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Nasty Static on Vinyl

Help, Help
I am getting static like crazy even when my amp is muted. Trying to problem solve this and could use anyone’s help.
I have been resurrecting my record collection and adding new records. Replacing all the inner sleeves with MoFi sleeves and outer sleeves as well to protect the covers. It’s very strangle that some of my records have crazy amounts of pops and clicks which is definitely static. So much so that the static comes through even when the amp is muted. Some play fine. Purchased Dire Straits Brothers in Arms MoFi and Wes Montgomery at the Blue Note, totally unplayable!
Ive tried bathing them in distilled water, cleaning them, nothing. Gonna buy a zerostat and I hope that helps. Driving me crazy that I can’t listen to my collection. Any help would be much appreciated.
audiosaurusrex

Showing 8 responses by audiosaurusrex

audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
Lovan rack on brick fireplace hearth. Gonna go through the grounding tonight. I initially had problems with pop when stylus hit the needle even when amp is muted . Now it's escalated to static pops and clicks as vinyl plays even when amp is muted!!. It's weird because it only does it on some records. Very frustrating. My Acoustic Signature Plinth was grounded to the amp and tonearm to the Phonostage seemed to work for a little while now back worse than ever. Humidity in room is about 56% I'm thinking the turntable is maybe picking up something from the metal rack. Also tried going right to the ground AC plug.
audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
@tooblue These are brand new albums that are doing it on. And the Amp is muted or even on another source. I put my ear to the album and hear no pop but its coming through the speakers like crazy. 
audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
@elizabeth That thought did cross my mind. I recently changed my cart to a HanaSL and the blue cartridge wire connector fell off. I was able to insert it into the connector and work it onto the cartridge but I'm going to check and make sure that is not touching anything. 
@ uberwaltz So some albums are completely fine and others a lot of them I can't even play but what Elizabeth said sounds right like there might be a static buildup.
I did hear a pop initially when the needle hits the record. I thought grounding to the Amp neg speaker terminal would resolve it but that was short lived. Started again. ARRRGGGH!!!!
audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
@tooblue Absolutely, Gonna take everything apart tonight and see whats what. I'm thinking that since my Tonearm is still under warranty AS-TA1000 I may send that back. Hopefully it's something like the wiring and not problems with electronics. You all have been helpful and helped me cool off ;-)
audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
So back to report... I believe the answer is impedance and gain setting on phonostage.
I have a Hana SL and thought the impedance load was 400 ohms but my SPL Phonos phonostage has a preset dial with 100, 220, 470, 2k2, 4k7 and 10k. Also has a normal and low dB setting. ( maybe someone who understands this can direct me to the proper settings). It seems that 100 and low -10 dB has resolved the issue. Feel stupid but worked through it. It seems to be playing fine now. Just couldn’t understand why some albums played fine and others were impossible to listen to.
audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
@uberwaltz Yes that was your tip! Thanks so much!!
audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
@lewm It was that the gain of my phonostage was set to normal +67db apparently way too high. Not that anything was distorted but even in mute the pops and cracks of attenuated music came through the amp sounding like static. Very bizarre and frustrating. I had just mounted the Hana so it was so weird. It only did it on some albums, ones that apparently had a higher gain like the Mofi version of Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. I did bring up the impedance to 470ohm and gain down to -10db and everything is just stunning! Still experiencing some static when I take an album from the sleeve but it’s discharged once it touches the platter. Added a pathe wings mat and it’s great! Thanks for everyone’s help!!!
audiosaurusrex's avatar
audiosaurusrex OP
320 posts
 
Sorry for my confusing comments. I think there were a few things going on here. My fumble fingers did pull off the blue cart connector after I installed the Hana so I thought I screwed up the grounding blue being the left ground. Did not adjust the gain on the phonostage and when the music peaked on the vinyl that what was coming thru. Sounded like static to me with or without the amp muted. When I lowered the gain to -10db the problem was solved.  I was able to reseat the connector but I'm gonna replace all of them. I will try different settings on the impedance dial with 100, 220, 470, 2k2, 4k7 and 10k being the presets. Novice to this stuff but I'm certainly very thankful to have you all of you to help.
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