My Impossible hum issue.


I have done everything that I have read about ground loops without success. My system is on an outlet that goes directly to the main panel with nothing else plugged into this circuit. None of the usual suspects are in this room like TV, radio, appliances or flourecent lighting. When using any other source other than the turntable, the system is dead silent. The turntable is on a wall mount turntable shelf. The speakers are on stands. This hum is only present when the turntable is the source. The hum is much louder with a MC cartridge than a MM cartridge. The hum is present when connected to an external phono preamp or the internal phono preamp of the my system preamp. I have tried every combitnation of grounding and not grounding. Whether or not I plug into the wall outlet or power conditioner/surge protector the hum persists. I beleive that I have tried everything except a different turntable. I have made sure power cables, speaker cables and interconnects don't cross each other. I've tried everything except moving to another state or hiring an exorcist.

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I doubt it’s the power cord.  On something as sensitive as your phono cable, I’d take a volt/ohm meter check it out. Who knows, maybe it was just a loose or dirty connection.

All the best.

As to a cable upgrade Grover Huffman cables are well built and very reasonable

You may have to go a bit above $100 but he does quality work

 

 

Sounds like tonearm wiring. Is it continuous wire, or are the cartridge leads soldered onto the arm?

The problem was solved by changing the phono cable, which was a left/right channel and ground all within one assembly, with the stock cable and ground wire that came with the turntable. The stock cable eliminated the hum. I had tried cheater plugs on the turntable, phono preamp, and control preamp in various combinations. My non-scientific conclusion is the phono cable was the cause! Thank you for all the input and I have increased my budget to $200+ for new cable and will make sure they are returnable.