Thank you very much for the detail in your suggestions. My P3 has no lifter switch. I called Parasound about this. It's been phased out. I have an independent ground from outlet to earth anyway.
The XLR connection is strictly between preamp and pwr amp. TT to preamp connect is through RCA interconnects. I've used Audioquest Copperhead, CircuitCity Monster Cable, RadioShack's 'premium' cabling, and sweathog zipcord quality RCA interconnects and there was NO difference in the hum. I am using the P3's phono stage and the only way to get at it is to use the jacks so labelled on the backplane and flip the toggle. My Audioquest cables had direction labels and they did point to the preamp, the other ICs had no such labelling. Again, no difference in hum with any of the cables.
Cartridge is a Grado Gold MM. I just dbl checked cartridge cabling. Red, Green, Blue and White all connected properly. The black ground comes out of the tonearm and screws to it. I've run continuity between that contact point and the grounding post on TT and there is a connection. I see no specific grounding connection between the cartridge itself and the arm though. There are only 4 pins out the back of the Grado. I am expecting the cartridge connection to be through the mount, but that's plastic.
I gave the rundown to Parasound in an email and am hoping for a perspective from them.
The XLR connection is strictly between preamp and pwr amp. TT to preamp connect is through RCA interconnects. I've used Audioquest Copperhead, CircuitCity Monster Cable, RadioShack's 'premium' cabling, and sweathog zipcord quality RCA interconnects and there was NO difference in the hum. I am using the P3's phono stage and the only way to get at it is to use the jacks so labelled on the backplane and flip the toggle. My Audioquest cables had direction labels and they did point to the preamp, the other ICs had no such labelling. Again, no difference in hum with any of the cables.
Cartridge is a Grado Gold MM. I just dbl checked cartridge cabling. Red, Green, Blue and White all connected properly. The black ground comes out of the tonearm and screws to it. I've run continuity between that contact point and the grounding post on TT and there is a connection. I see no specific grounding connection between the cartridge itself and the arm though. There are only 4 pins out the back of the Grado. I am expecting the cartridge connection to be through the mount, but that's plastic.
I gave the rundown to Parasound in an email and am hoping for a perspective from them.