2. analog
  3. 1104841130

Please Help My TT is acting like a tuner

I have a Rega p9 turntable, Shelter 501 cart, Bat pk5 phono stage, Viva 300b amplifier and Galante Symphony loudspeakers. I never had any problems with my system until I moved.

Ever since I moved into my new home, I have been picking up radio stations through my TT. The oldies station comes through loud and clear every time I try to play a record!! I have tried everything: powerwraps, ferrite clamps, grounding, lifting the ground, aluminum foil, etc. The oldies station does not stop playing!!!

I am pretty sure it is the TT because the station does not play when the TT is not connected but the BAT phono is loud by itself and is making a crackling whurring sound.

Anyway I am beyond frustrated and am ready to sell my analog gear and just use digital. I have moved my system into every room in my house to no avail, I still hear the oldies station

Please help if you know what I can do. The Rega tonearm cable is hardwired. Is this my problem? Should I get a TT that has the ability to change out cables so that I can use a really powerfully shielded cable? Do the tubes need replaced in the BAT? Or will nothing work and should I either deal with the oldies station or focus on digital?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

rich62

Showing 12 responses by rich62

rich62 OP
30 posts
 
The oldest station stinks. All I hear is Mustang Sally. Seems like Wilson Pickett's Greatest Hits is the only album the station owns... VERY ANNOYING.

Anyway. It is pretty upsetting that rega would choose to hardwire their tables with a wire that assumedly is poorly shielded. If this is the case, (even though I love the P9), I will have to sell it as I am not going to start cutting wires on a 4000 table for an experiment. I cant believe how bad my house is for spinning vinyl.

The more I hear Pickett, the more I am looking at a wadia. By the way, I own a Rega Planet and it is mockingly quiet when playing CD's.
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
JFRECH:

I think you are right and it is the cable. When I move the cable and/or the TT, the station becomes louder/softer. However, it is hardwired. I guess I should sell the table and try to buy a decent table w/ detachable wiring so that I can purchase a well shielded cable... I do not think that I am capable of cutting wires on the p9 without breaking it. Has anyone rewired a rega for this type of problem.
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
Jimbo3:

If it as easy as you say, I will try it. However... what is the best shielded phono cable? Not the best phono cable but the one with the best shielding. I am going to disconnect the rega phono cable from the tonearm and hardwire a new cable but which one to use? I only want to do this once and I cannot afford to cut and hardwire a number of cables.
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
Why my stylus? Is it just Shelter 501 or all MC carts?
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
Thanks Musicslug. I am going to shield the phono cables with bendable copper tubing and fool around with the grounding of the TT and phono. Hopefully this will work because nothing else has. I am going to call Victor at BAT about whether the Phono Stage can be tweeked for this type of problem. I will fill you guys in if he has any ideas.

Should I ground the copper tubing? Should I ground to the base of the tonearm or the motor or both? Any thoughts on how to ground the system?
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
I have used clamp on magnets, ferrite clamps and powerwraps. Unfortunately power wraps were the only ones that made a significant difference. However, the station can still be heard. I think it is just as annoying if it is faint in the background then in your face. Magnet clamps work very well if the interference is not that bad. I just live in a house that is one big radio antenna.
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
Update from Victor at BAT: I was told that if I attach a ceramic capacitor with a value of .01 to the grounds of the Phono Stage's RCA inputs to the grounding lug on the base of the Phono Stage, the radio will not play through the unit. Hopefully this will work
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
UPDATE: I tried everything that Victor said from Bat, I moved the TT to every room in the house, I even bought copper tubing to shield the phono cable. All this to no avail.

I am beyond aggravated, the oldies station is loud and clear. I even think if I tweak it I can get a good soundstage for Mustang Sally.

Kidding aside, I am getting out of vinyl and buying a cd player. I did not get into this game to hear noise and an oldies station through my TT. So... That is it, game over. I am not having fun and therefore, the TT, phono and cart will be sold.

Thanks to everyone for your help, I needed to know that I was doing everything I could before I made this decision. It is ashame, I would stay in vinyl forever if it wasnt for the house I live in.

-Rich
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
House was built in 1930. It is stone and has plaster walls so it is impossible to rout a dedicated circuit on the second floor. The wiring is all BX shielded cable.

I am done with experimentation and tweeking. I just want to listen to music, not screw around with grounds and wires. Digital may not sound as good as a TT but, it is user friendly and a cd player will not receive the local oldies station.
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
S23chang:

I will try what you have stated (I am not optimistic though). My dealer told me that a Van Der Hul high output cartridge would lessen the noise and sound better then my shelter cartridge. I am considering this. I have so much $$ invested in Vinyl that I am trying so hard to make this system work. I guess I will give it one more try this weekend.
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
I was able to get the noise down considerably, but it is still present, thanks for your contributions.

But I believe that the noise can be further reduced by acouple changes. I just purchased a Klyne System 6 phono stage. If the RF and noise still is present, I will get a Van Hur Hul high output cart.

I purchased the Klyne because it is extremely quiet and is better shielded then the BAT. I love the BAT though, great piece, really musical.

By the way, I was able to lower the noise floor by several experiments with location of the tt in my room as well as careful placement of the ferrite and magnet clamps on the phono cable. It is really weird that moving my TT just a couple of inches away from the corner of the room made all the difference.

-Rich
rich62 OP
30 posts
 
I purchased the Klyne and the Oldies station went away. I still have a whooshing sound at extremely high volumes but I may be able to take take of that by tweeking the loading of the cart.

I hate oldies. Made me crazy. I live in central Pennsylvania. Must be something about rural radio stations.
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