stuck in a groove

[shane]

I've been spinning vinyl all morning and on two records I'm getting a skip. They are both brand new records that I'm playing for the first time and the skip seems to be in about the same spot (about mid way through or halfway to the center of the album). The album just keeps repeating the same ~2sec piece in the music. Is this a cartridge issue or a vinyl issue? I'm have a Rega P3 table with an Elys 2 cartridge if that helps.

Shane

[Billy Budapest]

Is the skip during a part of a song with a low bass note?

[blakep]

Play the record. Make note of where the skip is. Take the record off your player and take a look at that part of the record under strong light for something lodged in the grooves or attached to the record in that location-it might even be a small chunk of vinyl from the manufacturing process. I had this happen on a recent Sundazed Bob Dylan title. Ended up moistening that area with cleaning fluid and using a wetted q-tip to dislodge it and the record has been fine since.

[shane]

Check your tracking force w/ a gauge as Rega arms can`t always be accurately set w/ their indicator. If you don`t have a gauge, slightly increase the VTF, & report back.


This seemed to do the trick. I tried it with the Detroit Cobras album I listened to last. It was skipping about 30sec into the 4th song. In creased the VTF slightly and that did the trick. I played it again fro that track and it skipped about 30sec later. Another slight increase solved it. Here's the thing though. Rega recommends 1.75 for the Elys 2. I have it set at right about 2.0 now. Is this s problem or is Rega's number just a start point? Either way I guess its time to purchase a gauge.

Shane

[xman]

Just in case you missed this one. Make sure your TT is level. Makes a big difference. If your stand is place on carpet over time the weight differential (carpet sinking unevenly) will create an imbalance. FYI :wave:

[drh]

Just in case you missed this one. Make sure your TT is level. Makes a big difference. If your stand is place on carpet over time the weight differential (carpet sinking unevenly) will create an imbalance. FYI :wave:

...or, if you're on wall-to-wall, it's thicker at the edge by the wall (doubled over edge of carpet + tack strip), so nothing right against the wall will ever sit straight.

[blakep]

According to him, it`s happening on MORE THAN 1 record. What are the odds of 2 different records having defects in the same spot? Me thinks slim & none, & Slim left town.

Well, I'm glad it worked out for the original poster but I figured that the chances of it happening on two brand new records with defects were about as high as the chances of it happening on two brand new records but none of his other records, which is what one would believe reading the original post.

A guage and level should definitely be on the OP's buy list though, as it sounds like he was seriously undertracking and perhaps the thicker records (if the new pressings were thicker) exacerbated the problem.