Miyajima Zero hum?


Anyone get a hum when using this mono cartridge through a stereo preamp? Some years back there was a thread about hum with the Miyajima Premium mono (https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/ground-loop-with-miyajima-premium-mono?highlight=miyajima%20m...). At the time, the distributor's recommended fix was to connect only one of the cartridge's channel outputs, and then use a mono switch on the preamp (if it had one) to get sound from both channels. Either that or get a y-connector. I thought these unattractive solutions.

Now, I'm thinking about picking up a Zero, but I'm wondering whether it's subject to the same hum issues. If so, it would be a deal-breaker for me, as I have no mono switch and don't want to use a y-connector or mono SUT.

Thanks.
wrm57

Showing 1 response by gerardff

I have the Miyajima Mono ZERO and had hum issues but I was told to expect this since, I believe, the L/R channel utilize the same neg. pole internally. As far as I understand a "true" mono cartridge will do this when connected to a stereo preamp. I have both a mono switch on my preamp and phono preamp so I didn’t need to utilize the "Y" connector option though I had one just in case. From all my reading about people using a mono cartridge, it is very preamp and cart. dependent.  I had a Dlr. advise me to stay away from a Shelter mono for this reason alone, and he sold them.

The thing I found interesting was that while playing mono LP’s with a stereo cart., it always sounded better when the "mono" switch was used on my phono preamp vs. the preamp. But the opposite was true when using the ZERO. Overall, I am a bit underwhelmed by the ZERO vs. my LP-S on mono LP’s. While the ZERO shows some improvement it’s small, though I only have about 50hrs. on it so it may still need some added break-in to sound better. I think most of the differences I hear could be attributed to the sonic qualities of the ZERO vs. an LP-S more so than the purely mono vs. stereo cartridge differences. I find the ZERO to be a bit "brighter" sounding vs. my LP-S which wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Again, maybe this is due to more break-in needed. Time will tell.