Inspire Hifi Quest [Archive] - The Art of Sound Forum

Bigman80

25-12-2015, 23:17

Hi all.

I am in awe of your remarkable setups !! I've never heard of most of the stuff you guys are using but I'm reading and learning quickly as I'd like to keep improving my front room setup. I've got the afore mentioned TT, Goldring 2100 MM cart, A NAD 312 amp and Celestion DL6 speakers oh and a project record box e.

It hasn't cost me much to build what has been the best system I've owned. Roughly £565 all in.

Just thought I'd share a pic of my TT as I've just raised the VTA with shims and added my new for Christmas leather platter mat. Tracking at 1.75g grams and other than an annoying him/buzz it sounds rather lovely.

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/25/12d4e6225e70c1318774e59ef8c39ccf.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/25/c660f7c172722e0efcd2a171c1c24182.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/25/e8d55f53ced2ac1c0f65ee0441ff6dbc.jpg

walpurgis

25-12-2015, 23:37

Looks very nice.

You shouldn't have any hum or buzzing. Have a play with the earthing arrangements for the tonearm and cartridge and any links to metal parts of the chassis (not the mains side though).

Bigman80

25-12-2015, 23:44

I think there is an issue with the ground in the tonearm itself. I've tried every combination I can think of and its still buzzing. It doesn't stop when the power is off so I presume it can't be the power source.

Firebottle has offered to give it the once over. Have to say every one on here has been really informative and helpful. [emoji106]

struth

25-12-2015, 23:48

Maybe re-routing some cables and moving them away from any power ones and some movement of the phono stage might help.

Bigman80

26-12-2015, 13:32

I've tried that too. Had the turntable in the kitchen, the amp in the living room and the speakers in the front room. Also tried 3 different cables and it's still there. It has to be the tonearm. If it's not I'm gonna bin it !!!!

Puffin

26-12-2015, 15:44

Bigman80

26-12-2015, 20:01

I'm just re-wiring an earler R200 arm (pre RB straight arm) and there is a shim that is an interference fit with a grd lead attached. This had come adrift and therefore was not providing any grounding. Whether this was a problem for the previous owner I don't know as they had made such a pigs ear of the "re-wire" that I wonder if it worked at all. I had a Planar 3 with the RB arm and as far as I could see there was not a grd wire coming from the phono lead stub. I had no hum however.

From what I've read they ground through the left channel so there is no ground from the external RCA connection. Apparently it prevents a ground loop but my arm does have a separate earth. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/26/2bd02e941f4132053eec9f0516374341.jpg

This is what's soldered at the end of the internal wiring of the arm.

I don't know how to solder and I have no equipment to try. Also if the problem is internal in snookered. I've tried grounding the green cable to everything on earth and it doesn't make any difference so it has to be in the arm.

jandl100

27-12-2015, 07:01

I've got the afore mentioned TT, Goldring 2100 MM cart, A NAD 312 amp and Celestion DL6 speakers oh and a project record box

I bet that lot sounds very good.
I'm a big fan of Celestion speakers - marvellous "BBC midrange" that just makes music and voice sound right. And those old NAD amps are quite surprisingly good.
I hope you get the tt buzz sorted - damn annoying, I know.

sq225917

27-12-2015, 09:47

If that green wire is soldered to the housing and to the centre of the red rca socket it's done wrong. It should go to the outside of the socket not the centre pin. I'd check all the wiring.

Also that soldering is f_ING awful looking.

jandl100

27-12-2015, 09:50

Also that soldering is f_ING awful looking.

Tru dat. :doh:
Someone incompetent has been boogerin' around with it.

NickB

27-12-2015, 11:33

It looks like it has the right connections but done appallingly badly to me.

Reminds me of Eric Morecombe to Andre Previn - They are all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.

Bigman80

28-12-2015, 14:29

I bet that lot sounds very good.
I'm a big fan of Celestion speakers - marvellous "BBC midrange" that just makes music and voice sound right. And those old NAD amps are quite surprisingly good.
I hope you get the tt buzz sorted - damn annoying, I know.

They are actually very good. I got the celestions on a whim because they were close enough to collect. They sound REALLY nice. The NAD amp cost me £30 so at that price it's unbeatable value. I'd love to get a power amp to help it drive the speakers though.

Bigman80

28-12-2015, 14:31

It looks like it has the right connections but done appallingly badly to me.

Reminds me of Eric Morecombe to Andre Previn - They are all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.

Lol. Love that sketch.

I've had little to no success finding a wiring guide for it. So I'm a bit stuck.

Pleased to say it wasn't me who made such a mess of it. I can't solder and wouldn't have my first attempt on my TT !!

agk

28-12-2015, 22:18

I suspect it may be a dry joint given the state of those joins. If you've someone who can solder they can redo that lot in minutes.

Bigman80

28-12-2015, 22:58

I suspect it may be a dry joint given the state of those joins. If you've someone who can solder they can redo that lot in minutes.

I'm really hoping it's something simple. I'm going to see Firebottle in a week. We're gonna try the The photo stage Nd TT on his equipment and see if it buzzes on his gear.

Bigman80

04-01-2016, 13:35

Update :

Went to see Alan (Firebottle) today. Wow. The guy is a genius. I spent the morning drooling over his setup. His Firebottle amps sounded unbelievably good and convinced me I need to own them too !!! Lol

Alan resolved my TT issue without breaking a sweat.

Furthermore, didn't want any money for his effort.

What an absolute gent. I urge anyone thinking of buying an amp to audition the kit Alan makes.

I'm saving from now to get some for myself haha.

Thanks Alan. It's really appreciated.

Oliver