ELAC Miracord 50 HII hum

[lost_in_ABQ]

I picked up this TT at an estate sale. In great condition but when I connect it all up, there's an enormous 60 hz hum that completely overpowers the signal. Internal grounds are connected and I even installed a ground wire from that common point to my amp's ground point. The TT has a DIN connector that I'm adapting to RCA. I don't think that's the problem but wanted to mention it. I'm getting stereo sound but the hum is much louder. Any ideas?

 

[monkboughtlunch]

Ideas:

1. Remove your cartridge. Using multimeter, check your headshell for ground continuity to the RCA jacks.
2.Wiggle, bend and twist the RCA connectors while inserted in your preamp. The table is grounded via one of the shields. If you hear a temporary improvement when wiggling, the ground lead is not making good contact with the shield of the plug. Solution: snip off the plugs and solder new ones on.
3.If this doesn’t work, try running a ground cable from the Papst motor to your preamp ground.

 

[monkboughtlunch]

Just noticed you are adapting DIN to RCA. Check continuity with meter. Did you ground one of the RCA jacks per the original Elac design?

 

[lost_in_ABQ]

Just noticed you are adapting DIN to RCA. Check continuity with meter. Did you ground one of the RCA jacks per the original Elac design?

I connected my external ground wire to the same internal point the RCAs are grounded and connected it to the ground post on my preamp. So there should be no ground loop and a common ground. I think, though, that the DIN connector brings enough doubt that I'll rip it out and install new RCA cables. At least that way I'll know its grounded all the way through.

 

[lost_in_ABQ]

I probably should have checked this first. If I unplug the adapter from the DIN cable from the turntable, the hum remains, pointing the finger right at the DIN to RCA adapter. So I'll do what I said and pull out the DIN cable and solder in an RCA pair. Should be good. Thanks for the help.