Rega P6 getting hum

[bonus]

I recently bought a P6 with Exact MM cart and Elex-R amp.

I am really happy with it and the sound is great.

However... a couple of weeks ago, I was moving the arm over with the volume a little higher and noticed a hum. After playing around for a bit, the hum is coming from the motor and when the arm gets nearer the spindle the hum starts to be audible between tracks where the volume is a bit high. I would be lying if I said I could hear it on normal play but I now know it is there and didn't expect it.
I searched on the web and there are a few remarks about this but not much really to go on. There is no earth from the P6 to the amp, something I have found out that Rega do not bother with. My old SL-BD20 was quiet as a church mouse and I am a bit disappointed that I am getting hum from the P6.

I have gone back to the dealer and waiting for them to comment on whether the shop one did the same. They said that they had never heard of this before.

I have moved the NEO PSU as far as the lead will allow, about 1.5m away but it makes no difference.

Is this a trait of Rega decks or do I have a rogue specimen?


Any comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Bruce

[DSJR]

That's a Rega for you!!!!!

The top model(s) do have some extra motor shielding, but the main range models have never had this - ever - and some cartridges, especially their own MM's and Grado's I remember, are sensitive to this, as fully shielding the cartridge all round would reduce it's output (I was told by Roy Gandy when discussing the Bias, Elys and Exact models in particular).

One thing regarding equipment racks if you use one... Can I ask you to lift the deck off its support and see if some of the hum reduces? Roy G was adamant that hum is additive, and a nearby transformer hum field can add to the field from the motor and make a tiny issue into a problem.

You could get in touch with your local dealer, take the deck there and see how it compares to their demo one in a different system.

Usually, careful cartridge choice renders this a pretty well non-issue, but it does rear its ugly head from time to time.

[Svend N]

Hi Bruce,

This video was extremely useful in helping me solve a hum in my Heybrook: https://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/finding-and-fixing-turntable-hum/

At 4:45 he starts to talk about the different kinds of hum or buzz and their causes. In my case -- and this is where Paul was spot on -- I had mismatched ground potential between the preamp and the TT power supply. My TT-PSU was plugged into a simple 6-outlet power bar, and from there into the wall socket; whereas the preamp went straight to the wall. As soon as I unplugged the TT-PSU from the power bar and into the wall the hum disappeared. Simplest fix ever. So if either your PSU or preamp are on a power bar, and the other is not, this may be the same issue for you. If not, he gives other basic fixes for you to investigate. Worth checking out....

Hope this helps.

Svend

[walpurgis]

That's a Rega for you!!!!!

Yup. "they all do that sir"

Good reason to not use a Grado or Decca in one.

[walpurgis]

Maybe find a vintage Shure M55E cart, bung a Jico stylus on it and stick it in the Rega arm. It won't hum and it will sound punchier than any Rega cartridge.

[Phil Bishop]

Bruce,

I had the same experience - I once had an Exact on an RP8 and the hum as the cartridge approached the centre was, quite frankly, intolerable. The RP6 was better.

I think it's a problem with the Exact not being well screened. Quite frankly, I must have tried 3 or 4 Exacts and they did not last long. Cartridges are a personal thing but I always found the Exact very unexciting.

The latest Planar 6 is made for the Ania if you can afford one and have MC capability. MCs also seem much less prone to hum.

Cheers

Phil

[Svend N]

The OP states that the hum gets worse as the cartridge gets nearer the spindle - ie, nearer the motor - so the cause is induction from the motor's magnetic field, not a ground loop.
A sheet of earthed steel on the bottom of the turntable might deflect the magnetic field enough to reduce the hum. Maybe worth experimenting with.
Does the turntable have a piece of steel with three large holes in it going from the arm base to the bearing? Maybe earthing that would help.

Andrew, mine showed the same behaviour -- hum got louder as tonearm moved to spindle. Connecting the PSU to an outlet with better ground fixed the problem. Not trying to be contrary here, just sharing my observations. BTW, as mentioned in the PS Audio video, the hum was as described for ground loop -- a higher-pitched buzz.

[Svend N]

Yes, I may have misinterpreted the symptoms and maybe plugging into a different mains outlet will cure the problem. It's certainly worth a try.

Yes, definitely worth trying. TBH, I was quite surprised that the fix was so easy. I was expecting to fuss over this for days trying to track down the problem in tonearm wiring, etc.... It was a revelation when I watched that video...I had never heard or read anything describing "ground potential" in those simple terms.

Cheers,
Svend

[bonus]

Thanks everyone for the replies, some things to try this evening and i'll report back.

[bonus]

Thank you for your suggestions and comments, here is what I have tried so far...

Connected the TT PSU direct to the wall socket along with the amp - no difference
Lifted the TT well above the rack - no difference
Connected an earth the motor shell - no difference
Connected an earth to the metal plate from arm to the spindle - no difference
Placed a piece of steel of about 7 inches with a hole in the middle around the motor spindle, between the top of the plinth and the platter, unearthed - reduced the hum, earthing it probably made it worse


I am still waiting for the dealer to try on the one they have in the store but as mentioned by Phil, perhaps the way to go is MC.

I will have a look at Shure.

[hlinden]

A long-shot but....
Do you have a Sky-Q box or power-over-ethernet plugs (if you dont know what they are you probably dont!)?

Someone over at pfm (I think) had issues when they connected their Sky-Q box to the mains as it's designed to to use the mains as a network of some sort, no way to switch that off in recent firmware's.

If you do just try switching the box off and trying.

On a sidenote my understanding is that MC is potentially *more* likely to pick up noise and hum due to it's lower output and the engine being mounted straight on the cantilever.

[Bigbird]

hi mate had a exact-ly the same issue with mine and I found as soon as I upgraded the rega cartridge for a soundsmith one the problem stopped, so my guess is that the exact is not very well shielded and picks up to noise form the motor when nearer the spindle. like you say only when at volume, but really annoying once you know its there.

[Svend N]

Possibly the only satisfactory solution is a different and/or better cartridge.

Perhaps a friendly request here for a loaner cart would have someone offer up one of their spares for a quick test. Would settle the question before good money is dropped on this. I'd do it if I lived closer :). Or perhaps your dealer would help you out?

[bonus]

Thanks again everyone.

I do not have a SKY box, nor any mains network adaptor but I have killed all the power in my house except the TT and AMP, still the same.

I did get a SHURE M55E cart from ebay with a N44-3 stylus and tried that last night, still some hum but not as bad. Might go for the Jico stylus and keep that.

The dealer has now tried with his TT and he does get a hum but not as bad, he also tried with the Ania and says that there is no hum at all.

He has offered to send a different cart, not sure if he means another exact or a different model, although hlinden says that the MC could be worse.

Will update you.

cheers

[vegman1973]

Hi, I own the Rega RP6 with the exact Cartridge. I’ve had hum before but that was down to the valve phono I was using at the time. Never experienced any hum when arm is nearing centre.
I’ve always found the exact a good little MM cart but am now ready to move on to MC.
Hope you find the problem very annoying these things to locate and sort out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bigbird]

Thanks again everyone.

I do not have a SKY box, nor any mains network adaptor but I have killed all the power in my house except the TT and AMP, still the same.

I did get a SHURE M55E cart from ebay with a N44-3 stylus and tried that last night, still some hum but not as bad. Might go for the Jico stylus and keep that.

The dealer has now tried with his TT and he does get a hum but not as bad, he also tried with the Ania and says that there is no hum at all.

He has offered to send a different cart, not sure if he means another exact or a different model, although hlinden says that the MC could be worse.

Will update you.

cheers

Theres lots of info available online regarding this issue as its very common. I think many people said going MC solved the issue too although id changed tables before i got to try my new MC cart. So maybe thats a possibility for you if the dealer is offering another cart??

The soundsmith i had was sheilded on all six sides and was completely silent, so maybe ask the dealers advice on something that has the same so your not going round in circles.

Fingers crossed for you mate as i know its frustrating.







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bigbird]

Hi, I own the Rega RP6 with the exact Cartridge. I’ve had hum before but that was down to the valve phono I was using at the time. Never experienced any hum when arm is nearing centre.
I’ve always found the exact a good little MM cart but am now ready to move on to MC.
Hope you find the problem very annoying these things to locate and sort out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi buddy maybe you can do a quick test to see if you get the same issue??

Crank the volume up to 11-12oclock then hover the arm and cart over the subplatter/motor spindle to see if you get the same??

Might be useful to see if all Exacts do it or it was an older batch and had now been rectified by rega??

I actually like the exact too


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vegman1973]

Hi mate,

Just done a quick test now of putting arm right across centre of record then turning amp up to 12 o clock. There is some hum but nothing out of the way tbh. 12 o clock for volume on my valve amp shakes the walls so it’s not a level I would listen to. And if I did hum wouldn’t be an issue it would be the neighbours hammering my door down lol
There is some RFI shielding you can buy maybe try that if it causing you a lot of concern. Or if it’s new ask for the exact Cartridge to be changed to MC?
Not really sure what your options are mate sorry



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hifi_dave]

I recently bought a P6 with Exact MM cart and Elex-R amp.

I am really happy with it and the sound is great.

However... a couple of weeks ago, I was moving the arm over with the volume a little higher and noticed a hum. After playing around for a bit, the hum is coming from the motor and when the arm gets nearer the spindle the hum starts to be audible between tracks where the volume is a bit high. I would be lying if I said I could hear it on normal play but I now know it is there and didn't expect it.
I searched on the web and there are a few remarks about this but not much really to go on. There is no earth from the P6 to the amp, something I have found out that Rega do not bother with. My old SL-BD20 was quiet as a church mouse and I am a bit disappointed that I am getting hum from the P6.

I have gone back to the dealer and waiting for them to comment on whether the shop one did the same. They said that they had never heard of this before.

I have moved the NEO PSU as far as the lead will allow, about 1.5m away but it makes no difference.

Is this a trait of Rega decks or do I have a rogue specimen?


Any comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Bruce

Many turntables produce some audible 'hum' when the arm cartridge is moved near the motor. The hum from a Rega should be inaudible at normal to high volume levels but will be audible at very high volume levels and is therefore not a problem, as it is way below record surface noise.

There is an 'earth' connection between arm and amp provided by the right channel screen of the arm cable. This is a very practical and trouble free arrangement and not a problem unless you read forum myths.

If you purchased this from a Rega stockist, they should put your mind at ease without waiting days for a reply.

[alphaGT]

I had the exact same problem with my Pro-Ject table. I attempted to shield the motor by grounding a lead sheet over it, a small hole for the pulley to stick through, made no difference. The wall pack transformer they fed it 16volts was not grounded, and plugging it into a different circuit didn’t help. The fix was to sell it and buy a better ‘table, one that doesn’t have the motor under the platter.

As you suspect, I never really heard any hum while a record was playing, but just knowing it was there bothered me. So $2500 later, problem solved!

Russell

[struth]

also, you cant stop a magnetic field, only redirect it. Lead does interact with a magnet but only very slightly.

[alphaGT]

Lead won't do anything to shield against magnetic fields. You need to use a ferromagnetic material, ie something a magnet will stick to. Practically, that means a piece of steel.

Yes, I’ve learned this since then, but I still wonder why Marantz and others use copper to shield their equipment? Perhaps it just looks cool? But the minor hum I discovered, that I could never actually hear while playing a record, was enough for me to rationalize the purchase of a VPI Scout! No more hum, but it’s just a better ‘table all around, the differences are immediately noticeable, and I have no regrets!

Russell

[bonus]

Hello again,
long time since my last post here but finally got to the bottom of this and thought I should put a close on it.
Like some have already said, its just the thing with Rega. I took the TT back to the dealer and they tested it and its no different to what they have there. It is not audible when playing unless the amp is up really high and its a quiet piece at the end of the record. It is too loud with the amp up that high and therefore it will not be an issue for me. I just wanted to be sure that my TT was ok and not subject to a manufacturing issue. I am pleased with it and looking forward to upgrading my Ditton 33's next.
Thanks for all your help and comments
Cheers
Bruce