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Electronics => Repair => Topic started by: Matthew98 on January 09, 2019, 03:37:35 pm

Title: Telefunken S500 Turntable Ortofon tonearm
Post by: Matthew98 on January 09, 2019, 03:37:35 pm
Gentleman, The HIFi system Telefunken 6001  which contains Telefunken S500 turntable platform came to my possession.
I managed to get everything working reliably, but now comes up the hard part. Repairing the turntable.
Im a complete noob to turntables, but I try.
I set the tracking force according to datasheet of shure m91ed cartridge, that is mounted on the tonearm, set the anti skating according to the set tracking force... and.... horrible.
I have 33 and 45 rpm test LP´s that i tried it on. Its classic music and exotic music. It sounds absolutely horrible. Little better after washing the LP´s up and cleaning the tip of the needle, but having bad reception on radio would still sound better.
I ordered two new albums online, as I thought the LP´s  are just toasted. Turns out there not. When I tried to play Bruno mars LP the needle started to skip. Not skip. Float after some bass came up.
There is all sorts of problems with the turntable, but t his one is the biggest.
Can you guys help me find out whats going on ?
I ordered scale for turntables, to ensure I have tracking force set right.
I also might have demaged the tip by being noob-ish. (Trial and error procedure of setting stacking force without manual. I might have set the tracking force to 3x of the maximum force for a little while)

I do understand I will have to buy a new needle, perhaps even a cartridge. But Im not sure if that is what could cause the needle just floating on the record.
Thank you for help.  I will try and answer everything I did not mentioned already.

(Other faults with the turntable :
Needle lowering mechanism was stuck. I managed to get the parts moving, but it doesnt lock in place for the needle to stay down so far. (I have to hold the leaver)
Optical sensor for getting needle up when it reaches the end of the record doesnt seem to work
Oil damping mechanism for lowering needle seems to be very slow
33 and 45 rpm speed tend to get crazy sometimes, spinning the records faster and faster by the second. Possibly dusty potentiometers for setting the speed. It work most of the times.
Some blown bulbs. Not a big deal
The turntable scratches the surface of the chassis, when big LP is in place. One of the springs holding the assembly to chassis, or all of them got loose over the 30 years, perhaps.  )
Title: Re: Telefunken S500 Turntable Ortofon tonearm
Post by: Tragically Canadian on March 06, 2019, 08:31:13 pm
To set up the tonearm you need to :

1) Set the anti-skating to 1

2) take the tonearm out of the support

3) turn the counterweight away from the bearing housing(towards the rear of the table) until the tonearm is balanced and will stay horizontal

4) hold the larger part of the counterweight and turn the smaller part, with the lines on it, until the red mark is lined up with the mark on the tonearm (top dead center)

5) now turn the entire counterweight towards the platter for two large dashes for and stop on the next small dash.

6) slide the anti-skating inbetween the fourth and fifth marks

7) enjoy that sweet sweet vinyl record


As for the other issues... check to make sure the transport screws are out, you'll have to lift the platter off the spindle to check. Otherwise you'll have to take the turntable out of the chassis and check to see what's going on. Hope that helps, snap some pictures if you do take it apart, I might be able to give you some tips on what's wrong.