Grounding issues (vinyl/pre-amps)

Thread Starter

Fascinated Viewer

Joined Sep 8, 2022
2
Hi,
I have been trying to figure out why I hear a buzz while my inputs are connected to my pre-amp (same issue while connected to my vinyl player). I thought it could be a ground looping issue which could be the cause of the issue, and I have been looking at getting a ground loop isolator, and I have been experimenting. For example, I know my computer audio is far better than the issue I am having, so I thought, why not use the audio jack to ground to see if that helps? I have noticed that using this has nearly gone I hear the noise but only very faintly. I will be rewiring my record players' tonearm wire (because of how long the wire is (1999) with copper instead of silver bc I know that it's more durable than silver, but I also understand that copper has a higher resistance than silver, so I am a little torn on whether or not to use copper or silver.

I am wondering what everyone else thinks about this issue. The vinyl player is grounded, and there are no open circuits as far as I know, and the wire used (Phono/RCA) is high-quality wire.

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IMG_20220827_021554.jpgIMG_20220827_025013.jpgIMG_20220827_033250.jpg
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,706
Welcome to AAC!

AC line hum is a terrible thing to have and to eliminate.

Silver or copper wire will not make any difference. Save your pennies and stick with copper.

Make sure all your signal cables are shielded.

Keep any high current AC devices such as transformers and motors away from sensitive components such a pickups, tonearm, signal cables, etc. Move things around and see what makes a difference.

Unplug things and see if you can find a pattern.
Try different ways of grounding all metal parts. Try moving around a grounded ferromagnetic shield to see if you can isolate the problem.
Sometimes even reversing non-polarised AC plugs have an effect. Try switching LINE and NEUTRAL if it is safe to do so.
 

Thread Starter

Fascinated Viewer

Joined Sep 8, 2022
2
Hi non of the equipment is connected to mains earth, both the preamp and record player are connected to a metal plate in the record player which acts as an either for this set-up

Is one wire from the cartridge connected to the turntable earth? Is the turntable earth connected to mains earth?
Are all the pieces plugged into the same AC circuit, preferably into the same outlet or power strip?

Is there a separate ground wire between turntable and amp?
 

Audioguru again

Joined Oct 21, 2019
6,671
My old record player never produced hum. it used a shielded cable feeding the phono inputs on my stereo receiver.
It did not have many wires all over the place like yours has.
 
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