulsherwin]

Yes, people used to tolerate quite a lot of speed variation back in the day. Digital sources have perfect pitch so everyone is less tolerant than they used to be, particularly youngsters.

[saxmaniac]

How much is too slowly? Is there any chance it's an American spec machine intended for 60hz? Otherwise if it's mechanically free to turn there's nothing else to affect the speed and as long as it isn't obvious when listening to music, that's probably all it's designed for. It's a budget model and not built to the quality you would hope for from Sony, look at the thickness of the metal in the turntable, it's a baked bean can and you need to be absolutely sure it's not distorted as well it's going to wow like crazy. I had a hell of a job to get one running acceptably stable. You can bend the metal with your thumbs!

[ben]

I would clean and relubricate the motor bearings. Seen this before on other idler drive decks.

[Humptydumpty]

Problem i had with my Sony was the motor mounting gromets had perished and this let the motor sit lower in the chassis .This will change the speed if the belt is not running on the right diameter of the brass drive on the motor spindle