Looking for Cartridge feedback/hum cure.

[DanSha]

Hello to all..this is my first post after over a year of combing over this great site getting info and trying to get back up to date..please bare with me as next month I’ll be 65 and that makes me old apparently…lol.
After about 30 years of looking at over 500 albums I decided to look get back to listening to them and make myself, with the wife’s permission, a mancave/ listening room.
I wanted to try and do vintage equipment..so I’ve over the last year slowly got together what I wanted..most of all Pioneer Pl550 identical to the one I bought in 1976 as a teen..found one had it completely restored, came out nice and I’m happy. Installed an Ortofon Blue. Took my time and carefully mounted and leveled shelf and TT. Then set up TT tonearm and cartridge, balanced etc..I am experienced at this so I’m confident it all set properly.
Ok enough back story, my issue is something I’ve never had to deal with before. I’m getting a low/load hum at volumes past 1 o’clock on the volume dial, below that it’s not there. Or if I close the dust cover it “slightly” reduces it. If I remove the stylus it stops immediately. I’ve adjusted the speaker locations and that has helped a little, I can turn it up to almost 3 o’clock on the dial, past my listing level, before the hum becomes noticeable again.
I’ve tested on several albums all the same. I can only figure it’s feedback.
Could it be the TT on the shelf is vibrating? I’ve e tried the water in the glass test…no real visible vibrations..if I tap the shelf or the TT you hear that quite clearly.
Is the Ortofon that sensitive? Had an Ortofon Concorde back in the day…great cartridge.
I’m not sure what else to say here with making a novel out of it.
Please ask me questions if I’m not giving enough information.
Integrated Amp- Yamaha CA610ii
TT- Pioneer Pl 550 with Ortofon 2m Blue cartridge.
Speaker- Acoustic Research 328
Thanks for taking the time to read this and appreciate any suggestions or help…just keep it in layman’s terms..
Thanks again Dan

 

[knotscott]

You could try more vibration isolating feet under the turntable or platform, but 3 oclock is a lot of gain. There's really no reason you should be past 2 oclock.

If you need more volume, I'd consider more efficient speakers, or more power, or more output from the cart or phono stage, so you don't need to turn the volume knob that high. If its feedback from high volume is tougher to isolate and will require physical isolation from the sound pressure levels.

p.s. Congrats on your new system!

 

[VintageVibe]

Hi Dan,

How close is the TT to the Amp? If it's sitting right on top or right next to the Amp, try moving it further away if you can.

 

[CrSens]

Ortofon Blue has very strong output, so 3 o'clock is quite loud. If you like vintage, AT-605 insulators might fix your problem (they are commonly available used on ebay). The platform on spikes under the turntable is apparently not providing good insulation, might be making it worse.

 

[DanSha]

You could try more vibration isolating feet under the turntable or platform, but 3 oclock is a lot of gain. There's really no reason you should be past 2 oclock.

If you need more volume, I'd consider more efficient speakers, or more power, or more output from the cart or phono stage, so you don't need to turn the volume knob that high. If its feedback from high volume is tougher to isolate and will require physical isolation from the sound pressure levels.

p.s. Congrats on your new system!

I was looking into better isolation on the feet this morning..and I agree 3/4 volume is way more than I’ll ever use, I was just putting it thru it’s paces now that I’ve got it pretty much set in its place in the room, just tweaking now..cables etc.. I have been adjusting speaker placement and I think I’ve found the best configuration for my room size..
Honestly I don’t need more power, it’s plenty loud enough for my old ears.

 

[DanSha]

Hi Dan,

How close is the TT to the Amp? If it's sitting right on top or right next to the Amp, try moving it further away if you can.

It should be plenty far away…one of the first priorities for my setup was TT/ Amp locations.

 

[DanSha]

Ortofon Blue has very strong output, so 3 o'clock is quite loud. If you like vintage, AT-605 insulators might fix your problem (they are commonly available used on ebay). The platform on spikes under the turntable is apparently not providing good insulation, might be making it worse.

Those spikes were my first thought, looking into isolation feet or pads..I had hoped between the heavy duty shelf brackets, marble slab and the cable would keep the shelf from vibration to the TT…not as much as I had hoped.
Didn’t realize the Ortofon output would be that much from the Ortofon red.

 

[Nat]

Just as a test, try removing the dust cover. The fact that closing the dustcover has an effect suggests that it might be involved - open, it is free to vibrate, closed, it is damped slightly (though closing it also may isolate the turntable a little, and that might be the cause of the quieting). I suspect it won't solve the problem, but it is easy, free, and will cross one possibility off the list.

 

[DanSha]

Just as a test, try removing the dust cover. The fact that closing the dustcover has an effect suggests that it might be involved - open, it is free to vibrate, closed, it is damped slightly (though closing it also may isolate the turntable a little, and that might be the cause of the quieting). I suspect it won't solve the problem, but it is easy, free, and will cross one possibility off the list.

Just as a test, try removing the dust cover. The fact that closing the dustcover has an effect suggests that it might be involved - open, it is free to vibrate, closed, it is damped slightly (though closing it also may isolate the turntable a little, and that might be the cause of the quieting). I suspect it won't solve the problem, but it is easy, free, and will cross one possibility off the list.

one of the first tests I did, because I noticed that right away…one other thing that surprised me was as I walked across the room the hum would get louder and fade somewhat if I stood next or in front of either speaker..that I found weird.

 

[DanSha]

You could try more vibration isolating feet under the turntable or platform, but 3 oclock is a lot of gain. There's really no reason you should be past 2 oclock.

If you need more volume, I'd consider more efficient speakers, or more power, or more output from the cart or phono stage, so you don't need to turn the volume knob that high. If its feedback from high volume is tougher to isolate and will require physical isolation from the sound pressure levels.

p.s. Congrats on your new system!

BTW..forgot to say thanks for the congratulations….lol

 

[Sgt Shultz]

I use these under many pieces of equipment, they work great.

 

[beej]

Hi Dan, Welcome to AK. Nice set up.

Just for S&Gs try something funky: Disconnect that cordless phone setup on that lower shelf and remove it from the room. Then check for the hum. I had a similar problem years ago with an early generation cell phone. Probably has nothing to do with the problem but all you'll have to spend is a few minutes of your time.

 

[Morgan D]

Do you have another cartridge to compare the loudness?I have one giving low volume problems and I tried a different cartridge and it was much better.

 

[Aud10file]

Check if turning on the subsonic filter on the yamaha helps any.

 

[Nat]

That LED (it looks like) ring light may be your culprit. Try unplugging it, not just turning it off.
And try touching the support cables - they may need damping.
I'd also experiment with removing all the isolation stuff sequentially. Sometimes they actually can sort of cancel each other's effects.

 

[DanSha]

Hi Dan, Welcome to AK. Nice set up.

Just for S&Gs try something funky: Disconnect that cordless phone setup on that lower shelf and remove it from the room. Then check for the hum. I had a similar problem years ago with an early generation cell phone. Probably has nothing to do with the problem but all you'll have to spend is a few minutes of your time.

Will do that…thought to myself if it could cause an issue…electronics have a tendency to interfere with each other..

 

[DanSha]

That LED (it looks like) ring light may be your culprit. Try unplugging it, not just turning it off.
And try touching the support cables - they may need damping.
I'd also experiment with removing all the isolation stuff sequentially. Sometimes they actually can sort of cancel each other's effects.

Excellent suggestions..didn’t think the small led light would have an impact…I was gradually trying change things one at a time..experiment…will post here with results..in a couple of days…hopefully good results..
Back in the day ..there was not nearly as much electronic interference…

 

[DanSha]

Do you have another cartridge to compare the loudness?I have one giving low volume problems and I tried a different cartridge and it was much better.

Yes I have an Empire I tried…same result…that’s when I started to get the idea it could be speaker position or vibration.

 

[DanSha]

Check if turning on the subsonic filter on the yamaha helps any.

That does bring the volume down enough …the tendency to hum is definitely less…it’s testing one thing a a time..but helps to get suggestions..thanks.

 

[DanSha]

That LED (it looks like) ring light may be your culprit. Try unplugging it, not just turning it off.
And try touching the support cables - they may need damping.
I'd also experiment with removing all the isolation stuff sequentially. Sometimes they actually can sort of cancel each other's effects.

Cables seem fine..no vibration from them, or it seems.