JohnnyCashFan
Well-Known Member
Try to get stands that are fillable with dry play sand or lead shot. This will help decouple the speakers from the floor.
Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice
- Thread starter Joe Mac
- Start date
Waiting for some parts to come in.
LiamGallaghersBucketHat
Go on, geezer.
Alright chums. I’ve been meaning to slap these 25 OHM loading resistors on my Weekends since I upgraded to my Sphinx but I kept forgetting to. Well, I finally got around to that today.
What should I be expecting to hear? A tighter sound?
What should I be expecting to hear? A tighter sound?
Just try it. The power of suggestion is strong. If we tell you what to expect, that’s what you’ll hear (an old stereo sales trick).
LiamGallaghersBucketHat
Go on, geezer.
I listened to 2 albums and I’m still trying to figure out if I even noticed a difference. I guess it doesn’t help that the 2 albums were Pet Sounds and Spilt Milk.
It’ll make a bigger difference if your amp has transformer coupled outputs (tubes or some McIntosh).I listened to 2 albums and I’m still trying to figure out if I even noticed a difference. I guess it doesn’t help that the 2 albums were Pet Sounds and Spilt Milk.
VMPKJ
Well-Known Member
I will second. I heard differences (which I will leave out in the spirit of things here) with different loads on my solid state amps, but there was a HUGE difference with the tube amp. I'll add the Primaluna / Zu combo LOOOOVES 16ohm taps on my current setup... to the point I'm worried the Mahi's won't sound as good with the matched loading to 4-5 ohms. We shall see.
yukbon
Well-Known Member
Last night I moved the belt on my u-turn over to the 45RPM wheel to check my Melvins LP for the mispress error (which it has) and when I moved it back to 33....it wouldn't stay on, stretched out and kept falling off. Had to put it in the fridge overnight to get it to where it should be. Someone recommend a decent table that allows me to switch between 33/45 and won't have this nonsense. Bonus for auto-stop or auto-lift.
Technics 1210/1200, although no auto stop
So! My hum is history!
I had a feeling all along that it was a ground loop but had no way of defeating it because everything was plugged into the same strip.
Whilst I was waiting for PL and the dealer to come back I saw something in the local hifi store and thought “fuck it, let’s give it a go, if it doesn’t work I can always return it”
I bought 2 of these ifi silent power gnd defenders. They plug into your IEC port on the gear and then the power cable plugs into them. They supposedly drop the ground if they notice a loop, whilst keeping a safety ground, but do nothing if there is no ground loop.
GND Defender by iFi audio - Eliminates ground loops that often cause audible speaker hum.
GND Control The GND Defender (Ground) eliminates ground loops in your audio set-up that often cause audible speaker hum.ifi-audio.com
Whilst not cheap at €100 each they have worked perfectly for me and are relatively speaking not that much when you consider they have killed the hum between a €1800 pre amp and €4000 power amp!
They also launched D.C. blocker in the same line which filters out any D.C. on the AC which is great for any gear where you have a beast of a transformer that’s physically humming/vibrating.
DC Blocker by iFi audio - Reduces noisy transformer hum caused by DC on your mains.
Your humming transformer is your quarterback. The DC Blocker (Direct Current Blocker) aims to reduce noisy physical transformer hum caused by DC on the mains. It’s designed for amplifiers that uses a mains power transformer in its power supply.
I get a low level hum as soon as I power on my amp, it's quite quiet but I notice it, you can't hear it when music is playing, but I'm sure it's there.
I haven't seen these before but was considering the iFi air purifier. I'm not sure which to go for, they both seem to do similar things. I don't even know if it's a ground issue.
AC iPurifier by iFi audio - Mains Audio Noise Eliminator
Clean up 'dirty' power with the iFi AC iPurifier The iFi audio AC iPurifier is a multi-talented noise buster. It actively cleans up dirty mains power, detects polarity and ground/earth connections plus prevents ground loops.
ifi-audio.com
Did you try out the purifier or was the gnd-defender your first stab?
edit- or will it be the DC blocker that I need?
I think it's the DC blocker, the hum on mine is from the amp. It doesn't get great reviews on Amazon, but I'm tempted to try it out.
I also get some crackle on my speakers if I turn the volume up without any source playing. Would that be a loose connection?
edit No2 - After looking in to it & adopting a bit of the fuck it attitude of I can return it if it doesn't work & I have £80 worth of Amex points saved up, I've completely ignored @Joe Mac 's recommendation & ordered an audio lab Dc blocker. Let's hope it helps
DC Block
The DC Block has been designed to improve the quality of AC electricity that feeds our audio and AV systems. Mains electricity has a fundamental influence on the audio signal as it passes through a system, from source to amp to speakers. The mains supply in a typical dwelling is subject to...
www.audiolab.co.uk
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Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
I get a low level hum as soon as I power on my amp, it's quite quiet but I notice it, you can't hear it when music is playing, but I'm sure it's there.
I haven't seen these before but was considering the iFi air purifier. I'm not sure which to go for, they both seem to do similar things. I don't even know if it's a ground issue.
AC iPurifier by iFi audio - Mains Audio Noise Eliminator
Clean up 'dirty' power with the iFi AC iPurifier The iFi audio AC iPurifier is a multi-talented noise buster. It actively cleans up dirty mains power, detects polarity and ground/earth connections plus prevents ground loops.
Did you try out the purifier or was the gnd-defender your first stab?
edit- or will it be the DC blocker that I need?
I think it's the DC blocker, the hum on mine is from the amp. It doesn't get great reviews on Amazon, but I'm tempted to try it out.
I also get some crackle on my speakers if I turn the volume up without any source playing. Would that be a loose connection?
i didn’t try a purifier because I already have a power conditioner. My entire system is plugged into one of these.
PS Audio Dectet 10 Outlet Power Conditioner
The Dectet Power Center is built for your entire system. Ten Power Port outlets, each individually hand wired to the power input, are available on the Dectet regardless of what country or voltage system your system runs on. That’s right, now for the first time with a PS Power Center, every...
www.futureshop.co.uk
Given the frequency of the hum and the fact it was coming through the speakers I was convinced it was a ground loop and I didn’t have a way of breaking it since both components were already plugged into that same strip.
When I saw the gnd defender I gave it a go because it claimed to break a ground loop and it did.
If the hum is a physical noise coming from the amp it could be the transformer humming and the DC blocker might help if their claims are as sound as for the one I bought and if it is caused by D.C. getting to the amps transformer.
With the speaker I’d definitely trouble shoot every connection in the system and make sure the turntable is correctly grounded.
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i didn’t try a purifier because I already have a power conditioner. My entire system is plugged into one of these.
PS Audio Dectet 10 Outlet Power Conditioner
The Dectet Power Center is built for your entire system. Ten Power Port outlets, each individually hand wired to the power input, are available on the Dectet regardless of what country or voltage system your system runs on. That’s right, now for the first time with a PS Power Center, every...
Given the frequency of the hum and the fact it was coming through the speakers I was convinced it was a ground loop and I didn’t have a way of breaking it since both components were already plugged into that same strip.
When I saw the gnd defender I gave it a go because it claimed to break a ground loop and it did.
If the hum is a physical noise coming from the amp to could be the transformer humming and the DC blocker might help if their claims are as sound as for the one I bought and if it is caused by D.C. getting to the amps transformer.
With the speaker I’d definitely trouble shoot every connection in the system and make sure the turntable is correctly grounded.
Cheers, I did a bit of digging and come to a similar conclusion. My memory is going with age, when I last looked at the purifier I ended up getting a couple of the Tacima mains conditioners. Basically a cheaper and likely less effective version of what you have.
Amazon product ASIN B00UB0G4DQ
I'm hoping the DC purifier will help, thanks for the insspiration
Technics SL-1500C has auto lift.
Crabbers
Well-Known Member
That’s why I finally got rid of my uturn…it was very frustrating.
I switched to the mofi studiodeck and couldn’t be happier
For auto lift you could alway add something like this
Say Hello To a "Little Disco Fwend" For Technics Direct Drive Turntables
Though today's Technics Direct Drive turntables are for audiophile not disco use, not surprisingly "Little Fwend"'s playful Norwegians wood name their specially designed for Technics turntables end-of-side arm lifter "Little Disco Fwend".
www.analogplanet.com
JohnnyCashFan
Well-Known Member
Some belts benefit from being powdered (talc or other) every few months. Either way depending on use you should also replace your belt based on use every so often.
If you want to stay in the same range as the Uturn I would suggest something vintage with those features you would like. If you can upgrade @HiFi Guy suggestion SL-1500C which seems to be the ONE Technics you can still get right now.
I'm not familiar with the Uturn (or the price range), but I would recommend a vintage Technics 1210, if you can find a half decent example. Or maybe even a not great example and get it fixed up.
yukbon
Well-Known Member
I'll keep an eye out for the technics' tables, and I'll try the talc in the meantime, but this is a new belt with less than 30 hours on it, as my previous one gave up the ghost and just snapped in half one day.
marshall
Well-Known Member
Hell hath just frozen over...