This is my first turntable and I’m having this buzzing issue whenever I touch the tonearm/headshell. I’m using a Bose soundtouch 10 speaker. I recently bought a “Subzero SZ-PPA2” phono preamp so I could connect the ground wire thinking this would solve my issue. I’m not too knowledgeable on music tech so any if anyone could point me in the right direction to get rid of this damn hum it would be greatly appreciated.
Is it a hum or a buzz? Is the noise there both when using the internal preamp, and the external preamp?
If the noise only happens when your hand is near the cartridge, this could be normal for your particular turntable.
Are you perhaps touching the connections at the rear of the cartridge?
Certainly, the turntable ground wire must always be connected to the external phono preamp ground.
Have you asked the dealer from whom you bought the turntable to look at it?
If the noise only happens when your hand is near the cartridge, this could be normal for your particular turntable.
Are you perhaps touching the connections at the rear of the cartridge?
Certainly, the turntable ground wire must always be connected to the external phono preamp ground.
Have you asked the dealer from whom you bought the turntable to look at it?
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There’s a static low buzz when I’m not touching it and a loud buzz when I touch the tonearm. It happens on the internal and external preamp. I’ve had this problem since day 1 of owning it and always assumed it would go away when I eventually got an amp with a ground connection so I was pretty disappointed when the issue persisted. I ordered it from Argos (kind of a Walmart in UK) so I’m not able to get them to look at it.
Next see if the tone arm tube and head shell are grounded through the ground wire.
Any noise or clicks if you touch the tone arm tube (with the ground wire connected)?
If so, try adding an extra ground wire to some bare metal part of the tone arm,
with the other end connected to the ground post, and see if the noise is less.
Don't try to play a record, as the wire would interfere with the tone arm.
If there is less noise, look around on top or underneath the turntable, to find
a possible place to connect an extra ground wire.
Any noise or clicks if you touch the tone arm tube (with the ground wire connected)?
If so, try adding an extra ground wire to some bare metal part of the tone arm,
with the other end connected to the ground post, and see if the noise is less.
Don't try to play a record, as the wire would interfere with the tone arm.
If there is less noise, look around on top or underneath the turntable, to find
a possible place to connect an extra ground wire.
I haven’t got any extra ground wire so I’ll give this a go in the next few days. In the meantime I’m thinking about using heat shrink tube on the head shell lever to insulate it from my touch. I know I’ll have to re-balance the tonearm to account for the weight of the rubber but is there anything else I should be weary of?
If your only real problem is noise when you cue the arm, try adding some insulation
on the finger lift as you mentioned. Try it first without shrinking the tubing, to make sure it works.
Another way to reduce the noise may be to ground yourself just before touching the arm.
For example, touch the metal part of your ampifier or other component first, which usually is grounded.
This is not at all unusual, especially in the winter when static electricity is worse.
Quite possibly, the arm is grounded as usual, but you are storing static charge in your body
until touching the arm.
on the finger lift as you mentioned. Try it first without shrinking the tubing, to make sure it works.
Another way to reduce the noise may be to ground yourself just before touching the arm.
For example, touch the metal part of your ampifier or other component first, which usually is grounded.
This is not at all unusual, especially in the winter when static electricity is worse.
Quite possibly, the arm is grounded as usual, but you are storing static charge in your body
until touching the arm.
Do you have an Ohmmeter? See if there is continuity between the headshell, the tonearm tube and the ground lead from the turntable.
Does it hum when you touch the tube or only when you touch the headshell? Is there a grounding clip from on one of the cart's "-" terminals to the AT-120 body? You shouldn't have to resort to the heatshrink method - there's something missing.
Does it hum when you touch the tube or only when you touch the headshell? Is there a grounding clip from on one of the cart's "-" terminals to the AT-120 body? You shouldn't have to resort to the heatshrink method - there's something missing.
