How can I measure the speed of my turntable?

There are a number of methods that can be used to check the speed on your turntable, some more accurate than others.

While there are phone apps available for this, they may not be completely accurate as you are placing weight unevenly on the platter, and the accuracy may differ from one phone to the next.

The tried, tested, and true method is the use of a strobe disc which we offer as a printable document with links below.

Speed discs are a visual method of checking your turntable speed. to use this method, you will need a printer and a lamp with a 50hz or 60hz bulb.

Printed Strobe Discs: North America: 60Hz UK: 50Hz 

1. Print and cut out the speed disc that matches the lamp you'll be using.

2. Punch a hole in the marked center of the disc and place it over the spindle of your turntable platter.

3. Place the lamp so the light is shining on the disc and set the speed selector to the speed you want to test. You may need to turn off Auto Stop to allow the platter to spin without moving the tonearm.

4. With the platter spinning, watch the bars on the speed disc:
- If the speed is correct, the bars will appear to stand still.
- If it's too fast, the bars will blur and move in a clockwise direction.
- Too slow and the bars will appear to reverse.

For an example of how this would be used, please see our Speed Adjustment video for the RT80 and RT81. 

The adjustment steps in the video are for RT80 and RT81.

Reference Series tables such as RT82-RT85, use a servo motor that cannot be adjusted as it adjusts speed on its own.