Troubleshooting a Direct Drive Turntable

Rotating

If your direct drive turntable has stopped rotating your records, it is because the player's belt has either come loose or come off completely. Underneath the turntable's platter (the part where you put your records) is a belt that is hooked to a mechanism. That belt is what makes the platter spin, which allows the needle (also called a stylus) to play the record. Lift up the platter (depending on the model, you may have to remove some screws) and reattach the belt securely into its proper place.

Stylus

If the direct drive turntable's needle (also called a stylus) stops playing music for any reason--it stops touching the record, it is bent or anything similar--it must be replaced. Finding just a stylus replacement will be tricky; you can look online and contact record shops that sell turntables, but the most likely bet is that you'll have to replace the entire cartridge assembly. This includes the stylus, the arm and the mechanism to raise and lower it. This will cost a little more, but it isn't a difficult fix. Simply unscrew the old arm, attach the new one and secure the stylus to the tip of the arm.

Power

The final thing to check if your direct drive turntable stops functioning properly is its power source. Consult the manual for your specific model and check the voltage requirements. Using a voltage meter, check the wall outlet that the turntable is plugged into and ensure that it is getting the proper voltage. Also, make sure the wall outlet works in the first place. It is common to not realize a wall outlet isn't supplying power, especially if it is one that doesn't get used regularly.