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Rega P3 Hum

Have you tried removing the computer? May not be the problem, but another thing that seems would be easy enough to do. Computers have a bunch of electronics in them that could very well generate the magnetic field @rothwellaudio has been talking about. I'm not sure how this would happen should the computer be turned off.....does it hum with the computer turned off? Does the computer turn completely off or does it go into a standby mode? Just some other things to think about. I am also in agreement with DavidTT though.....your dealer might be the best resource in this case. I do understand your desire to eliminate all possible causes that relate to your situation before you do that though. There will be an answer.....you just haven't found it yet.
 
Yup, that computer under the tt is a suspect. Even if it´s apparently turned off it may have stuff running inside as long as the mains is connected.
 
That's a pretty effective tutorial, Herr Krautmaster! Thanks for pointing to it and I hope it will help the OP solve the problem. I'm still waiting to hear whether or not the computer under the tt was the problem.....hopefully, we will get some feedback on that. Should that NOT fix the problem, I think your tutorial from PS Audio (good bunch, by the way!) is a great procedure for him to follow. By the way, do you ever get up to Farmington (where I am)?
 
Fishead said:
I think your tutorial from PS Audio (good bunch, by the way!) is a great procedure for him to follow.
Click to expand...
I disagree. That "tutorial" states "There are two basic types: 120Hz buzz, typically caused by ground loops, and 60Hz hum, typically a result of poor shielding, cable problems, or close proximity to strong magnetic fields."
Ground loops create noise at twice the mains frequency? How does that happen?
 
I'm not sure about that Rothwell and noticed this as well.....I always thought the ground loops were at 60Hz. No? I was referring to the procedure advised to follow to attempt to isolate the problem which I thought was outlined pretty well there. Might you have a better one to offer? As in a step-by-step method as described in the PS Audio link?
 
Fishead said:
That's a pretty effective tutorial, Herr Krautmaster! Thanks for pointing to it and I hope it will help the OP solve the problem. I'm still waiting to hear whether or not the computer under the tt was the problem.....hopefully, we will get some feedback on that. Should that NOT fix the problem, I think your tutorial from PS Audio (good bunch, by the way!) is a great procedure for him to follow. By the way, do you ever get up to Farmington (where I am)?
Click to expand...
We go through Farmington 3-4 times a year on the way to Durango and places north...
 
rothwellaudio said:
I disagree. That "tutorial" states "There are two basic types: 120Hz buzz, typically caused by ground loops, and 60Hz hum, typically a result of poor shielding, cable problems, or close proximity to strong magnetic fields."
Ground loops create noise at twice the mains frequency? How does that happen?
Click to expand...
PS Audio builds great stereo equipment and I trust them to know a lot more about the subject than I do since I'm not an electrician :)
 
Fishead said:
I'm not sure about that Rothwell and noticed this as well.....I always thought the ground loops were at 60Hz. No? I was referring to the procedure advised to follow to attempt to isolate the problem which I thought was outlined pretty well there. Might you have a better one to offer? As in a step-by-step method as described in the PS Audio link?
Click to expand...
I've read all the OP's posts, asked questions and he's answered them. I've concluded the cartridge is picking up hum from a magnetic field and moving the tonearm affects the level of hum because the cartridge is changing its proximity and orientation to the hum source. Grounds loops, power supply noise etc. wouldn't account for the change in hum as the tonearm moves. I said this more than once in this thread, yet the "advice" to check ground wires, power supplies etc. keeps on coming. No wonder the OP is confused.
I'm done here.
 
As I Intended to sell my Rega P2 turntable I changed out my AT VM95ML cartridge and replaced it with a Nagaoka MP 11 Boron, and surprise surprise it is now dead quiet, not a hint of a hum, I then fitted the AT VM95ML onto my Kenwood KD990 and again it was dead quiet, So I have no answer to what caused the problem.
 
Still waiting on the OP to let us know if the computer was causing the hum? Also, I agree with @rothwellaudio that the strongest probability is something induced by a magnetic field, hence my interest in the presence of the computer. My intention was to suggest that the PS Audio link is a very helpful tool to have on hand in terms of trouble-shooting a system.....knowing where to start and steps to follow from there. After all, is it not conceivable that the movement of the arm changes the topography of the wiring such that a better connection is achieved as it approaches the spindle? I think you actually suggested this in a previous post earlier-on? Meanwhile, we're all just waiting on some feedback from the OP.....
 
If the OP is in N. America the wall wart supplied with the Rega does not have a wider neutral blade. Have you tried rotating the wall wart 180 degrees to see if that helps.
 
UncleAng said:
If the OP is in N. America the wall wart supplied with the Rega does not have a wider neutral blade. Have you tried rotating the wall wart 180 degrees to see if that helps.
Click to expand...

Oh wait, this unit uses a wall wart? Those are sometimes the source of noise. I like medical or industrial grade power supplies. Stable and I choose the quietest--- the one with the least mVAC riding on top of the VC. I find power supplies with <5mVAC riding on top of 12VDC are the quietest.

I like Meanwell Class 2 GSM series "Brick" power supplies. ;)
https://medical.meanwell.com/productSeries.aspx
 
As I said earlier in this thread, this is a common issue with the Rega's

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/hum-decreases-with-tonearm-position-huh

From thread above,

"The preamp is connected to the amps with W4S XLR interconnects. The TT to the Ray Samuels is via the dedicated cable on the P3. I've tried various interconnects from the phono pre to the preamp with no difference.
Here's the story: There's a hum, which can be heard with the volume set even fairly low, at even low listening levels. But it is loudest when the tonearm is in its resting position, lessening as I move the arm toward the spindle.
I've tried moving the preamp away from the TT, but that doesn't change anything.
The hum isn't so loud as to interfere with listening to records, but it is loud enough to be very, very annoying when I'm, say, getting ready to spin a favorite platter. Or when I'vm flipping one over.
Any thoughts about what might be causing this? My cartridge is getting a bit long in the tooth -- I've been thinking about an upgrade -- but I don't see how that could be causing this. And I'm not really excited about dropping some real green on a new cart until I've got this hum thing resolved.
Is it odd -- it seems so to me -- that I've got hum with a battery-operated phono preamp?
Thanks so much for any help you might be able to give me with this."

And

"The motor on the Rega P3 may or may not be of low quality, but quality has nothing to do with the hum. The problem is that the glass platter affords no shielding against EMI emitted by the motor that may or may not interact with the cartridge. As someone else wrote, installing a shield will and did cure the problem. Another alternative is to ditch the glass platter in favor of a metal one that in itself will serve as an EMI shield."

And here

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thre...sues-with-rega-rp3-and-rp6-turntables.373883/

"One other thing to mention, is that the hum/buz lowers as you move the tonearm from the resting position to the middle of the LP, and then as you get closer to the center (label of LP) it gets louder..."



If you search there are more like this, a lot more.



Athanasios
 
Wow! Would seem an easy fix for Rega.....wonder what they have to say on the matter? Or, is it inconsistent and happen only with certain kinds of cartridges? If so, I imagine their response might be that it isn't their table, but the cartridge? In any case, this is very informative Athanasios! Now, if we might hear back from the OP?
 
Nashou66 said:
As I said earlier in this thread, this is a common issue with the Rega's
Click to expand...

Yes it is !! At least here in North America.

I purchased a new P3 and Ania cart in April of this year; had the same issues. When I rotated the wall wart plug 180 degrees it made a big difference but the hum was still there, and, yes, it got louder as the tonearm traveled towards the spindle where the motor is. Bottom line: Rega arms are not properly grounded.

I've been buying TTs for 50+ years and never had this issue regardless of what the TT cost; using both MM and MC carts.

Sold the combo a month later..... not impressed.
 
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