MoFi UltraDeck / StudioDeck Owners and those interested

Haven’t experienced that, but sounds like it could be a capacitor not keeping its charge or a loose connection that disconnects when warm. Just ideas off the top of my head.
 
Thank you for your input , it has only happened twice at this point , first at powering up when it would continue to power off every 4 or 5 seconds and then once when warm after playing for 3 hours . The first event would be when cold the second when warm . Today no problems but the evening is still early .
 
Static Shock said:
I purchased a new UltraDeck last Friday and on Sunday experienced the same shut off issues you reported in your posting . I was able to get the unit running again but a couple of hours later it shut off while playing a record . I was able to start it up again without a problem .

My question is , did you contact Mofi to get there take on this issue and if yes what did they say as like you I am concerned about documenting issues for warranty purposes .

I previously had a StudioDeck for about a month , but returned it to the dealer due to a number of issues .
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Yes I did. The gentleman I spoke with said he had never heard of that issue, (this was in late 2018), but was glad I got it running again and told me to contact MoFi if it ever went dead again. (It never did.) Were I you, I would contact them right away and work toward an exchange, (or refund if you prefer). I would not have settled with a unit that needed this kind of futzing more than once.

I know it's a pain to go through this kind of maintenance process, but I have every confidence that MoFi will eventually make it right for you. If they don't, then let us know. There are quite a few MoFi TT owners and potential buyers around here that would like to hear back from you. Best wishes.
 
Static Shock said:
Thank you for your input , it has only happened twice at this point , first at powering up when it would continue to power off every 4 or 5 seconds and then once when warm after playing for 3 hours . The first event would be when cold the second when warm . Today no problems but the evening is still early .
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I second @budley007. You should definitely reach out to MoFi and at least get on their radar.
 
Just now I went over to the TT to turn over a record and touched the metal deck before the plastic covered clue leaver and it shut down again . If I ground myself first it does not . It appears to be an issue of the static electricity causing the unit to shut down . The unit is in the basement with a rug on the floor and walking across the rug to the unit develops a charge which I dissipate by touching a metal hinge on the wood unit that holds my system . I have been following this routine for years as in the winter in Ontario the air gets very dry and you have high levels of static electricity develop. Before any one ask yes the TT in grounded to my preamp and I did not have this issue on the Studio deck I just returned nor the previous TT . I am going to reach out to my dealer to contact Mofi to see if this is a faulty power switch or something else .
 
I was having the same shut-down issue with my UltraDeck. I reached out to MoFi and the service manager there told me he'd heard/seen maybe five cases of it, but that he thinks he knew what the issue was. This is when my TT was still under warranty so he gave me the option of sending it in or he could send me the part with instructions. I didn't want it shipped back and forth so I asked to have just the part sent. They sent me a new button assembly but I haven't gotten around to changing it.

I think static electricity plays a part as well; I noticed it happened a lot more when my TT was downstairs by the TV. Also happened more after playing a record that had just been cleaned in my RCM or when I used my old brush.

I recently switched to a different brush (still happened) and changed my wall outlet. Since changing the outlet, it hasn't happened in 3 weeks of fairly regular use, 4+ hours/day (knock on wood). When I went to change my outlet, I cut fresh wire. Not sure if that has anything to do with it or if a loose connection was fixed when I put everything back?

Good luck with yours! But yeah, reach out to MoFi; they're usually good about responding.
 
Thank you for your comments they help .

I checked out my wall outlet and its correctly wired --the house is only 4 years old . At some point I will put in a better outlet. Last month I had a Studio deck for a month before returning it due to some issues , powering off and on was not one of them so I have come to the conclusion that its the power switch on the Ultra Deck triggered by static electricity .

While my unit is a new one , like you I don't want to go through the hassles of returning it , if the repair is an easy one . You mentioned they had sent you a new button and instructions . Did it appear that the instruction for replacement of the button were difficult or complicated ?

On another subject , how long did it take you to burn in the cartridge ? I had a Studio Tracker on the Studio Deck and found at the end of a month of playing around 3 + hours each day , the sound improved . I have a Master tracker on the Ultra deck with limited hours at this point . Both decks had some low motor noise that you can only hear close up . The platter on the Studio Deck had more wobble then the Ultra Deck . Mofi indicated that some low motor noise and platter wobbler were common and not an issue .

I have passed along the forum comments to my dealer who will reach out to MoFi . I hope its an easy fix as I don't want a repeat of the month loss on the Studio Deck .
 
Static Shock said:
Thank you for your comments they help .

I checked out my wall outlet and its correctly wired --the house is only 4 years old . At some point I will put in a better outlet. Last month I had a Studio deck for a month before returning it due to some issues , powering off and on was not one of them so I have come to the conclusion that its the power switch on the Ultra Deck triggered by static electricity .
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My house is around the same age as yours...I'm not sure what they did when they fed the wires through my walls but they were covered in plaster or paint or something? I switched my outlet to the Audioquest one and don't hear any difference, haha. When I switched out my power cords, I heard a huge difference. The new outlet is much sturdier though, so I just left it.

Static Shock said:
While my unit is a new one , like you I don't want to go through the hassles of returning it , if the repair is an easy one . You mentioned they had sent you a new button and instructions . Did it appear that the instruction for replacement of the button were difficult or complicated ?
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They didn't seem too difficult...I think the hardest part is flipping the TT over w/o damaging anything. You need to undo some screws at the bottom. The electrical connector is one of those push connectors (like a JST or Molex connector).

Static Shock said:
On another subject , how long did it take you to burn in the cartridge ? I had a Studio Tracker on the Studio Deck and found at the end of a month of playing around 3 + hours each day , the sound improved . I have a Master tracker on the Ultra deck with limited hours at this point . Both decks had some low motor noise that you can only hear close up . The platter on the Studio Deck had more wobble then the Ultra Deck . Mofi indicated that some low motor noise and platter wobbler were common and not an issue .
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I've run a few different cartridges on mine (Grado Gold 2 -> Hana SL -> Hana ML) and I think usually people say to give around 50 hours to burn in a cartridge?

Static Shock said:
I have passed along the forum comments to my dealer who will reach out to MoFi . I hope its an easy fix as I don't want a repeat of the month loss on the Studio Deck .
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Good luck with it! I'm sure MoFi will take care of you.
 
Thanks again I expect when my dealer contacts Mofi with the info I have provided they will also send out a replacement power switch .

On my wall outlet I pulled the surface plate to ensure the ground was connected along with the other wires and to check any contamination with plaster which I have found before . Like you I will eventually upgrade the outlet . I also had replaced the power cord based on dealer recommendation and found a detectable difference . Next in line will be replacing the RCA phono cord and installing a automatic tonearm lift . We have an Canadian company which makes a product called Tru-lift which appears well made .
 
Joe Mac said:
Part of me would be much more excited if a high end manufacturer was trying to enter the market at $500 with lessons learned at the higher price bleeding down into an entry model.
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I think $500 is unlikely from any of these brands. It seems like $1K - $1.5 is the bottom. I don't think it's about technology, but about brand positioning and also just capacity.

If you make a killer $500 table, you're going to sell a ton of them (look at UTurn). But the issue with selling a ton of affordable units is that it absorbs a LOT of resources taking away from higher end products. Lower end/lower pricing generally requires higher tolerances. That ultimately brings in more returns, more customer service, etc. On top of the logistics of selling more units. If you're going to sell 5000 units instead of 500, you need more space for production, more space for storage, more shipping people, more accounting people, more inventory management... the list goes on and on forever.

To a lot of companies, they'd rather sell fewer units of a higher end product so they can remain a hifi company. Once things fall into the more affordable realm, you are somewhat forced to become a logistics and customer service company - regardless of the product.
 
displayname said:
I think $500 is unlikely from any of these brands. It seems like $1K - $1.5 is the bottom. I don't think it's about technology, but about brand positioning and also just capacity.

If you make a killer $500 table, you're going to sell a ton of them (look at UTurn). But the issue with selling a ton of affordable units is that it absorbs a LOT of resources taking away from higher end products. Lower end/lower pricing generally requires higher tolerances. That ultimately brings in more returns, more customer service, etc. On top of the logistics of selling more units. If you're going to sell 5000 units instead of 500, you need more space for production, more space for storage, more shipping people, more accounting people, more inventory management... the list goes on and on forever.

To a lot of companies, they'd rather sell fewer units of a higher end product so they can remain a hifi company. Once things fall into the more affordable realm, you are somewhat forced to become a logistics and customer service company - regardless of the product.
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Yeah, there's a reason Ron Sutherland is the customer service rep for Sutherland Engineering.
 
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