I have a Grado Ref Sonata, have never used it on an Alphason, or any S shaped arm, but I did have a hum problem when I was using it on a Heybrook Turntable. The problem only occurred when the cartridge approached the center (ie end) of the LP which is nearing where the motor is. My research indicated they pick up hum from AC motors. Using the same cartridge on my other tables (with DC motors) was no problem at all. It's as quiet as any cartridge I've used, and quieter than some.