Phono cartridge noises

Hi Stingreen,

I have just a little air all the way to both tables when disconnected. As soon as I plug the tables in the noise enters. This morning the LO cartridge I moved the VPI with the LO Grado to the opposite side of the room and it started playing a radio station! It was better where it was! 
 

The digital side of the system is awesome, even my reel to reel is fine it’s only the cartridges that are the issue and were my favorite focus that if been collecting albums for over the last 40 years!

K

Gosh i dislike spellcheck!

Hi Yogiboy, the sound clip you linked isn’t it but I did find one that’s really close to it. To better identify. I pulled the plugs on my router, there was no change. What I didn’t really pay any attention to until now is that they built a 5G tower about 1,000 feet away that’s just slightly higher than my system room. I don’t think there’s any way to correct that! 
 

Lewm, I have three dedicated circuits, no difference day or night, suburbs. 
 

What bugs me is that at my apartment a few blocks further away from the tower I didn’t have this issue!

 

I’ll see what I can find on it. I’m going to move the tables to the other side of the room today and try aluminum foil over the window. I don’t have high hopes but crazier things right!

Thanks again for the quick responses!

K

Interesting! I have a new Grado HO Reference that I haven’t installed, yet. Guess that’ll be sooner vs later! It’s tolerable at low volume and may be the only way I can enjoy my vinyl. Sad thing for me is/was my plan to DSD all my vinyl; that’s no longer possible as that noise will be a part of it. 
 

Thanks for the advice!

5G Tower Not sure the pic uploaded, if it did here's my issue roughly 1,000' in a direct line to my media room and cartridge!

All,

Thank you all for trying to assist, I'm going to answer everyone I hope!

 

Lewm - You are correct I do not have a 60/120Hz noise. I have a very high pitched tone with morse code type noise and a low pitched like rumble going on - the subs don't like it!

 

mijostyn - I have disconnected everything with the exception of the phono preamps/preamp and mono blocks. I did use ground lifters on all with no change; the RF noise is very much present. As I said to Lewm above I don't have a hum I have what sounds like internet traffic. 

noromance - I'm not sure how the tracer would help the noise doesn't appear until the cartridge is adde to the loop.

I'm noise free all the way to the turntables themselves. As soon as I plug the cables to the table(s) the noise is immediate. I have tried both shielded mid-line Transparent Audio Phono cables, Morrow PH-4's, and even an old pair of Monster cables all with the same result. silence until the tables are plugged in. I tried cupping my hands around the cartridge with no change. What the heck it could hurt!

History: the system did not have any of these issues at my old house. The only changes to it were the addition of the Black Ice Phono preamp; an existing Jolida JD-9 (has the noise as well) so it's not the Black Ice, new speakers, new home with a dedicated media room. As an 'I know this shouldn't change anything but' last night I moved the two 100+ pound new speakers out of the room and replaced them with my old B&W's - other than wearing me out there was no change as I figured but anything is possible and needs to be ruled out. This weekend I'm going to move one of the TT and preamps to my den which is in the middle of the house on the second floor across from the media room. In that room I have an McIntosh integrated with an Project TT fitted with an Audio Technica MM cartridge. This system is not picking up the noise which is truly a mystery. If it is the tower it should be present in that room as well. 

The media room does have LED lights/no dimmers that are on a different circuit. Noise doesn't change with them on or off. I have a whole house Surge Protector again, no difference if it's on or off. There are 3 dedicated circuits pulled to the room that run under the floor to the outlets behind the system. One is for the Mono blocks, One for the home theater amp (not yet installed) and the third powers the outlets around the room to handle the subwoofers. The only thing in the ceiling are the 2 A/C vents. Two walls are brick and two are cement panels; one contains the window 36"x36" in the rear side looking at the 5G tower. Not sure if any of this helps just providing background in case it triggers something.

Again, THANK YOU ALL for sharing your knowledge to help me solve this.

K

I'll report back once I move the TT tot he den. 

All, I wanted to close this discussion out with a long awaited almost resolve to the issue. I tried 2 other turntables in the system and the noise from the 5G tower was virtually non-existant. I did buy some Faraday fabric and after finding the hot spot pinned it to the wall which dropped the noise significantly further but the issue with the VPI Scout was still in full bloom every time I plugged the RCA's into the back of the table! I even tried covering the TT with the Faraday cloth and it still came through. The only difference between all the tables I plugged in was the cartridge set up. All the other were MM and the VPI was fitted with a Low Output Grado. I flipped the switch on the back of the phono preamp to MM and the noise dropped immediately to almost silence. I removed the LOMM cartridge and installed a High Output Grado Ref 3 MM and all is good. Not 100% great I can still hear faint 5G data transmission between tracks but not enough for me to fight with it anymore. 

Thank you all for jumping in to try and help me out!

K

Hi Mulveling, I  don’t think the acrylic faceplate on the Black Ice contributed to anything as both it and the JD-9 replicated when I changed the settings for the low input Grado. I did try covering both preamps with the Faraday cloth but nothing changed. The only ‘leak’ was at the RCA junction box on the VPI and only occurred when I plugged the RCA’s into the table. Unplugged I had no noise. Even with the cartridge removed from the arm as soon as I plugged in the cables the noise appeared. 
 

Onto the phone preamp. I had the JD9 for a few years and gave it to my brother and purchased the JD9 II.  I’ve done some tube rolling and not sure what’s in there right now, I’m thinking Amperex Bugle Boys from Brent Jessie. I have the entire Jolida Music Envoy system, preamp, mono blocks and the Envoy CD player. I bought the whole shebang from Shanghai years ago. The phono always sounded great to me until building the new home, dedicated music room and the lovely 5G tower! I really don’t look at specs I went with my ears and to date have not had any system issues or buyers remorse for the purchase. 
 

I’ve always been a Grado guy but thinking that it may be time to invest in something other than Grado to possibly remove the last traces of noise. I know you’re a Koetsu guy from reading your posts. Any suggestions on an alternative MM high output cartridge other than Ortofon, not a fan of that sound at all?