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Pioneer PL-41 Turntable Speed Problem

75.72.84.212
Posted on October 20, 2010 at 07:15:38
vintaudio
Dealer

Posts: 19
Location: PermaFrost MN
Joined: July 17, 2006
 The Pioneer PL-41 turntable does not have pitch control and mine runs fast by 4% which is noticeable in the sound. Is there any way to adjust the speed on these. I installed a new belt which fits correctly. I know on some tables you can adjust the pulley to adjust the speed like on the Duals but this pulley does not look tapered. Thanks

 

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RE: Pioneer PL-41 Turntable Speed Problem, posted on October 20, 2010 at 10:35:55
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Some of the power conditioners for turntables will allow you to ajust speed, but that would be an expesive option. I hope someone has a better solution. If you don't get one here, you should try the Vinyl Asylum.

Dave

 

Not sure if the PL41 has one, but..., posted on October 21, 2010 at 04:27:55
soundnut
Audiophile

Posts: 3920
Location: Iowa
Joined: May 7, 2004
 You could look for a speed trimpot inside the thing. It may be underneath, or accessible from the top, somewhere around the motor area. If you don't find one there, sometimes there is a hole on the motor itself where a screwdriver trimpot is located.

Also, there might be two. one for each speed. It's worth a look, anyway. A lot but not all belt drive tables have those trimpots for speed adjustment.

Good luck,
Bobbo :-)

 

RE: Pioneer PL-41 Turntable Speed Problem, posted on October 21, 2010 at 05:33:31
Vint_age
Audiophile

Posts: 57
Location: Southeast
Joined: September 30, 2005
 Some PL41's came with both 50hz and 60hz pulleys. The extra motor pulley was mounted in a clip on the chassis under the platter near the 120v/240v switch. You may have the 50hz pulley mounted on the motor. Some also had a 50/60hz switch near the motor.

I would also try another belt as the thickness and the length will have a small effect on the speed.

Vinyl Engine has the manual.

 

RE: Pioneer PL-41 Turntable Speed Problem, posted on October 21, 2010 at 05:51:27
vintaudio
Dealer

Posts: 19
Location: PermaFrost MN
Joined: July 17, 2006
 Thanks for the replies. This motor has no trim pots. This takes a 34.5" belt which is large and there is only one belt available in this size that is offered for sale and it is a little wide. It looks like it is riding on the pulley correctly in the correct space for the 33 RPM speed. This is why when you buy a turntable it should have pitch control. I thought there might be a variac type device that would alter the power input to control the motor speed but found none. Project sells a "speed box" but this only for switching between 33, 45, 78 speeds.

 

Yes! I checked my Pioneer PL-41 Turntable ..., posted on October 21, 2010 at 08:26:00
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 I had not noticed a speed problem. I looked under the platter, and sure enough there was the 50/60hz switch and the extra pulley. The 50hz pulley is more chunky than the 60hz one. So the pulley could be wrong. Also the switch could be on the wrong setting. Both should be checked.

The PL-41 is a simple, well made table that reminds me very much of an Empire table (not a bad choice to imitate!). It has a nicely made, very heavy arm (no anti skate) that would be nice with a mono cartridge or any good low-compliance conical cartridge. You should be able to get a very nice sound out of it. It is worth some effort. If the original poster can't find the correct pulley under the platter, he should be able to find one. The PL-50A and I am sure others all use the same pulley.

Dave

 

Did you check for the second spindle under the platter?..., posted on October 22, 2010 at 11:44:18
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 You should also check the 50/60Hz switch. See my post below.

Dave

 

it seems to me, posted on October 22, 2010 at 21:40:35
hifitommy
Audiophile

Posts: 15387
Location: canyon country califiornia, orig from buffalo ny
Joined: June 9, 2000
 that the diff between 50 and 60 hz would be greater than 4%. likewise the voltage changes.

i have a pl41 in good shape but need a belt. i hope mine isnt that fast. i have heard of tt makers that intentionally run about 1% fast for a sharper sound. why cant they leave things to be natural?
...regards...tr

 

RE: Pioneer PL-41 Turntable Speed Problem, posted on November 5, 2010 at 09:14:56
vintaudio
Dealer

Posts: 19
Location: PermaFrost MN
Joined: July 17, 2006
 Thanks for the replies. I have the correct pulley on and the switch is in 60 Hz. No trim pots. Maybe the motor has worn so is out of tolerance. I think I have run out of ideas.

 

RE: Pioneer PL-41 Turntable Speed Problem, posted on May 26, 2014 at 22:20:16
southard.ryan@gmail.com
Audiophile

Posts: 1
Location: Seattle, WA
Joined: May 26, 2014
 Hi folks. This is an old thread, but I'm sure someone out there will be as smitten as I was at the sight of this beautiful machine, plunk down their cash, bring it home, only to find that it makes every vocalist sound like one of the chipmunks.

I ran through every simple solution on this and other threads, including electrical tape on the platter, cleaning the spindle with q-tips and alcohol, switching between 50/60, all multiple times. No luck, until today.

Here's where I got it wrong, and right: The spindle has to be so clean that it's beaming. I must have rubbed it at least 3-4 times with alcohol until I couldn't see any more gunk on the cotton. I thought it was clean; it wasn't.

The solution: Sandpaper! Seriously! Turn on the spindle, take a very small strip of fine grade sandpaper, apply a tiny bit of pressure, let it run for about 60 seconds and watch the color of that spindle go from bronze to shiny gold. You'll need to move the sandpaper up and down a bit to get an even cleaning. When the spindle has even gold color from top to bottom, you've done the trick.

It sounds a little risky and crazy, but it's the only thing that worked for me. Pitch and speed are perfect now.

 

Check thickness of belt., posted on May 27, 2014 at 01:57:38
johnmil
Audiophile

Posts: 527
Location: Texas
Joined: December 21, 2002
 As Vin_Tage pointed out in previous thread, the belt you installed
as replacement is probably thicker than the original. This is an
issue I've observed on turntables from various manufactures.

A thicker belt increases the effective-diameter of the motor pulley
causing the platter to run fast. Do you still have the original for
a comparison-test????

Also, you really do need to test speed with stylus in grove playing
a record. The additional drag of the stylus will slow most turntables slightly.

Regards to all,
John

 

RE: Pioneer PL-41 Turntable Speed Problem, posted on August 8, 2015 at 06:35:35
JimOfOakCreek
Audiophile

Posts: 1301
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Joined: August 23, 2004
 It is the belt. Most of the after market belts for the Pioneer PL41 are too thick. The thicker belt makes the turntable run too fast. I bought a belt from LP Gear which is noticeably thinner than my previous belt. Now the speed is spot on at 33.33 and 45.

 

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