Victrola Record Player Playing Slow? (Here’s The Fix!)

If your Victrola record player playing slow, don’t worry, by the end of the guide it will be fixed!

There are many possibilities for a slow playout on a Victrola turntable, ranging from the manual speed selection and the platter’s rotation, all the way to the belt’s installation.

So, in this quick guide, we’ll go over everything you can do at home to solve the issue and walk you through it.

Here’s everything that may be causing the slow playing speed:

Let’s jump straight into the solutions, shall we?

How to Fix When a Victrola Record Player Playing Slow?

Note: Have you checked whether the vinyl record is positioned correctly on the spindle?

1. Change your Speed Selection

The first and vital thing to check when the Victrola record player record sounds slow or delayed is the Speed Selection switch.

The switch can be found on the right side, below the tonearm, right under the Auto & Manual Stop switch.

The speed selection is essential and must be adjusted as per the record you’re listening to, so if your setting is incorrect the record may sound slow/fast. 

Here is a concise explanation of what speed you need:

• 33 ⅓ – Used for LPS albums (long-format).
• 45s – Best for “EPs” or records with singles.
• 78s – Mainly used for records before 1955.

So, if you’re unsure what the exact type of your vinyl record player is, test with all three different speeds.

However, to change the speed we recommend moving the tonearm aside, so the platter stops spinning, then change the speed using the speed switch, and put the tonearm back over.

If your Victrola record player is too slow on all speed settings, continue reading!

2. Balance your Tracking Force

The tracking force is the weight that is applied to the tonearm, hence the pressure of the stylus onto the record grooves.

So, if that pressure is too great, the needle itself might be contacting the record too hard, which not only damages your record but can also slow the rotation speed.

So, before doing anything else, we recommend adjusting the tracking force:

1. Acquire an Allen wrench to release the counterweight.
2. Next, remove the tonearm from the turntable’s holder.
3. Rotate the numbered ring and balance the arm to “0”.
4. Next, spin the ring clockwise, making exactly 1.5 turns.
5. This means: Start from 0, surpass 0 again, and set on 1.
6. When done, use the Allen wrench to tighten the weight.

Reminder: If your Victrola record player has an anti-skate knob, set it to exactly 1.5.

3. Verify the Turntable is Leveled

Sometimes the reason for the slow playout speed is caused by an uneven turntable, which may prevent the platter from spinning freely.

• This primarily happens because of too high pressure from the stylus, even whenever the tonearm is perfectly balanced with the weight at exactly 1.5.

So, leveling out the turntable will prevent a wavy motion of the platter and hopefully correct the slow speed of your vinyl record’s playout.

Use a leveling tool to measure how even your turntable is and avoid positioning the player on carpets or other stuffy surfaces.

Also, push one side of the turntable to check for any wobbling.

Tip: On some Victrola record players, you can adjust the feet so you can level your turntable, even when the surface underneath is uneven.

4. Inspect the Turntable’s Platter

Sometimes the records on a Victrola record player may play very slow because the platter is not spinning fast enough due to obstructions.

This can clog the motor’s rotation, which in turn, might lead to a malfunction and breakage of your Victrola turntable.

So, it’s very important to check whether something got underneath the platter and is preventing or slowing down the free motion and rotation.

Here’s how to remove the platter from the Victrola turntable:

1. Locate the small ring holding the platter to the spindle.
2. Remove it, using your nails or a flathead screwdriver.
3. Gently lift your platter, without overstretching the belt.
4. Then, the belt will come loose from the motor’s pulley.

When the platter is removed from the spindle, also take out the belt and closely inspect for any objects or obstructions.

Also, take a close look for hair wrapped around the motor’s pulley and if needed, clean the underside of the platter and surface around the spindle of the Victrola player.

Note: Don’t forget to inspect the hole in the center of your platter for any obstructions/damage!

5. Lubricate the Motor’s Pulley

Now that the platter is out from your Victrola turntable, before putting the belt and everything back together we recommend lubricating the motor’s pulley.

You will need just a few drops of machine oil that you must spill down the shaft of the motor’s pulley to resume normal speeds.

However, be very careful not to spill the oil around the underside of the platter as lubricating the belt might produce additional problems.

Quick Tip: You can use sewing machine oil, 3-in-1 oil, electric motor oil, or clock oil.

6. Clean and Reposition the Belt

If the Victrola record player playing too slow, one of the main reasons is the belt.

There are a lot of possibilities ranging from improper belt positioning to overstretching and physical belt defects.

What you can do is reposition the belt correctly and test whether the record will play at a normal speed.

The installation of the belt is a delicate procedure, so we recommend following the steps:

1. Turn the platter of your record player upside down.
2. Locate the inner ring where the belt wraps around.
3. Gently stretch the belt and wrap it around the ring.
4. Flip the platter around and hover it over the spindle.
5. Pinch the belt on the right, next to the motor pulley.
6. Stretch the belt just enough to enwrap the pulley.
7. Release the tension and verify that the belt stays.
8. Then, slide the platter down the spindle very gently.

When you’re ready, the belt must be in perfect position and when you play a vinyl record, the speed must be normal and the issue should be gone.

Reminder: Verify that the Speed Selection switch is at the correct speed for your vinyl record!

7. Inspect Power Supply & Outlet

Sometimes, the reason for the unusual slow speed on your Victrola record player comes from the power supply adapter or the electrical outlet.

The different Victrola turntables require an exact amount of input voltage, whether it is 5V, 6V, or 9V, and some record players, even 12V.

Hence, you need to check the documentation of your Victrola record player for the required amount of input voltage, especially if you’re not using the original adapter.

Then, you must ensure that the power supply matches the requirement, otherwise you may not fix the issue.

Important: Also, try connecting the power adapter of your Victrola record player to a different power outlet and use only a direct connection.

8. Test via Different Vinyl Record

If nothing works, and the playout from your record on the Victrola turntable is really slow, we recommend testing via different vinyl records before drawing conclusions.

It’s not excluded that the grooves on your current record are scratched or dirty and that’s why the playback is slow.

Hence, if you have a brand-new vinyl record, test the Victrola record playout speed by using it.

Note: If you don’t have a vinyl record to test with, clean your current record thoroughly with a microfiber cloth and test the playback speed.