Tube Phonostage Causing Rumble and Noises

Hi mulveling, thanks. I will certainly look into the Hagerman.  If I can’t resolve the problem, getting the Hagerman at $1289 sounds like a good option.

I was interested in the Pass Labs XP-27 but the price is way up there. From my experience with Pass, they offer superb customer service. I have their XVR-1 crossover. The balance started to skew to the left a couple of years ago. They replaced the 4 attenuators but the problem came back after a few months. The took it back two more times and the same problem still persisted. They took it back for the fourth time and arranged for me to ship it directly to Nelson Pass. Nelson fixed it in less than a week. I only paid for the attenuators ($60) and first time shipping. They didn’t charge me anything after that. That’s good service.
 

I’m curious if you have a hot spot and the turntable is sitting on the peak of a standing wave.  
 

I would try to move the turntable forward off the wall or just anywhere.  Also consider bass absorption on the front wall.

i had not a rumble, but a low, loud, buzz (or hum!? No clue what he right term is) that would gradually appear (especially listening to “sticky fingers” Riling Stones)  if my volume was too high using the turntable.  It wasn’t coming off up the turntable, either.  This is a super-isolated VPI Avenger Titan, siting on a 3 inch slab of hardwood with rubber feet, sitting on a Symbol Audio table.

i read somewhere that the cause could literally be sound vibrating the stylus or cartridge.

I had extra GIK bass trap panels and lined one up right behind the audio cabinet, just sitting on the floor with about two feet sticking up so it absorbed the “bounce” off the back wall.  Immediately went away.

i then did a cleaner install.

i had not a rumble, but a low, loud, buzz (or hum!? No clue what he right term is) that would gradually appear (especially listening to “sticky fingers” Riling Stones) if my volume was too high using the turntable. It wasn’t coming off up the turntable, either. This is a super-isolated VPI Avenger Titan, siting on a 3 inch slab of hardwood with rubber feet, sitting on a Symbol Audio table.

i read somewhere that the cause could literally be sound vibrating the stylus or cartridge.

I had extra GIK bass trap panels and lined one up right behind the audio cabinet, just sitting on the floor with about two feet sticking up so it absorbed the “bounce” off the back wall. Immediately went away.

i then did a cleaner install.

@davetheoilguy I recently started playing with VPI turntables, and really love them BUT they are more susceptible to a ~ 100Hz resonance, in my experience. I first perceived this as a background rumble / hum / buzz which became more pervasive with higher playback SPL, and thought it was a ground loop - but upon further investigation, confirmed it was indeed feedback!

It’s a combination of the plinth and tonearm. I’ve experienced it with Aries 3 and Avenger Reference, on a Critical Mass Systems rack and Platinum filter. In my case, the issue got FAR worse with the 10" 3D arm wand. With the Fatboys (both uni and gimbal) the problem is mitigated enough to no longer be a concern. The 10.5i metal arm is actually quietest of all (its problem resonance is much higher in frequency but also much lower in level), though the Fatboys do sound better overall. The original 3D arm was just unusable in my small room. In fact, at a high enough volume it could be triggered into runaway feedback - fortunately I’m quick on the mute button! You could destroy your speakers otherwise.

I’ve read a couple other instances of this issue with the original 3D arm, but it doesn’t seem to be well known overall.

With my Clearaudio magnetic bearing (CMB) decks, there are no problems with 100Hz (drum beat like) frequencies, but they can be hell at subsonic frequencies (visible woofer flapping), unless you have truly excellent support underneath them.

Again, I don't think any kind of table feedback is OP's issue since he says it happens with needle out of groove. The cartridge coils form part the "constrained" layer between vinyl groove / cantilever on one side, and damper / suspension on the other side. When stylus is lifted out of groove, it cannot generate signal. 

Thanks everyone for your feedback and advices. I think I will take the easy way out, ie play records without the sub.

Thanks a million.

@mulveling 

“With the Fatboys (both uni and gimbal) the problem is mitigated enough to no longer be a concern.”

Sadly, this is also the Fat Boy — Kevlar 3D printed.

I also have the Esoteric Grandioso turntable.  Same issue when I used the Van den Hul Frog Gold cartridge, so I think it’s the cartridge, which is otherwise lovely.
 

I two huge SVS PB 16 ultras and Bowers 800 (Diamond) to fill a big space and I like to listen loud.

I measured and had an off the charts standing wave peak about 1.5 feet off the front wall.

Regardless of what is picking up the feedback, the base trap solved the issue.