Hey folks,
There was a jumble sale yesterday, and I bought a Pioneer PL512 for £3. I figured if I couldn't get it to work, it's only £3.
Now I don't have a hifi, so how can I get this thing to spin? It's got a power cable, but there's also another small wire that I think plugs into a hifi.
Any recommendations on how to get this working?
How would you power a turntable without an hi-fi?
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- KVRAF
- 7317 posts since 7 Mar, 2003
My Youtube Channel - Wires Dream Disasters
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- KVRAF
- 7936 posts since 18 Feb, 2003 from out there somewhere
the other small wire is probably an earth cable. Does it have standard phono outs? You'll have a problem without routing it into an amp, even then most turntables require a pre-amp too...so that's not much help then 
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 7317 posts since 7 Mar, 2003
Yeah, it has stereo RCA outputs and I guess it's an Earth. What do I do with it?
My Youtube Channel - Wires Dream Disasters
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 7317 posts since 7 Mar, 2003
Oh, and I'm not trying to get pristine playback quality, I'm just goofing around with it.
My Youtube Channel - Wires Dream Disasters
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Reverse Engineer Reverse Engineer https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=9129
- KVRAF
- 4968 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from Glasgow
Well, if you're going to connect it to your pc, then if it's close enough, just screw (or wrap) the earth around an exposed piece of metal on your case. Most turntable earths have a little circular disc bit at the end of the wire, so this should be pretty easy (what you're supposed to do is screw it to the amp/pre amp, you tend not to get them now, but most older amps have a little screw off part just for this task.)
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 7317 posts since 7 Mar, 2003
I've got a mixing board. The damn thing still wont spin even with the wire earthed. Maybe it's just farked.
My Youtube Channel - Wires Dream Disasters
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- KVRian
- 1244 posts since 21 Nov, 2003 from San Francisco
So you plugged the electrical power cord into the wall, right? Then the RCA audio output into your mixer with the earth wire? It actually should still spin even if you dont plug in the RCA/earth cables as long as it has electricity. If it doesn't spin it could be a mechanical problem, or an electrical problem. You might want to open it up and see if it has a blown fuse. I wnt through like 10 fuses in a turntable I used to have.
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Reverse Engineer Reverse Engineer https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=9129
- KVRAF
- 4968 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from Glasgow
Is it making any "motor" sounds? Maybe the belts came off? You do also know you need to move the arm into a play position before the TT will begin to turn (i'm not implying you're daft and haven't tried that, i'm just offering up simple possibilities as those are normally overlooked.)
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- KVRAF
- 3046 posts since 30 Mar, 2002 from 51°53'N 02°15'W
If it's a belt-drive turntable, you may not have a belt or it may have come off. Also does it make a rumble noise when it is powered up and you move the tone arm across the platter? If not it's likely to be farked. Other things to check for are start/stop and power buttons. I don't know the turntable so I'm only guessing.
Steve
Edit: What Reverse Engineer said
Steve
Edit: What Reverse Engineer said
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 7317 posts since 7 Mar, 2003
It doesn't make any noise or do any movements, and yep, I've moved the needle onto a recorded (play mode) and it doesn't do anything.
Guess it's just a lame duck.
Guess it's just a lame duck.
My Youtube Channel - Wires Dream Disasters
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Reverse Engineer Reverse Engineer https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=9129
- KVRAF
- 4968 posts since 23 Sep, 2003 from Glasgow
Since it cost you only £3, now you have the opportunity to play around (internally) trying to get it fixed. I personally get a kick out of things like that (albeit 99% of the time end up breaking things furtherAndrew Vernon wrote:It doesn't make any noise or do any movements, and yep, I've moved the needle onto a recorded (play mode) and it doesn't do anything.
Guess it's just a lame duck.
But there are times when i do get them to work and a feel somewhat proud of myself. 
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- KVRAF
- 3441 posts since 15 Mar, 2003
Man, you make it sound like an artifact from the stone age or a distant planet.
There is a power cable that you plug into a wall socket. That will power the motor to spin the platter.
If it doesn't spin;
The motor is burned out or it is a belt drive and there is no belt. If you lift up the rubber mat on the platter you can see if there is a motor under the platter. If the motor is there, off to the side, then it is a belt drive and needs a belt. Good luck finding one.
The other kind is direct drive. The shaft in the center of the platter goes directly into the motor. If this is the case and it doesn't turn when powered up, it is dead.
There should be 2 cables with RCA plugs on them that plug into a phone pre-amp. These are built into stereo receivers. If you don't have a stereo receiver you CAN NOT just plug it into an amp or your soundcard. It will sound terrible.
You need a propper phono pre-amp. This isn't just a pre-amp that boosts the signal. It is a special RIAA pre-amp that has a frequency curve built into it. When they cut vinyl they attenuate the bass and change some other things (I think they boost the high frequencies). This is to get the signal to fit the grooves better without the needle jumping out due to too much bass energy. I think the treble boost is for surface noise reduction. The phono pre-amp then reduces the treble back to normal and in so doing the surface noise is attenuated. Sort of like dolby, but way pre-dolby.
Phono pre-amps can be bought fairly cheaply.
There should also be a thin single conductor wire which is, as others have suggested, a ground.
There is a power cable that you plug into a wall socket. That will power the motor to spin the platter.
If it doesn't spin;
The motor is burned out or it is a belt drive and there is no belt. If you lift up the rubber mat on the platter you can see if there is a motor under the platter. If the motor is there, off to the side, then it is a belt drive and needs a belt. Good luck finding one.
The other kind is direct drive. The shaft in the center of the platter goes directly into the motor. If this is the case and it doesn't turn when powered up, it is dead.
There should be 2 cables with RCA plugs on them that plug into a phone pre-amp. These are built into stereo receivers. If you don't have a stereo receiver you CAN NOT just plug it into an amp or your soundcard. It will sound terrible.
You need a propper phono pre-amp. This isn't just a pre-amp that boosts the signal. It is a special RIAA pre-amp that has a frequency curve built into it. When they cut vinyl they attenuate the bass and change some other things (I think they boost the high frequencies). This is to get the signal to fit the grooves better without the needle jumping out due to too much bass energy. I think the treble boost is for surface noise reduction. The phono pre-amp then reduces the treble back to normal and in so doing the surface noise is attenuated. Sort of like dolby, but way pre-dolby.
Phono pre-amps can be bought fairly cheaply.
There should also be a thin single conductor wire which is, as others have suggested, a ground.
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- KVRist
- 240 posts since 14 Apr, 2003 from Oslo, Norway
Maybe there's a fuse on the mains?Andrew Vernon wrote:It doesn't make any noise or do any movements, and yep, I've moved the needle onto a recorded (play mode) and it doesn't do anything.
Guess it's just a lame duck.
When I was younger I used to be in doubt. These days I'm not so sure.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 7317 posts since 7 Mar, 2003
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm gonna take a look at the fuse after I eat my chips
My Youtube Channel - Wires Dream Disasters