MoFi UltraDeck / StudioDeck Owners and those interested

jerseytiger said:
So if the cartridge calls for the VTA to be 20 degrees what do I align the 20 line with? Top? Middle? The MoFi TT manual isn't much help. It just says to make the arm parallel to the record.
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I would suggest that you ask Mr Google how to set the VTA. A number of sites and videos will come up to walk you through the process in as much detail as you want . Be careful not to be dragged down the rabbit hole . When I measure the diameter of the arm from one end to the other it is consistently 1/2 inch . I understand the starting point in adjusting the VTA is to have the arm parallel to the record surface using a medium thickness record and the needle resting on a stationary record---record thickness impacts the angle . Fine turning starts from this point . Go online and all the details are there ----good luck .

I dont personally have the ability or interest to carry out all the detailed adjustments , I just make sure the arm is parallel to the surface . Some suggest you can adjust the rear of the arm up and down and use your ear to judge the result . Note support the arm at the back when you do so as I understand the whole arm unit will drop if not supported .

Good luck and let us know the results .
 
I’ve had my Ultradeck for just over a year, and it’s been great, up until tonight when — while playing a record just fine — it instantly barely was able to spin. I’m very hopeful this is just a lithium grease issue for the bearing, and I’ve ordered some, but the suddenness of it is concerning.

The motor and belt are trying to turn the platter, but they’re not able to spin it. I can manually spin it, but it’s labored. Does this seem like a grease issue? Mofi says to change the belt every 3 years, and — as noted — it’s hard to spin the platter manually, so I don’t think it’s a belt issue.
 
As a follow up, removed the platter and cleaned up a bit of dust under it. I put it back on, and now it seems to spin fine again.

Something caused it to stick, and it was not easy to lift the platter (initially the entire table lifted), so I’m still going to wait to use it until I’ve put a bit of grease on the bearing. I know it only needs a very small amount.
 
I’m a bit compulsive when it comes to my platter bearing. Although I have a VPI, not a MoFi, I clean out and change the platter bearing lubrication every year on an appointed date. Old grease or oil never strikes me as a good thing.
 
Angsty said:
I’m a bit compulsive when it comes to my platter bearing. Although I have a VPI, not a MoFi, I clean out and change the platter bearing lubrication every year on an appointed date. Old grease or oil never strikes me as a good thing.
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I am coming up on my first year with the ultradeck and was going to relube . How did you clean out the old grease, with a qtip?
 
I decided to look at my bearing today too based on this discussion. Static Shock responded to me a week or so ago regarding the MoFi grease. I can’t find that on the MoFi site, the MoFi Electronics site, or Music Direct. I think I read somewhere here that it’s also like $40 for a little tube, which seems outrageous for some lube.

I saw the Pro-Ject Grease It available on other sites for $25 (still outrageous IMO), but I was about to put in an order for something else anyway and this would get me over the free shipping threshold anyway. It says it’s meant for inverted bearings so it should work fine right?

www.project-audio.com

Grease it – Pro-Ject Audio Systems

How to use Grease it A turntable is a delicate instrument and needs proper care. The motor is moving the platter and the bearing‘s lubrication is being worn off
www.project-audio.com www.project-audio.com

I removed my platter and there’s just the 2.5 year old grease on the bearing and it still feels like grease, but I guess I should replace it before problems start.
 

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jerseytiger said:
I think I read somewhere here that it’s also like $40 for a little tube, which seems outrageous for some lube.

I saw the Pro-Ject Grease It available on other sites for $25 (still outrageous IMO), but I was about to put in an order for something else anyway and this would get me over the free shipping threshold anyway. It says it’s meant for inverted bearings so it should work fine right?
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Even $25 seems high for this application. VPI recommends Super Lube grease for 20 lb platters with inverted bearings. I can't imagine how that would not be good here, too. My particular bearing is a well bearing, so it uses oil instead of grease.

Amazon link to Super Lube grease:
 
jerseytiger said:
I decided to look at my bearing today too based on this discussion. Static Shock responded to me a week or so ago regarding the MoFi grease. I can’t find that on the MoFi site, the MoFi Electronics site, or Music Direct. I think I read somewhere here that it’s also like $40 for a little tube, which seems outrageous for some lube.

I saw the Pro-Ject Grease It available on other sites for $25 (still outrageous IMO), but I was about to put in an order for something else anyway and this would get me over the free shipping threshold anyway. It says it’s meant for inverted bearings so it should work fine right?

www.project-audio.com

Grease it – Pro-Ject Audio Systems

How to use Grease it A turntable is a delicate instrument and needs proper care. The motor is moving the platter and the bearing‘s lubrication is being worn off
www.project-audio.com www.project-audio.com

I removed my platter and there’s just the 2.5 year old grease on the bearing and it still feels like grease, but I guess I should replace it before problems start.
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I got my MOFI grease through my Dealer along with some other things last year and yes it was expensive up in Canada . I just did a search and only could find the grease on some sites outside of the USA and not on the MOFI sites . You may have to reach out to MOFI directly to find a source or ask them what to use . I expect it was not a large seller due to the price and I don't know if its still in there product line .
 
Angsty said:
Even $25 seems high for this application. VPI recommends Super Lube grease for 20 lb platters with inverted bearings. I can't imagine how that would not be good here, too. My particular bearing is a well bearing, so it uses oil instead of grease.

Amazon link to Super Lube grease:
Click to expand...
Thanks I think I’ll give this a try. Anything related to turntables seems to be marked up 500%. It’s the same with the MoFi belt. $30 for a small piece of elastic.
 
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I may get flack from some people, but there isn't some magic audiophile grease.

An audio-branded grease from MoFi, VPI or Pro-Ject likely comes from 55 gallon drums of industrial grease squeezed into a smaller, prettier tube. Turntables are not some high intensity, high specification usage. A simple, easily available grease like Super Lube is more than capable of handling a low speed, low pressure application like a turntable platter. At $6 for 0.5 oz, I'm paying for convenient packaging, not super specifications which aren't required.

The reason I'm compulsive about changing lubrication annually is because I never want the lube to go dry or stiff with oxidation. I control that with annual changes of an appropriate lubricant.

www.super-lube.com

Multi-Purpose Synthetic Grease with Syncolon® - 21010

Tube (Blistered)
www.super-lube.com www.super-lube.com
 
Angsty said:
I may get flack from some people, but there isn't some magic audiophile grease.

An audio-branded grease from MoFi, VPI or Pro-Ject likely comes from 55 gallon drums of industrial grease squeezed into a smaller, prettier tube. Turntables are not some high intensity, high specification usage. A simple, easily available grease like Super Lube is more than capable of handling a low speed, low pressure application like a turntable platter. At $6 for 0.5 oz, I'm paying for convenient packaging, not super specifications which aren't required.

The reason I'm compulsive about changing lubrication annually is because I never want the lube to go dry or stiff with oxidation. I control that with annual changes of an appropriate lubricant.

www.super-lube.com

Multi-Purpose Synthetic Grease with Syncolon® - 21010

Tube (Blistered)
www.super-lube.com www.super-lube.com
Click to expand...

The one thing that you have to be careful about is that you buy the right type of lubricant with the right level of viscosity. For example the oil bath project uses is likely similar to the type of cheap sewing machine oil that’s much much cheaper. Equally, that’s a hugely different product to the much more viscous lithium grease MoFi uses.

I’d rather be mildly gouged for something branded than do something dumb to save a few dollars in maintaining a machine that cost me thousands.
 
Joe Mac said:
The one thing that you have to be careful about is that you buy the right type of lubricant with the right level of viscosity. For example the oil bath project uses is likely similar to the type of cheap sewing machine oil that’s much much cheaper. Equally, that’s a hugely different product to the much more viscous lithium grease MoFi uses.

I’d rather be mildly gouged for something branded than do something dumb to save a few dollars in maintaining a machine that cost me thousands.
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I get it - “better safe than sorry.”

In a former life, I was a mechanical engineer who had to specify lubrication for various industrial uses. I’m likely a lot more comfortable with what lubricants do and don’t do than other people may be.
 
Angsty said:
I get it - “better safe than sorry.”

In a former life, I was a mechanical engineer who had to specify lubrication for various industrial uses. I’m likely a lot more comfortable with what lubricants do and don’t do than other people may be.
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I did an online scan of recommended grease for the MOFI TT spindle and all I really came up with was the recommendation to use ester-based bearing grease. It was implied that the MOFI spindle grease was ester-based . To be clear , I have no experience in the lubrication field , well maybe a bit on the type you drink .
 
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