How to make a cheap record player better
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- čas přidán 5. 12. 2019
- For this years winter project I've decided to buy a cheap suitcae record player and modify it. Then again can I really do what I want to do. But first I need to know the answer to the question that I have always wondered...What is the tracking force of a tonearm without a counterweight??
Keep watching and be amazed with this one.
🎶
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#records #vinylrecords #vinylcommunity - Jak na to + styl
Can I do it?....I hope so
There are some magnetic cartridges out there that will fit this type of headshell. You have to scout around for them. I can provide links if you want. Then all you have to do is add some counterweight to the top of the thing and you're done. I got a magnetic cartridge and added some washers as counterweight and mine tracks at 2g. I use the headphone jack to have it output to better speakers, too.
Would you recommended a vinyl record weight stabilizer on one of these?
No
Where’s part 2?
4 to 6 grams is the recommended tracking force range for the ceramic cartridge these players come with, and will not "destroy" records, because vinyl records were originally designed for a tracking force of 5 to 6 grams for stereo and up to 10 grams for mono. In fact, too light of a tracking force will actually cause more damage to a record more quickly than too heavy, due to mistracking.
Right. The thing is these ceramic cartridges still aren't great. It's not just about weight, it's also about how easily the needle is allowed to vibrate back and forth. Magnetic cartridges allow the needle to vibrate more freely, which also allows them to track at a lighter weight (usually about 2g like the other turntable he showed in this video).
Magnetic cartridges require 2 grams because, the stylus is more precisely and would wear the record too much with higher pressure.
YES all the gatekeepers on CZcams trying to tell you to buy some me $200 player over a Crosly. Well no duh it will be better but many of us just can't when starting. This shows a good way to get started and upgrade as you go.
@@DanielFoley75 too right
@@robfriedrich2822 absolutely
I have this player and its actually nice to somebody talking positively about it because honestly I've had no problems with it
Great project. Can you imagine opening this box and playing some killer sounds at the campground or cabin.
If this works out. This is the plan. Taking it to my seasonal camper👍
I am so excited to see what changes you come up with for this record player. I recently purchased one of the Crosley turntables at Walmart's black Friday Sale for $30.00 because back in November I lost everything to a house fire. I like the 2 turntables that you have built so far they both sound really nice to me. I can't wait until I get relocated in my new place so I can setup my computer/record sound room. Good luck with this project I will keep tuning in.
Great video! Picked up two “Crosley Cruiser Deluxe with Record Crate” bundles in the clearance section of a local store for $25.99. Will give them to my brother in college and a friend to kickstart their vinyl journey. I’ll stick with my AudioTechnica and Polk bookshelf speakers but these little Crosley’s seem cool. Can make some modifications, upgrade the needle, and can always connect via the cords to a better speak my brother or friend may already have. Cheers!
EXCELLENT review / NICE job! I appreciate your knowledge, intuition and common sense to improve this budget unit. Many thanks for sharing. God bless.
I'm hoping this goes well! I modified mine to charge over Type C, and I changed the cartridge to a Banpa cartridge. It's not my main player, but I use it as my carry around player, for when I want to go to a friend's house, or when I go to a local music store, and the owner knows me enough for me to play some of these out, or even when I go to a family reunion and my aunt wants to play some of her old records for background music.
I really like your idea for changing out the tone arm, so I can use less risky heads (although the Banpa isn't really risky, but it will make record store owners more appreciative that it would have a calibrated tone arm.
I'm also hoping to replace the speakers or add in more so that I have better sound coming out, so that way I don't need to lug around RCA cables.
Legend; brilliant and so cool.
Hmmmmm morning Mark ☕️👋🏻this is gonna be fun as with all your diy vids🎄have a great weekend - Lis
Hey! It... turns ... out that I have the same record player and I was about to open it up blind, but after watching your video I am able to form a plan. Thanks!
Wow. This is really cool.
Thanks. I can't wait to start at it again tomorrow.
Oh the humanity, dude your killing me, I have one and they are gorgeous.
Looking forward to part 2
Where is it?
It's very nice I'm actually going to buy a vinyl record player tomorrow morning ....the one I bought was a poloroid one and it was o.k. and I am planning to enjoy old-school records giving to me buy some very nice people I met in my life. For everyone to enjoy. Bye
The single negative wire for both left and right signal output is called common ground, it was a standard configuration in older car sound systems
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I have the Crosley Cruiser on order I know it's going to need some tweaking. I really like the size and design of these portables I can't find anything else I like of so-called better quality..
Great video so far off to check out the next video to see how your tonearm upgrade went
Same model I got for my birthday, just a different case design.
Thank you for making this video. did you ever make the sequel? I have been considering a similar project. My 14 year old musician is showing interest in vinyl. I build bluetooth speakers and other gadgets as a hobby, so I thought I might modify one of these types of turntables to improve the sound output. It looks like those speakers are sealed-back units so the chamber below the player is probably not part of a speaker enclosure. In any case, it's probably too small to build in much sound quality. I might consider using the top section and building it into a larger vintage (actual) suitcase with an upgraded amp and speakers. Is there a raw or simple turntable you would recommend for my project, other than tearing into one of these units? Thanks again! Oh, I meant to suggest lead tape as a counterweight. Tennis players use that stuff to change the balance of their racquet. Just a thought
The best thing you can do on those cheap Chinese record mechanism is to change the tone cartridge (pickup). Try look at vwestlife channel he got a lot on this subject.
Ey, dud! if i connect one compact preamp like Behringer Microphono PP400, do you think that the sound would be better? Thanks!
Interesting to see what’s going to happen.
mr. Finglish (Bäd English Recs)
why would you have to weigh the stylus pressure on your comparison deck (which looks like a Project to me) when it has a balance weight at the back which tells you what the stylus pressure is?
Did you ever finish this? If you did, Did you make a Part 2? I would like to watch Part 2 if you did. Thanks.
Yes there is a part two. I thought I did a finished video. Guess I should do one.
@@goldenvinylspin yes please 😎
I have one of these too and the sound of them is soooo dull and lacking any low frequencies. Even when the Stylus cartridge is swapped with a better one. I suspect the Amplifier module inside is simply terrible and eliminates low frequencies by cutting them off so the speakers inside would not vibrate too much at more bassy sounds. Problem is this flat sound also comes out like that through the RCA outputs and the headphone jack. So i wonder..... what kind of audio amp module could be useful to swap the one that is inside? One that also still runs on 5V. I've been looking at some small cheap Amplifier boards that can be run at 5V power and would provide a low-noise output as well. But i dunno..... has someone any ideas how to do such a modding? I wonder if that amp would need to have a phono input or if the audio signal already comes de-scrambled from the PCB of the turntable unit and the amp board inside simply serves as power-on and audio amp?
Succeeded??
Is there part 2. Curious if you fixed the tone arm. I just got a Third Man Records Spinnerette by Crosley and my tracking force weighed at 6.2g and I got it down to 4.4g by adjusting the counterweight.
There sure is. Got to dig around in the other videos for find it.
If the plugs for the cartridge were exposed, replacing it would be much easier
Some versions has no cue up, you have to put the tonearm manually
Okay so i know im a bit late here , but i got one on my birthday about a few weeks ago and all of the sudden it pitched my music , it was a bit deeper and a bit slower.
Just tried the Crosley. Came in at 5.66g
How well does it's play the Beastie Boys like the 33 rpm clip.
At the moment not very well torn apart. 🤣
I knew you were Canadian after listening to your voice a bit 😂
What I dont get is how come their is only one stylus? There should normally be two stylus one for 45/33 and one for 78s, that to me sounds very dodgy.
Anyone know what I can do for a super wobbly suitcase record player? Its all brand new, and exactly as shown here in the video. I have brand new records that I am using, but the wobble is pretty bad, the record skips and sounds distorted. Is it just cheap record player? Or is there something I can do to salvage the purchase? I feel like the record isn't always spinning at speed it should, but being a newbie, I have no idea. Any help much appreciated.
Got the same issue. Plays well for a few seconds then starts skipping like crazy. Can't find much online
Sounds good? The bass department is seriously lacking and it sounds tinny as a result. The problems are 1) speakers that are too small and 2) the ceramic cartridges don't match the input impedance of transistor circuits. Ceramic cartridges are meant for valve amplifiers. Even then, they won't sound excellent, due to valves being a very old technology.
I 👍 agree
bought one last year and speakers dont work
Where is the second part?
Unfortunately the video was lost 😕 however, I still have it and it's done. Sounds like an idea 💡 🤔
Need to break out the bathroom scale for this one-LOL Seriously, these ceramic cartridges track heavy, this is a normal weight for these things. The tonearms on these kinds of players for the most part wont track down to 2 or three grams even if it was adjustable, the cheap tonearm and cartridge wont permit it.
Hey, I was wondering if ya ever completed this? If so, I can't seem to find the video. Have a good one!
Here is part 2. czcams.com/video/Iq49dOHGSeA/video.html
Final coming soon
though it can play 78. you may need to change the needle/cartridge to play 78 because they are modulated differently and the media can be damaged by normal needles .
the tracking force at 5.8 grams is very high
yeah these ceramic cartridges are actually great for 78s. However the stylus is not wide enough because the stylus fir 78s is a bit bigger and wider. So the normal small ones go deeper into the groove and picking up more noise than they should. Resulting in very loud noise and licks and pops. There are flippable pickups where you can switch between LP and 78. The LP one is smaller and the 78 one is bigger. The better ones are made from saphire and you can easily replace them even on these little suitcase players. I think these cartridges and replace Styluses (or Styly) cost about 10-15 bucks.
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 the stylus on most of the cheap record players are often ruby - they will give no more than 10 to 15 hours of playback before they are worn to the point where the tonearm slides across the grooves.
ALL of these plastic mechanism record players usually have a really high tracking force and they still skip... I heard a store clerk recommend taping a nickel on the tonearm to increase the tracking force evem more. Also they have no preamp because of the ceramic cartridge...
I just googled it. I had no idea. Thanks for the information. "A ceramic cartridge has a natural output frequency very similar to the RIAA curve and doesn't need any equalization at the phono input so with a ceramic even if you could cut the gain down low enough on the preamp input so it's not overloaded, the equalization is going to be all wrong."
Golden VinylSpin Golden VinylSpin i tried to fix a Crosley suitcase record player for a neighbor that was wobbling like crazy. When I opened it up it seemed pretty odd so we poked and prodded...
I believe they use the creamic cartridges because of the higher output and because they closely resemble the RIAA equalization curve. They may need impidance adjustment but look it up before upgrading to a better cartridge as you may need to add a phono preamp/amp set-up inside. Also those cartridges need a tracking force of over 4.5 which is pretty heavy IMO
I guess you could still use the motor from that with the speed control in a new MDF board that could house the tonearm diagonally when closed
@@ner7215 They use ceramic cartridges because they're cheap. They don't need a preamp, either, so that makes them even cheaper. No mystery about any of that. You are correct that there is an impedance mismatch at the input to the amplifier, but with the puny internal speakers and wimpy amp, odds are you wouldn't notice it all that much even if that was corrected.
4.5 grams isn't really all that 'heavy', and in fact, most ceramics require that kind of tracking force. They used to make ceramics that would track lighter, but those days are long over. It's okay, though. I have records that are 50-60 years old that were played their entire lives using ceramic cartridges. They're fine.
What puzzles me about a project like this is.... well, *WHY?* If you're going to build a better turntable, why not just start with something better in the first place? Target sells a pretty decent little 'table for $100. Magnetic cartridge (upgradeable, even!), proper antiskate and tracking adjustment, metal platter, built-in preamp, and it don't even look all that bad. Okay, yeah, the tone arm has a few minor issues, but I have one of those Target Heyday things and it is pretty damned good for its price.
@@xaenon why? Because it's a fun idea. Remember fun?
@@tiprat5051 I think you could have had just as much fun starting with something a little more substantial and modding it. But it's your time and your money, dude...
He said sounds pretty good 🤣. Sounds horrendous lol
My player like this plays at only one volume , loud . Please help . It only plays on one speaker until I turn the volume knob clock wise the both speakers kick in LOUD . How can I make the volume adjustable and through both speakers?
Sorry 😞 I don't know. How did you make out?
unfortunately some records will skip regardless and even though they won’t damage it immediately it’s not a fun listen when music skips.
Agree
Dont touch it if ya care about your records
how to polish a tur
I bought one for myself, and have bought 2 for Christmas gifts, now I have to tell those people they'll want to upgrade ASAP if the like vinyl, because this is a record destroyer.. So stupid, what a waste. We live in really messed up times, where chinese garbage is used to make a quick dollar and you are left playing the part of the sucker. I'd like to think I am starting to learn here..
It's funny now though. Since this video was made, these units have gone up in price and better tables are hitting the market at great prices now. Sorry to hear you bought them and found out the hard way. Sounds like what happened to me too when I started out and an idea for another video. Cheers
Not worth the trouble, save that new tonearm for something you can build from scratch.
I don't get it. How is this not a turntable? It has a platter that spins. Its a turntable. Just like a microwave that has a glass plate that turns which is also a turntable. My Technics TTs are record players. In all honesty those words use to be used together...turntable record player. Since vinyl has become a hobby those terms have been split to give new meaning to the quality of the equipment and it really shouldn't be that way. Oh well. To each their own.
I have a Cruiser that I use often. It is cheaper to maintain than my 2 Technics setups.
A turntable is part of a setup. A record player is a setup in itself (aka you plug it in and it works). A turntable isn't gonna do anything but spin on its own.
@@1earedwolf Record players are turntables, turntables are record players. I will argue that until I die and I have a lot of life left in me. They are the same thing. It doesn't matter how they are setup or used. Their definitions have been taken way out of context over the years.
Most people refer to record players as all in one solutions generally similar to that one in a briefcase or small cabinet. The word was used way back when records were more or less the only way of buying music and most people only had all in one systems that only played records or perhaps had a radio as well. People never called them turntables because they weren't usually a stand alone unit with a table that spins. That came along later when people started putting systems together or buying them like that where every component was completely seperate. The words are interchanged when most people don't understand that a lot of stand alone turntables need a seperate amplifier and speakers naturally.
I guess this project got cancelled. What a shame.
Throw it in the bin.
czcams.com/video/Iq49dOHGSeA/video.html
Mine skips all the time total junk
Step 1 - throw it in the garbage
Step 2 - Buy yourself a deck that isn't primarily plastic
People always counter with "I can't afford an expensive turntable," and that's just more ignorance. Getting a decent table will not put you in the poor house. Get a couple of $99 Edifier 1280Ts and a $99 AT LP60 and you have a complete, albeit entry level system. No, its not the best setup ever, and its limited because you can't upgrade the stylus or set the tracking or anti-skate, but its a hell of a lot better than those suitcase pieces of crap. And most importantly, it will sound pretty damn good for what it is. Again - not ideal, but it proves you can get a decent setup for about 200 bucks. That is NOT going to break anyone's bank.
Spot on.
what i would say. good advice.
Why would you bother?
For content and fun
the best way to make them better is to rid the entire world of all the cheap garbage and go back to real good components like on e-bay brands like garrard onkyo fisher pioneer technics perpettuum ebner miracord zenith dual and rek o kut qrk mentzner and so on anything like crosley or copies are all garbage and should be burned they are all record ruining machines you might as well play records with a nailif you use a crosleey or copy of a crosley or any of those partical board all in one units