2. analog
  3. 1109271557

Turntable Hum

I've got an old Technics that is giving me fits...there's a slight hum present, that's there regardless of whethter the unit has a headshell attached or not, and regardless of whether it's AC power is plugged in. When I swing the arm across the platter, the hum varies from crackling and loud to nothing. It's not near a transformer or anything like that. Any ideas? I'm really perplexed by the behavior of the arm.
vanmeter
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,517 posts
 
Try turning the plug over at the wall socket.
clamps200045c1
63 posts
 
Some turntables sing some hum, if they don't know the words...hmmmm
mthieme
74 posts
 
Could there be a problem internally with the arm wiring, it seems that a hum from a broken or bare wire might change it's sound when the arm is moved and changes position. Just a thought.
rwwear
2,692 posts
 
What cartridge are you using? If it happens to be a very high output cartridge like some Grados, they can cause hum.
vanmeter OP
33 posts
 
I have a Stanton 500, a Shure m97xe, and a Shure v15VMR, and the hum is there on all of them...but it's also there without a headshell attached. I'm afraid it's the wiring in the tonearm as well, but I feel reasonably comfortable attempting to replace it. Is doing that something that will cause me to pull my hair out? It seems straghtforward enough.
More to discover