I'd sell the P25/RB600 combination and buy a Basis 1400/Graham Robin setup to use with your cartridge and phono preamplifer. |
I have the Lydian Beta with a Rega RB900/VPI HW-MkIII/Lehman Black Cube and have no hum problems at all. |
I did a little troubleshooting today. I hooked the Rega/ Lydian up to an old Yamaha A700 integrated I had in the attic. The A700 has an MC phono stage. At first there was only a very low level hum. Then I realized I had the A700 in mono mode. Switched to stereo. Big hum. So I put the Rega/Lydian back in the main system and tried mono; low level hum. Switch to stereo; big hum. Did I get a bad cartridge? Or is the cartridge picking up the hum from some other source? I am just getting back into vinyl and am not having fun yet. Please help me before I bail (excuse the pun) out! |
Jsbail- At the risk of stating the obvious, do you have a good ground? Have you tried it w/o a ground?
Are you axperiencing hum all the time or just when a record is playing? Is the hum from both channels or just one? Could you provide more specific details?
Have you inspected the wire clips to ensure that there is good contact with the cartridge pins as well as a good soldered connection to the wires? Are you asdsolutely sure that each wire is connected to the correct pin?
Jim |
I have a Lydian Beta with a rega p25/rb600. Bat pre and phono stage. No hum at all. Got to be something you can troubleshoot such as Jim's advice above. Also, maybe a defective cartridge?
Also, I'm curious what you think of the TT/cart combo. Sounds lean to me...not a lot of body...bass is great and soundstaging is great. maybe my cardtridge loading is off or VTA-since it's fixed? |
The only thing that left for you to do is to contact Immedia and report that problem. It might be a problem with cartridge internal wiring.
BTW Rega turntable is a big compromise for Lyra but it shouldn't hum. Lyra can deliver much more from the Basis 1400. Basis 1400/RB300 combo will definitely smoke your current analogue setup. |
The P-25 isnt causing the hum.
The Basis 1400 does not 'smoke' the P-25
I listened to both before buying the P-25
The Basis is better for light classical and Jazz but the P-25 SMOKES the little 1400 with good old rock and roll! All depends what you want from a table. |
...ain't rock-n-roll only in the world David, but for even listening to Metallica I would bet more on Basis1400. |
Thanks all for responses so far.
All contacts are tight and on the correct pins. Hum is from both channels and is heard all the time. Jimbo3, how would I ground a Rega turntable?
Today I put a B&O cartridge from my circa 1982 beogram RX on the Rega. The hum is now a factor only at high volume. It would be something I could live with if it were a decent cartridge. I don't think this proves the problem is with the Lyra. The low level hum with the B&O is the same as with the Lyra, only at a much lower level. Maybe the Lyra is more sensitive?
I clearly don't know what I am talking about.
Jfrech, I wish I could comment on the characteristics of the Rega/ Lyra combination, but so far it is unlistenable. |
I bet even a Basis 1400 sounds bad with a loud hum. |
Jsbail- A constant hum such as you are describing is most probably some sort of grounding/misconnection problem as it is happening with both cartridges. I used to have a P3 and recall that there is some way to ground it, but I can't recall exactly. I think it had something to do with connecting a wire to the arm at the attacment point underneath the table and then to ground, but I can't be sure. Sorry.
Anybody out there know about grounding a Rega? Maybe the Basis Brothers could describe how their RB300 is grounded?
The only other thing I can add is that I once had a similar problem and it turned out to be a wire not soldered well to the connector pin. |
I know the rega arm is grounding through the RCA connectors. Might be a issue there with your preamp.
Sorry I can't help more...maybe try posting this on Audio Assylum under the vinyl section...maybe someone will know some tricks...or email sonic frontiers? |
Marakanetz-so you've heard both tables? |
Of course 'aint only rock and roll in the world' but why would I buy a table that didnt do it for me with rock when thats mostly what I listen to??
I listened to the 25 and the 1400.The 25 did it for me for what I was listening for.
This guy that started the thread wants help with his hum.Not to be told to 'dump' his table.If ya cant help him out then butt out and don't flame.
As mentioned above,the P-25 I.C.'s are internally grounded.The hum is not in the table/arm. |
Jfreck is correct that the Regas ground through the RCA connectors, but I do recall somewhere that this sometimes is not adequate. Perhaps certain pre's and/or phono pre's need additional grounding as Jfreck suggests.
Perhaps you can locate another table (non-Rega)to borrow and see if the problem persists?
Jim |
Saw your post and read a few of the responses so if you've heard this suggestion already- apologies. Hum is often a problem with MC cartridges due to RF interferences. Living in San Francisco for example, if you can see the hugh radio transmitter on twin peaks from where you live, chances are moving coil cartridge will have audible hum. This went away completely switching to MM cartridge
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Thank you mmrevolver. I can see a radio tower on a hilltop from my window. It is about 3 miles away. Could be the problem. |
Can't help wondering if the hum is due to an open coil in the cartridge. Is the hum so loud that you can't listen to music and does it begin the second you engage the phono circuit? If so, it may be an open coil problem. This happens from time to time with less expensive cartridges as quality control is usually less then with the ultra expensive cartridges. I had this problem with a blue point special and grounded everything in sight(boy, the dog sure hated that wire around his neck) until I gave up and had the cartridge tested, found defective and replaced with end of problem. Sounds like it's time to take the cartrige back to the dealer or if no dealer, Immedia and let them check it out. |
Yes Franks, The hum is too loud to listen to and it starts as soon as take phono preamp off mute. Guess I need to get it checked out. |
Before you give up hope - try a few different carts - if you can. If they all hum about the same then you've a problem with the p25/600.
I personally couldn't tolerate the P25/600 with its earthing/motor shielding quirks and changed to another brand of t't; and haven't been happier. |
Still think it's the cartridge, but one other possibility has occured to me. Is the cable from the phono stage to your line stage shielded? If not, this can be a considerable source of hum. Let us know how this turns out. |
David, i've never told that the hum is from the table. There shouldn't be any grounding problems with RB300 either except when there are some manufacturing deffects.
The first party to call should be Immedia to report a problem with the cartridge.
BTW do you connect this setup the first time or you used different cartridges prior? |
This rig is all new. Bought the cartridge from overseas seller. Last night I shut my amp off and listened with headphones through my Sonic Frontiers line 2SE headphone jack. There is a hum in stereo, but when I switch to mono the hum is at such a low level it is not a problem. Why would it hum in stereo and not in mono? When I use mono through amp and speakers hum is lower than stereo, but not really tolerable. |
Problem solved! Had a repair guy check it out and he found the pins on the cartridge were labeld wrong! Never would have found it myself. |
WOW!! Who woulda thunk it?!? Thanks for the update- I was wondering how this would turn out...
Regards
Jim |
...and that's what I've told on my first post here... |
