folkfreak OP
464 posts 06-29-2017 12:52pm
Thanks thanks very much @davehrab and @atmasphere these explanations really make sense and are very helpful
one final question/observation is regarding turntables. Most turntables and phono amps have a chassis ground that in many systems will be connected (it is in mine as in the case of one of my two cartridges it sounds better that way). Does the existence of this ground path mess up all other grounds that may have been well designed? Or should phono stage designers have a different grounding arrangement (for my AR Ref Phono 2 it’s a simple chassis tag, and on my table the ground on my wooden arm is to a tag on the turntable itself)
atmasphere
5,530 posts 06-29-2017 1:32pm
@folkfreak
No. The ground of the arm is independent of the audio signal.
In fact what is happening is that the tone arm is a balanced source which in most cases is being operated single-ended. That’s why you wind up with that grounding wire which other single-ended sources don’t seem to need.
At any rate the ground wire is independent of what is the signal ground in the preamp.
@ atmasphere
At any rate the ground wire is independent of what is the signal ground in the preamp.Would you please expand..... What is the reference for the arm ground wire connection to the ground terminal/lug on the phono preamp chassis?
I guess I always thought it was the DC power supply ground. Isn’t the signal ground also connected there?
Jim