Phono Preamp acting as a Tuner. Help!

Check the ground on the table

Bigman: Thanks, but I've tried two 'tables and I've even tried grounding to my equipment stand and the wall power receptacle!

Check on the preamp if it is "double insulated", there will be a little box-in-box logo on the back? If there is you have no ground reference thru the power cord to chassis. To get an idea of where the "hash" is coming from use some flydoor mesh, make a cage over the pre and ground this cage only back to the wall receptacle. If this cuts the "hash" temporarily try a ground from the chassis of the pre back to the wall. If these steps get you sorted then check with the pre manufacturer about fitting a permanent ground to the chassis, just be careful about messing around with double insulated gear! Good luck!

I don't think its your phone preamp. Rather its your phono cartridge and the cable between it and the pre that are acting like an antenna. Move the cable around and if the distance is short coil the cable. Moving the coil so its not facing the direction of the signal should minimize the broadcast. One other thing. Disconnect the phono cable and listen to the pre with out any input. If you still hear the radio, its coming through your AC power. The most likely culpret in this scenario, assuming your system works properly, is a moving coil cartridge. Those little coils are reasonably good radio antennas. Try taking a sheet of tinfoil and wrap it around the cartridge. Don't help much if you are trying to play a record but if the broadcast goes away, there is your problem. The fix could mean rotating your turntable 90 degrees(like the cable). Good luck.

I concur with Keis, it's the cantilever/cartridge motor, being amplified by the phono stage. Mine has picked up what seems to be an AM Cuban American station. I had to kill that dictator down there, just to get them to shut up...haven't had any problems after that.

It should be parts upstream of the phono stage but if covering it with you hand worked, maybe that is worth investigating. My suggestion is get some lead shot or a sheet of lead and put it over your phono stage. That should definately stop any radio signals from going into the phono stage itself.

I have the same problem, but do not have any phono in the system. Just started when I moved into a new house, so I suspected the AC. Using a Levinson 380S and Bryston 7Bs. Any ideas? Thanks!