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Headshell introduces hum

jmchrislip

jmchrislip

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I have a couple of Denon 103s that I rotate. One is mounted in a Denon headshell and the other had been mounted in an inexpensive generic headshell. I recently transferred the cartridge in the generic headshell to an Ortofon SH-4 headshell. I noticed a very audible hum. When I put the cartridge with the Denon headshell back on, the hum disappeared.

The wires are identical. There are Nerve Audio Viscera Copper Litz Wire

Anyone have this experience before?
 
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Check that each and every connection is complete on the new headshell. May be losing some signal between the bayonet and the headshell or maybe a wire isn't as conductive as the others.
 
Yes I checked the connections and they are fine. I'm going back to the inexpensive generic. No hum with that or the Denon headshell.
 
I had that problem before with a couple headshells on my old Denon turntable. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what the problem was.
 
Sometimes, I have had issues with contact pressure between the headshell and and the arm. Example, does the hum vary when you screw around with the locking collar?
 
Check to be sure a ground loop is not being created with that headshell. This occurs when you have more than one ground path for the low side (ground) of the cartridge signal.

Doug
 
Hi WaynerN,

How can I tell if that's the case? I checked the Ortofon headshell online and connected it according to their specs. Same goes for the Denon DL-103.
 
Hi Doug,

I have everything plugged into a Furman power conditioner and with the Denon and generic headshells it's quiet even when I turn the volume past 2'oclock.
 
What I mean is at the shell itself. For instance, a ground loop is created when you have a metal-bodied cartridge grounded to a conductive headshell and have the ground pin of one or the other channels also grounded. It's typical to have a ground strap going from one of the ground pins to the cartridge body. I am not familiar with the Denon cartridge.

This creates more than one path for ground and it will pick up hum from the air. What needs to be done, in that case, is either completely isolate the cartridge body from the headshell or remove the little ground strap from between the pin and cartridge body. I prefer the former.

Doug
 
Is there any way for any metal parts of the cartridge to come into contact with a headshell when it is mounted. Through the screws, for instance?

Doug
 
jmchrislip said:
Hi WaynerN,

How can I tell if that's the case? I checked the Ortofon headshell online and connected it according to their specs. Same goes for the Denon DL-103.
Click to expand...

The best way is with a volt/ohm meter, using the continuity function. The right positive of the cartridge should end up on the right pin of the RCA connector, the right negative should end up on the shield of the right connector, left positive on the left pin, left negative on the left shield.
 
Thanks WaynerN,

I'm still getting things together from our apartment renovation and won't be able to do that until this weekend. This has been very puzzling.
 
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