Phono Stage Hum

The gain was high for MM cartridges. I talked to the Jolida dealer, and he said that they typically recommend no gain for MM cartridges. I'm not sure what you mean by the riaa equalization in the path.

The hum is roughly equal in both channels and they are all plugged into a Shunyata Guardian.

I have had a small fear that there is a bit of crowding around the cabling. That is part of what I will experiment with this weekend.

I do get the hum when the turntable is not turning. I also occasionally get a pop when I turn it on... Something I just remembered.

Good advice on the shorting plug. That might be my first test.

Thanks,

tim

On the Jolida: There is a high output and a low output. Both seem to be line level. I have been running the high output to my integrated. Maybe I will run the low output to the integrated, and then set the gain for the MM cartridges. That might be the best way to start.

In the manual, it says that the "low" is for preamp separates and the "hi" is for integrated amps or line stage preamps. That is why i have been using the high.

I just pulled the phono cable out of the phono pre. I still get some low level hum (actually a noise more like wind blowing across a mic) but I have not put the shorting plug in yet. That strikes me as potentially noise around the tubes.

One more update:

-I ran the turntable directly into the phono stage of my Creek 5350 SE. No hum.

-I then ran the turntable into the JD 9A and the JD 9A to the Creek. Hum.

It seems to me that it is clearly something in the phono preamp. Right? or in the connections/settings.

Off to play around with the placement and settings on the 9A.

Tim

I think it might be something external. I have slowly dismantled and reassembled my system. I also reset the impedance on the phono preamp. I have reduced the noise/hum significantly but just discovered that at very high volume levels (with nothing playing) that it is picking up radio signals!?!?! It does not happen when I run my turntable directly into my Creek. It does happen over either amp when I introduce the Jolida phono preamp.

Right now, I have the gain set to the factory recommend and I'm running out on the "low" line out. The sound is great, and I never really get to the 50% point on that amp with the Druids, but it seems like there *should* be someway to clean up that noise.

I did recently read a review on 6moons of a device that is supposed to clean up external fields (if I remember correctly).

Tim

The Zu Xaus is shielded. I think that I need to:

1: Play around with the cable from the phono pre to the integrated.

2: I've heard that using a three to two prong adapter on the phono pre power cord at the power conditioner can help.

The problem is volume sensitive. That leads most to think that this is not a ground issue. I don't always get the radio broadcasts which is strange but also seems to support the idea that it may be driven by external interference. I guess the challenge is figuring when it is introduced.

I've swapped the cartridge to confirm that makes no difference--it did not.

Any other thoughts? Anybody know the acoustic revive equipment?

Tim