Beogram 6500 – Tonearm gets stuck halfway through records. Any ideas?

8 replies
Hi everyone! I'm having a problem with my Beogram 6500 and I'm hoping someone here might have an idea what could be causing it. Everything seems to work fine at first. All buttons respond correctly, the turntable starts normally, and it automatically detects the record size and selects the correct speed (33/45 RPM). However, when the tonearm gets approximately halfway through a record, it sometimes struggles to move any further and can get stuck. The problem seems to be more noticeable when playing 7-inch singles (45 RPM), although it can also happen with LPs. Strangely, sometimes it plays an entire record without any problems! My suspicion is that something is wrong with the tonearm drive motor or the mechanism that moves the arm, as the movement seems rather slow and sluggish. Has anyone experienced a similar problem with a Beogram 6500? Could it be a weak motor, dried-up lubrication, or something else in the tonearm drive mechanism? I'd really appreciate any advice on what to check first before I start taking things apart. Thanks in advance for your help! Best regards, Johnny Sweden

Location: Sweden

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The fact it works sometimes would suggest that the cord used for driving the arm across the record is sticking - these decks work in a very different way to the 4000 series. I would suggest that maybe the mechanism needs cleaning as if it works sometimes then it would appear nothing is actually broken. If you are lucky it could be a quick fix. The problem will be that quite a few of the components are plastic and these can get brittle with age. Have you got the service manual? It is on site - and seems to be a new scan - I am sure the one I did was not as good!

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It's most likely a mechanical problem due to deformation of plastic parts. If near Copenhagen I'll gladly take a look at it. Martin
Thank you very much for your helpful reply! That sounds quite encouraging. I was hoping the problem might be caused by old grease or something sticking in the tonearm carriage mechanism rather than a broken component. I haven't received the turntable yet, so I'm trying to understand the mechanism and possible faults before starting the repair. I do have the service manual, and I'll take a closer look at the cord drive and its associated components. I've also read that the small plastic attachment point for the carriage cord can sometimes break. Is this something you have encountered yourself? Thanks again for your advice. I really appreciate your help!

Location: Sweden

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Thank you, Martin, for your reply and your kind offer to take a look at the turntable! I live in southern Sweden, in Karlskrona, so Copenhagen is not impossibly far away. Before attempting to repair the Beogram 6500, I'm trying to understand what might be causing the problem. Else I know you can help. How much do you charge? When you mention deformation of plastic parts, are there any particular components in the tonearm carriage mechanism that you suspect? Is this a common problem with the Beogram 6500? I also have an issue with my BeoSound 9000 (MK1). When mounted vertically, it plays burned CDs without any problems, but with commercially pressed CDs, the mechanism sometimes fails to return the disc properly to its position. The disc seems to remain attached to the clamper instead of being released correctly. Have you encountered this problem before? I would really appreciate any advice or experience you could share. Many thanks again!

Location: Sweden

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Here is my issue with my Beosound 9000

Location: Sweden

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Martin has forgotten more than I ever knew so I would definitely take his advice. I would also recommend his services wholeheartedly.

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Thank you Mcevedy! I have sent Martin a message but not got any answer yet. I will go to Denmark Friday-Saturday and hope he will have time to have a check.

Location: Sweden

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