2. analog
  3. 1148925832

BIX TT Won't Hold Speed - Bearing Lube?

Gents,

About a year ago, I bought a BIX turntable, which came with its own synthetic bearing lube, which I used. The bearing is the middle vintage with the built-on platter collar, not the latest one with the oil grooves.

It seems like I have to adjust the playing speed quite often with this TT, and it seems to be related to temperature. In the winter, when the indoor temp is lowest (65-72) it runs the slowest, and in the summer, when the temp hovers around 80, it runs fastest.

The bearing has a very tight tolerance, so I think it's the viscosity of the oil that is affecting the speed. What type of lube would give me the most constant speed in this type of situation? Has anyone else encountered this problem?

My other TT is a Michell Orbe and I've also used a lot of the VPI tables in the past, and never had this problem with any of those.
plato

Showing 2 responses by dougdeacon

dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
I'm not familiar with the Bix bearing, but FWIW Teres bearings use automatic transmission fluid. Buy one bottle at Walmart and you're set for life.

In my (completely unqualified) opinion there is no reason to pay for "audiophile" bearing lubricant. The demands of this application are simply too easy to meet for there to be any real benefit. Choose a clean, commercial quality lubricant of suitable viscosity for the bearing design and you should be fine.

You don't need high temperature performance. From a lubrication POV the temperatures in a TT bearing never get high, not even close. You need low temperature stability. I might try a multi-grade like 5W-20 or even 0W-20.

Again this is all assuming the Bix bearing needs oil and not grease.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
My good friend Billbo, the Bix TT uses a DC motor. It is isolated from AC fluctuations by a step-down transformer, known in the common tongue as a wall-wart. Your idea is interesting but the Bix-ians would find it strange, foreign even.

- Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to... giggle! <;~)
More to discover