my turntable skips tracks! Solved

Question

Hello,

I just bought a BigBen turntable and while listening to several 33 RPM records, I noticed that it always skips the first two or three songs!
I can see the stylus jumping several grooves at once, which is very frustrating.

Thank you for resolving my issue.

Configuration: Windows XP / Internet Explorer 7.0

Lili · Accepted Answer

I have the same Bigben turntable, brand new, and for me, when I play a 45 RPM record, three-quarters of the disc play fine until the arm gets stuck in the groove, skips, and doesn't stop. This happens with all the 45 RPM records. They are old but in good condition. However, there is no problem with the 33 RPM records. Strange, right!

poupougne13 · Answer

Good evening.....

In my opinion, your turntable is not level, or your vinyl is scratched..... but several scratches would be surprising...
It could also be that the weight on your stylus is not sufficient; if you have an adjustable counterweight, increase the weight, otherwise, you can place a not-too-heavy coin (start with 10 cents, then increase..) on top of your cartridge.
Or it could be that your stylus is either improperly mounted or worn out...
Best regards,

See you later

--
"He who wants to climb a mountain begins at the bottom! "
Signed: "Gillette" alias "nobody"! ;) (°!°)

germain · Answer

Good evening,
the turntable is indeed horizontal and the vinyl records are not scratched :)

the weight issue on the stylus is possible, I find the arm really light and it makes a "thud." But for new equipment (I bought it on Saturday), it's surprising... the stylus seems to be set correctly. I will try for the part, if it doesn’t work I’ll return it...

poupougne13 · Answer

There is no adjustable counterweight... generally, it is screwed or unscrewed to bring the weight more or less far towards the cell...
@>+
--
"He who wants to climb a mountain starts from the bottom!"
Signed: "Gillette" a.k.a. "nobody"! ;) (°!°)

germain · Answer

I don't see what this is ^^

poupougne13 · Answer

Often, it's a cylinder on the end of the arm, sometimes it's even marked with numbers corresponding to grams...
In any case, you don't risk anything by putting in a coin (not a roll of coins!!)...
Except if on modern turntables, there is a digital setting, or non-mechanical...?!

"He who wants to climb a mountain starts from the bottom!"
Signed: "Gillette" alias "nobody"! ;) (°!°)

germain · Answer

there is no adjustment system, whether mechanical or digital, I tried with the part, nothing changes!

a link showing what my turntable is:

https://www.pixmania.com/

another one where it works exactly the same way (same brand)
there are several photos at the bottom of the page

http://cgi.ebay.fr/TOURNE-DISQUES-MULTIFONCTIONS-PLATINE-BIGBEN-HI-FI-/270541918860

poupougne13 · Answer

Well, I admit I'm not quite getting it!
It's not a sophisticated mechanism that allows you to play a vinyl record:
there's a groove that occupies the surface of the disc, and a needle (diamond, sapphire, stylus...) that rests in the groove and reads the track... when it skids, it jumps further, and to skid, it just takes the needle not being heavy enough on the groove, or the groove being dirty, damaged...
Personally, with the piece, it has always worked by adding progressively heavier weights, and with a sufficient weight, you can even "fix" the groove quite often!
Otherwise, sorry, apart from making sure it's horizontal...
Good luck... let me know when you've succeeded, I'm curious!
Best regards,
@+
--
"He who wants to climb a mountain starts from the bottom!"
Signed: "Gillette" a.k.a "nobody"! ;) (°!°)

germain · Answer

ok, good, I think I'm going to report it, it's not normal that it doesn't work when it's only 3 days old! Especially since I've never seen messages like this on a forum for new equipment...  see you+

poupougne13 · Answer

I do think that’s preferable, but I would have liked to follow the issue....
Personally, on a great hi-fi system, the counterweight still goes up to 5 grams.... did you set it high enough?

--
"He who wants to climb a mountain starts from the bottom!"
Signed: "Gillette" aka "nobody"! ;) (°!°)

germain · Answer

I tried using it up to the €1 coin, it still slips and the sound becomes deeper, so it's really not great... If I were to get another one, which model would you recommend?

tribun · Answer

Good evening  Aren't you on 45 RPM by chance instead of 33 RPM? --  Whoever loves education! finds the knowledge that comes from reflection!

germain · Answer

no, otherwise I would have already asked myself another question: "why does the song go by too quickly and too high?" ^^

tribun · Answer

report it where you bought it, that's not normal then.

because it skips the first 2 - 3 songs; so it sounds
like a 45 RPM position.

--
Who loves instruction! finds the knowledge that comes from reflection!

germain · Answer

ok, can I return it to a store in another city than where I bought it? (I bought it at Carrefour)

tribun · Answer

as long as you have the Carrefour receipt, yes it's valid. -- Who likes instruction! Find the knowledge that comes from reflection!

germain · Answer

ok, thanks anyway for all your answers,  see you soon

mdol · Answer

Same problem with this same Bigben TD81 turntable.
It seems that it doesn't have anti-skating correction; I tested it on a smooth record ===> the arm goes straight and quickly to the center.
The problem remains the same when adding weight to the head.

laotseu63 · Answer

Hello
The links to the device photos no longer work: too bad!
Having repaired all kinds of "phonographs" in the 80s and recently seen similar models reappear (sometimes with a built-in preamp or MP3 compressor), I cannot help but doubt the quality of your turntable.
Your issue could possibly stem from the automatic start and stop mechanical device, which is made from gears and rods: All the issues mentioned above can be explained by this type of mechanical system.
A piece of advice: if you value your records, don’t entrust them to this kind of device.

*Is your device of this type (automatic)?

P.S: I found this (blurry) photo, which seems to confirm my fears: The turntable even seems to be equipped with a changer.
http://pan.fotovista.com/dev/7/0/04895407/l_04895407.jpg
However, apart from a few mid-range models, these devices were all of poor quality...
A vague solution could consist of purely and simply dismantling the mechanism responsible for the automation, but this could have consequences for other automations, such as starting and stopping the recording of vinyls.

Linux Mandriva 2010.0 Firefox 3.6.10

lesonducor · Answer

Hello,
It is possible that the tonearm is simply too light. It needs to be weighted a bit by moving the counterweight located opposite the stylus closer to the axis of rotation (it's designed for that). The further the stylus is from the center of the record (which is the case for the first songs), the more it is subjected to the centripetal force that pushes it towards the center of the record. This is what is called skating. If the weight of the arm is insufficient, the centripetal force takes over and causes the stylus to skip... However, adding weight to the arm does not eliminate this skating. That's why high-fidelity turntables usually have an "anti-skating" adjustment knob, which is set to the same value as the weight of the arm. I don't remember the standard weights; it should be done very gradually. In the absence of anti-skating, it is only the weight of the arm that will keep the stylus in the groove, but it will wear more on its inner side since the centripetal force is not eliminated... QED.
Of course, if it's a more archaic turntable... there's not much that can be done.
Best regards
lesonducor

cccccccc · Answer

I am having trouble with a product from the same brand (skipping song, repeating), I went to a store specialized in vinyl, the seller told me to lay it flat on a stable piece of furniture, it somewhat solved the issue but didn’t completely fix it is there something on your arm to adjust the weight? Because on my turntable and according to the seller's advice, for me this is the real problem, the arm moves because it is too light.

poupougne13 · Answer

Put a coin on the tip of the arm....

titipohoto · Answer

I just returned mine for the same issue. They told me it was irreparable at the customer service. Yay!

FrèreChartreuse · Answer

Hello,  same thing for mine only with Pink Floyd vinyls (surprising!). After sticking a 5 cent piece on the head, no more problems.

My turntable skips tracks!

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