Buzzing/static on Philips GA437 turntable


Hi,

I have a Philips GA437 turntable that I've been trying to fix a buzzing noise on. It happens when the tonearm is lowered. The audio is extremely quiet and when I turn the volume on preamp up so it is audible, the static becomes louder. The static is in both channels. The static is affected/slightly changes when electronics plugged into the same circuit are turned on/off. Here are videos, pictures, and schematics: https://imgur.com/a/QQmKbAG

Things I've already tried:

1) Replace the RCA cable, including the ground wire which I've attached to the ground post on the chassis base and also tried attaching it to a screw on a receiver

2) Plug the power cord directly into a wall outlet and also into a power conditioner

3) Replace the 2 capacitors

4) Resolder capacitors and RCA cables multiple times

5) Replace stylus

6) Clean cartridge pins and reseating the wires

7) Replaced belts

8) Tried multiple records

9) Soldering ground wire onto red ground post and rightmost post (which it originally was soldered onto)

 

Any help/suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

classicalsammy

Sounds like the cartridge is caput. Ensure there are no WiFi routers or cable modems nearby. Try removing the ground wire on the 110v supply. Cheater plug? Are you sure there's an appropriate phono stage in the amplifier?

How would I test whether the cartridge is caput? 

 

There are no wifi routers nearby and the power cord is 2 prong. 

There is a phono stage in the preamp. 

Does the cantilever sag so the cartridge body rides very close to surface of record? Have you tried one ground wire from system to mains ground? Is the phono stage designed for moving magnet cartridges?

It doesn't look like it's sagging. The cartridge slides in to place and looks even when it does so. What does ground wire from system to mains ground mean? The ground wire is currently going from red ground to the ground post on the chassis. 

How would I determine whether the phono stage is designed for moving magnet cartridges? The cartridge that is currently in there came with it but I did buy it secondhand. It's an audio Technica 1/2 inch cartridge.