Oh no!! Not Another Turntable Feedback Thread!!

[sqlsavior]

If feedback is actually the problem, a new Technics SL-1200 Mk 7 might be just the ticket. I've seen them for $930 at gear4music (no affiliation) just now. Over budget, perhaps, but also a one-and-done table.

 

[Judasentinel]

Thanks for your suggestion, and I agree.....If only I could afford one!!

My budget at best is $500 with a good cartridge/stylus combo. I know it is not enough from an audiophile's perspective, but that is what I am able to afford.

My options seem to be limited to either keeping the new Audio Technica LP120X (I think it sounds amazing, to be honest, until you raise the volume to 71 db, where it starts to howl), or go for a Fluance RT82 and keep my VM520EB cartridge/stylus combo or I just get an RT84 with Ortofon Blue, OR I buy a used one from Ebay, without knowing how it actually is.

 

[theflattire]

I wouldn't get a new TT unless you've isolated the problem with your present one.
You would run the risk of having the same problem occurring.

There are a lot of hits if you google TT feedback. I would look at all of them and try to figure out what exactly is causing the feedback. It sound like an isolated thing and not something that can be attributed to your present TT alone. It must be a combination of causes; placement, isolation, proximity to speakers, distance from wall, etc.

 

[jobrewer1983]

I know this topic has been discussed ad nauseum, but every situation is different and no two scenarios can offer the exact same solution. So here is mine. I hope that you guys can help me with it.

Equipment:
Audio Technica AT-LP120X USB turntable with VM520EB stylus set to 2g tracking force
Schiit Mani 2 pre-amp
Denon 660H receiver
Klipsch RM600 speakers placed left and right of the turntable, around 4 feet away from the turntable
Klipsche R120SW subwoofer placed in the opposite corner of the room inside a sandbox made of cherry and MDF base.

The turntable is placed on a 2 inch thick purpleheart wooden block placed around 5.5 ft above ground on metal pipe brackets screwed into the wall studs. It then connects via 3 ft long RCA cables to the pre-amp, which is also sitting on a smaller shelf screwed into the wall stud, around 1 ft below the turntable. Ground wire from the turntable goes to the Mani 2, and then another ground (just in case) goes from the Mani 2 to the Denon receiver.

The TV sits on a 2 inches thick wooden TV table (top shelf) with the amp on the lower shelf.

As soon as I place the needle on the platter and turn the volume up, I start getting feedback that keeps getting louder and louder as I turn up the volume knob. The wall seems to vibrate a lot too, and no amount of isolation and insulation seems to help. There are 9 half-moon shaped racquetballs placed flat side down on top of the purpleheart slab, and then there is a plywood piece on top of these balls. Then the turntable sits on top of this plywood piece.

I have been told again and again that installing a shelf on the wall is the best solution to eliminate (or at least reduce) the feedback. I have had no such luck. The feedback gets dimmer when I touch the turntable body, but it comes back as soon as I remove my hand. I have all the speaker wires separated from the power wires. I have tried plugging the turntable, amplifier and pre-amp all into the same power strip and no change. I have reinforced the ground on both the turntable and pre-amp ends, and no luck.

I dont know why the walls vibrate so much when I am not even playing any music. Funny thing is that when music is playing, it doesnt have the feedback. Only when the needle rests on the platter or a record. If I cough loud, I can hear myself in the speakers!! What's up with that? How is the stylus needle picking up my cough sound? If I touch the turntable, or the plywood, I can hear the sound of the touch in the speakers.

I am at my wit's end. Tried sand box, and no luck, Tried rubber feet under speakers and no luck. Speakers are at least 4 feet away from the turntable. The subwoofer is 10 ft away.

What am I doing wrong? I had a Dual 1218 turntable until last month, which had ZERO feedback. It developed a strange hum and is in a shop for repairs. Meanwhile I bought the AT-LP120X, after reading reviews that it is actually (potentially) better than the belt-driver Fluance. I am regretting the decision, if it is the turntable itself.

Can you guys help and point me in the right direction? I dont want to continue to throw money at this, not knowing what the issue is and keep buying solutions that do not work.

Thanks.

flip the 30hz filter on your amp…. See if that fixed it..

 

[Rapscallion]

I grew up in Billings, pickings tend to be slim for good audio around there. I would not buy any used table that needs to be shipped. Shipping tables is problematic unless they are new in the box with warranty and shipping insurance.
The Fluance table is probably going to be a lot better than the AT just because it has a better plinth. Will it sound as good as the Dual? Probably not. The Dual idler drive will generally beat any belt drive in terms of rhythm and pace. It’s heavy and stable. Just make sure you can return it he Fluance you don’t like it. Or wait until the Dual is fixed and play at a lower volume until then. Chances are your Dual just has a loose or dirty connection at the headshell.

 

[PastorTube]

It sounds to me that your turntable happens to be placed where a resonant room node is peaking. What I mean by that is in most rooms there will be physical locations where certain frequencies (esp. low freq) resonate. They are “louder” or have increased amplitude and can be pretty darn destructive. Try moving your turntable to a location 5 feet away and see if the same problem happens or move your subwoofers 5 feet away from the current location and see what happens.

these resonance frequencies can cause buildings and bridges to collapse if the right freq and initial amplitude is just right. This is why soldiers never walk or March across bridges.

 

[AudioGMan]

Technics SL-1200MK2 and you’ll never look back.

 

[RunOutGroove]

I got rid of an old Technics Sl-1300 turtable that I had for years, only because a friend gave me his castaway turntable, a higher end Yamaha. The Technics though was a really solid turntable that I was really happy with. The SL-1300 is a model that's full auto, which I really liked as I don't like to have to deal with picking up the tonearm every time at the end of the record. It's not nearly as sought after as the manual models that it's most similar to and for that reason it seems like it may be a relative bargain. Once I found how little these things were selling for, I opted not to bother and gave it to a friend who's really happy with it. In fact that guy had some feedback issues with his former very lightweight, cheap NAD table and this one seems to be working better as far as that goes. One thing that I'd say though, is that if you opt for one of these tables, I would try and find one locally or order from a reputable dealer. I had very little issue with my table in decades of use, but since it is full-auto, it's mechanically complex and likely difficult to work on so I'd want to make sure that it's functioning 100% before I put down the money for it. For as cheap as I saw these things selling for, I'd be willing to bet that there's nothing new that can touch it for even close to the same price...

 

[Sgt Shultz]

I know this topic has been discussed ad nauseum, but every situation is different and no two scenarios can offer the exact same solution. So here is mine. I hope that you guys can help me with it.

Equipment:
Audio Technica AT-LP120X USB turntable with VM520EB stylus set to 2g tracking force
Schiit Mani 2 pre-amp
Denon 660H receiver
Klipsch RM600 speakers placed left and right of the turntable, around 4 feet away from the turntable
Klipsche R120SW subwoofer placed in the opposite corner of the room inside a sandbox made of cherry and MDF base.

The turntable is placed on a 2 inch thick purpleheart wooden block placed around 5.5 ft above ground on metal pipe brackets screwed into the wall studs. It then connects via 3 ft long RCA cables to the pre-amp, which is also sitting on a smaller shelf screwed into the wall stud, around 1 ft below the turntable. Ground wire from the turntable goes to the Mani 2, and then another ground (just in case) goes from the Mani 2 to the Denon receiver.

The TV sits on a 2 inches thick wooden TV table (top shelf) with the amp on the lower shelf.

As soon as I place the needle on the platter and turn the volume up, I start getting feedback that keeps getting louder and louder as I turn up the volume knob. The wall seems to vibrate a lot too, and no amount of isolation and insulation seems to help. There are 9 half-moon shaped racquetballs placed flat side down on top of the purpleheart slab, and then there is a plywood piece on top of these balls. Then the turntable sits on top of this plywood piece.

I have been told again and again that installing a shelf on the wall is the best solution to eliminate (or at least reduce) the feedback. I have had no such luck. The feedback gets dimmer when I touch the turntable body, but it comes back as soon as I remove my hand. I have all the speaker wires separated from the power wires. I have tried plugging the turntable, amplifier and pre-amp all into the same power strip and no change. I have reinforced the ground on both the turntable and pre-amp ends, and no luck.

I dont know why the walls vibrate so much when I am not even playing any music. Funny thing is that when music is playing, it doesnt have the feedback. Only when the needle rests on the platter or a record. If I cough loud, I can hear myself in the speakers!! What's up with that? How is the stylus needle picking up my cough sound? If I touch the turntable, or the plywood, I can hear the sound of the touch in the speakers.

I am at my wit's end. Tried sand box, and no luck, Tried rubber feet under speakers and no luck. Speakers are at least 4 feet away from the turntable. The subwoofer is 10 ft away.

What am I doing wrong? I had a Dual 1218 turntable until last month, which had ZERO feedback. It developed a strange hum and is in a shop for repairs. Meanwhile I bought the AT-LP120X, after reading reviews that it is actually (potentially) better than the belt-driver Fluance. I am regretting the decision, if it is the turntable itself.

Can you guys help and point me in the right direction? I dont want to continue to throw money at this, not knowing what the issue is and keep buying solutions that do not work.

Thanks.

I have to ask, how often do you place the stylus on a "static" record, crank up the volume and listen?

If no issues when the music is playing just sit back and enjoy, there is no problem.

 

[rothwellaudio]

I have to ask, how often do you place the stylus on a "static" record, crank up the volume and listen?
If no issues when the music is playing just sit back and enjoy, there is no problem.

It's a valid question. By the very nature of turntables, they're prone to feedback and any turntable will feedback if you try hard enough to make it feed back.

Also, where are the speakers? Are they on stands or are they mounted on the same wall as the turntable shelf?