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Buzz sound on Akai TT just acquired (ground?)

greenflash

greenflash

Active Member
Hi team, I just got a quite mint Akai ap003 and went I unwrapped it (shipped to me) and started it, found that there was a buzz sound coming out of the speakers..

Tried the usual (simple) stuff about grounding and positioning on the table. I even changed the table AND the amp. Now trying it on a yamaha amp where a NEC tt is doing wonderful.

Thing is, the Akai has something new to me: not a fixed RCA cable/ground cable, you have to attach your own cable (which appears to be kinda good). So I also changed the RCA cable for a better one, and for ground I tried both the third RCA cable (the yellow video one, without the connector) and "half" a speaker cable.

But no good, buzz is still there. Here trying to attach the sound I get with a mighty fun ABBA song. Ideas? I keep thinking it's a ground thing..

NOISE FILE
http://vocaroo.com/i/s17hK0ay4hK1
 
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Sounds like a bad/faulty connection which could be inside the TT. Also,it might be worth checking/changing or cleaning the headshell and/or tonearm connection pins.
 
Thanks Daunia I hope it's not the faulty connection thing - the seller is quite from afar, he insists this sounded good when he tried it, I'm thinking if this could have been caused by the transport (two of the screws were slightly loose).
I'll try another headshell, that's good. However, now that I think it over, the noise happens even if the vinyl is not playing. Can this still be the problem?

Also about the ground thing, do you think it could be the culprit? Any kind of cable would do? I'm trying with a standard copper wire, not sure if that's the correct thing to use.
 
I'm no expert,but it sounds like there's a faulty phono connection from inside if it's still like it when no vinyl is actually spinnin'.
 
It seems now it's working well. I changed RCA cables (third time!) and went back to the original cable for ground.. Well bad news is now I have to move it to another amp hehe. We'll keep an eye.. Thanks @Daunia 70 - hope it stays quiet as this!

EDIT: in my research, I also took off the mat and verified the belt. Maybe something loose? Who knows..
 
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Daunia 70 said:
Well,that's great news,real glad you got it up 'n runnin'... Nice TT btw!
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Thank you!! Here goes some pic.

6UGm35q.jpeg
 
Looks like a nice turntable. Enjoy it. Be sure to ground the turntable to the ground screw on your pre-amp/integrated amp or receiver.
 
Bugler said:
Looks like a nice turntable. Enjoy it. Be sure to ground the turntable to the ground screw on your pre-amp/integrated amp or receiver.
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Oh yes Bugler that seemed to be the problem. I mean maybe I wasn't hooking the cable in the right position or tight enough. Now seems to be fine. The only thing that buggers me a little is the dust cover; it is in nice condition but it seems not be the original from the pictures I saw on the internet. Either it was changed down here in Argentina by the representative (what seems odd; I think they just did set up the right voltage) or simply it was broken and replaced (the hinges look different too; and if you look at the picture in detail you'll see the corners are rounded). That would not be a problem, it looks good anyway, but it's quite a feeble cover, so I might think of replacing it, if I keep it long enough :D
 
Glad it's working out well. I never understood why people mistreat dustcover. Since high school (I'm 61 now) I would scream if anyone put anything on any of my stereo gear.
 
Bugler said:
Glad it's working out well. I never understood why people mistreat dustcover. Since high school (I'm 61 now) I would scream if anyone put anything on any of my stereo gear.
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I hear ya, I know I'm very careful now but not sure how I was back then as a teenager (and I don't mean dustcovers! In general :D). First turntable I owned turned up only some five years ago (I'm 48!), I was born in the cassette era, then the CD, my cousin had LPs and I loved that but never managed to afford one until I got a job and.. Well had time and opportunity to devote myself to these beauties, and that first turntable was a Stanton USB, and well it didn't have a dust cover (just a cloth!). Not awful but felt plasticky too. Didn't click with me. Then I got my PL100 and then got some stereo amp... and that was the beginning of a new era :)
 
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