Where to ground a turntable when a distance from the preamp?

[Danddd]

I’ve moved my turntable a distance from the preamp. Where would be a good place to ground the TT? I’ve placed it on top of my ikea record storage bins and run the RCAs a distance to the preamp and didn’t want to run the ground wire.

 

[Sgt Shultz]

I’ve moved my turntable a distance from the preamp. Where would be a good place to ground the TT? I’ve placed it on top of my ikea record storage bins and run the RCAs a distance to the preamp and didn’t want to run the ground wire.

The ground wire need be no longer than the phono cable (they should be short), if extended through a phono preamp ground it there. Otherwise just attach more ground wire and connect to the preamp to avoid a possible ground loop

 

[DavidTT]

Are you talking about cabling to your phono preamp or does your turntable have a preamp built in? In general it's a bad idea to run long cables from turntable to phono preamp.

 

[Danddd]

Are you talking about cabling to your phono preamp or does your turntable have a preamp built in? In general it's a bad idea to run long cables from turntable to phono preamp.

I have a Rega P3 there now and it's fine as Regas don't have a ground, but I wanted to put another TT there that has a ground to it. I'm using a VTL 2.5 pre with built in phono section.

 

[twiiii]

Due to the high source impedance of the cartridge of MM type you cannot extend the signal cable with out negatively effecting cartridge tracking capability and deteriorating the signal quality. Now because of the very low source impedance you might have a fighting chance with a MC cartridge. The only issue because the signal is at least 20 db less than a MM cartridge the signal is more easily influenced by stray magnetic fields and voltage fluctuation influencing the MC phono stage. Another danger might be that TT is now on a different phase of your homes electrical system introducing hum and electrical anomalies simple grounding can't fix. The easiest cure is to use a separate phono pre-amp that brings the signal to line level to feed your electronics. Then there are definite steps that can be taken to solve a hum caused by ground loops.

If you decide to use a separate phono stage make sure it has balanced outputs to guarantee in the event of hum remains steps can be taken for a guaranteed cure. Yes you can drive an unbalanced in put with a balanced line.

 

[maxhifi]

I have a Rega P3 there now and it's fine as Regas don't have a ground, but I wanted to put another TT there that has a ground to it. I'm using a VTL 2.5 pre with built in phono section.

Then you must extend the ground wire or you will get hum. Any old wire will work for this, bell wire, speaker wire, telephone wire, etc. It's a necessary connection and trivially easy to extend, I'm not seeing the issue.

 

[Danddd]

Then you must extend the ground wire or you will get hum. Any old wire will work for this, bell wire, speaker wire, telephone wire, etc. It's a necessary connection and trivially easy to extend, I'm not seeing the issue.

I here you. I was just looking for something else to ground the TT too besides running a wire. I'll just leave the Rega in place.

Are you talking about cabling to your phono preamp or does your turntable have a preamp built in? In general it's a bad idea to run long cables from turntable to phono preamp.

So far I am not noticing any issue with long cabling the Rega P3 to the VTL 2.5 preamp's phono section.

 

[maxhifi]

was just looking for something else to ground the TT too besides running a wire

I think this explains the confusion. The ground wire is a bit misnamed, it isn't about grounding the turntable per se, but bonding it to the amplifier chassis so that the amplifier and turntable metal bits are at exactly the same potential. Rega turntables accomplish this through one of the RCA shields.