What got me to wondering whether that oil has been getting past the pulley is I've religiously done my yearly 3 drops into that hole and it never seemed to get any further.
Anyhow the table is about 5 1/2 yrs old and I've been noticing some very feint low level hum in the blank grooves. I've recorded albums to CD since day one and listening back the hum was either non existent or much lower from discs recorded from the Primes early days in my system. So I decided to investigate. On long lead out grooves I would stop the motor and the hum would continue while dropping steadily in pitch until the platter stopped and then the hum was done. If I rotated the platter by hand the hum would begin again. Very low hum.
Next I grabbed a stethoscope and listed to the plinth with just the motor on, platter spinning, no disc playing and I could hear the hum. And again when I spun the platter by hand I could also hear it.
Hmmm, maybe that 1/4" by 7" square mousepad I used to use under the motor before I had the whole table isolated would cancel the motor noise. Sure as heck, it solved the problem. Pitch black silent backgrounds once again. But I do now feel that possibly not properly lubing the motor got that hum started in the first place.
I'll take care of that shortly!
Thanks again Brf!
