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TT Hum

So... I have not noticed this through my speakers, but in headphones; I get a low hum depending on the location of my tonearm. When it’s resting it’s noticeable, but when I move it to cue the hum reduces. Basically, the closer to the center of the platter the less the hum. I have an SL1200, and the power supply is offboard so it shouldn’t be anything under the platter, there is no transformer, etc. It’s not the ground wire from the arm (Jelco SA750D) either. My PSU and everything else is on another shelf, so I can’t see it being interference, and when moving things around it doesn’t change. The only things I can think of could be some kind of weird interference from the pitch fader (that’s the only thing even near the arm's resting position) or I’ve yet to try yet another cart/headshell. Stumped. Thoughts?
au_lait
lewm
12,483 posts
 
Almost any cartridge will produce a faint noise if it is in space, not touching the LP surface, and if you then turn up the gain high enough. That is more a function of the phono stage signal to noise ratio and/or ambient electrical noise, than it is a function of the cartridge.  But on the one hand you do say it only happens when the arm is resting, which fits my theory.  Then you imply you hear the faint noise on your digitized copies of LPs, where the stylus must have been tracing a groove, which contradicts my theory.  Which is it?  The cartridge hanging in space is like an antenna which picks up stuff and then delivers it to your phono stage, which has a lot of inherent gain.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,201 posts
 
Lewm, many cartridges have a shield inside that is grounded. Some may not. There is the noise floor of the phono section which you will hear if you turn it all the way up. But at any reasonable volume my ARC phono stage is dead quiet even with your ear right up next to the speaker.
I think the principle defect here is probably in the turntable as I have never heard of hum problems with a Nagaoka especially since it is an MM cartridge. The only cartridge I have ever had a noise problem with was a Grado which hummed as the cartridge got closer to the motor. They are notorious for this problem. 
au_lait OP
335 posts
 
No I don't hear it on the recordings really, it's far too faint for that, or I haven't tried any music quiet enough to notice. I'm talking solely about when there is no music playing (so maybe it just doesn't matter) ad it's loudest while resting. As I pivot the arm closer to the center of the platter, the hum lessens, almost as if it's on a fader. Will try new styles this eve and see. Thank you all for the advice!
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I don’t think it has anything to do with the stylus, you’d better try one of your mats on the platter to block EMI effect. It can be tonearm internal wires in the arm tube or something related to the tonearm. It is true that some people having problem with Grado MI cartridges hum on Technics turntable, but not with Nagaoka MM. Anyway try different cartridge first and if the problem is there with another cartridge than it’s definitely turntable or tonearm.
au_lait OP
335 posts
 
Problem found. A dimmer on the other side of the house. It’s not on the same line as the whole system is on its own dedicated. I guess the dimmer causes a ground loop since they’re on the same bar at the box? When on: buzz. When off: dead quiet. Anyway, dimmer removed, problem solved for good!

Sorry @chakster for hassling you about the cartridge LOL
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