Ground Control to Major Tom...


Looking for some help with a grounding issue. Although I have a dedicated grounding wire connected from by turntable to my phono pre, I'm getting some pretty significant hum when I make contact with my tonearm...( as I pick up the arm at the end of a LP side...)

What would be the typical culprits and where do I start assessing?

Thanks!

                                 (VPI Prime/Manley Chinook, Supra Silver Sonic BL-1 cable)

larseand

When you pick up the tonearm are you holding onto anything else, with your other arm maybe? Is there any hum at all when you are not touching the arm. Is this new? If so what else changed?

That's the most difficult part, my entire analog rig is new. New table, new cart, new phono preamp, new phone and cable... If I unhook the ground wire the home is very loud, so on some level, it's doing its job. I'm not in contact with anything else when I pick up the tonearm.

Something very odd to add, the coaxial cable from my CD transport to my integrated amplifier (input 1) produces noise through the stage. When the cable is removed the noise goes away. I've switched out different coax cables so it's not the cable. Again, there's a grounding issue going on here.

If all this gear is new, why not save yourself some aggravation and have your dealer troubleshoot the equipment?

Something very odd to add, the coaxial cable from my CD transport to my integrated amplifier (input 1) produces noise through the stage.

@larseand Which 'stage'? the phono section??

I would try locating locating the system somewhere else in the house to see if this changes. My guess is you are acting like an antenna when you pick up the arm. The question is antenna for what?

I have a large plasma TV on the wall behind my rack. If I leave the TV is on and I touch the tonearm it hums terribly. It makes me wonder what all the EM is doing to my body. :)