I really dont like country music...(phono pre Q)

[jrhymeammo]

Hi guys, hope to receive some info.

I finally moved into my new apartment and getting adjusted to a new envirnment. Everything is pretty grand except for this new problem with my tube phono pre....

My VTL TP-2.5 picks up F***ing country music radio station.
I'm currently using a pair of Kimber PBJ with this setup. I've always noticed that they do not provide sufficent shielding. Great sounding for me, but it can be frustrating from time to time. So I switched and played with 3 other pairs and my tube phono pre is picking up less "Built Ford Tuff" non-sense.
Different cables made a difference, but I still feel like my VTL is the culprit.

I've never had any problems like this before, and I'm a bit perplexed.

Any thoughts?

Thanks and sorry for the CM bashing....... Country Music Sucks!!!
-J

[Feanor]

Hi guys, hope to receive some info.

I finally moved into my new apartment and getting adjusted to a new envirnment. Everything is pretty grand except for this new problem with my tube phono pre....

My VTL TP-2.5 picks up F***ing country music radio station.
I'm currently using a pair of Kimber PBJ with this setup. I've always noticed that they do not provide sufficent shielding. Great sounding for me, but it can be frustrating from time to time. So I switched and played with 3 other pairs and my tube phono pre is picking up less "Built Ford Tuff" non-sense.
Different cables made a difference, but I still feel like my VTL is the culprit.

I've never had any problems like this before, and I'm a bit perplexed.

Any thoughts?

Thanks and sorry for the CM bashing....... Country Music Sucks!!!
-J

I don't really have any advice except maybe try a shielded power cable as well as interconnects.

But country music ... dear Lord ... I hope you get relieve soon.

[jrhymeammo]

Thanks Bill. I guess I'll play around a bit more. Perhaps it was damaged by the FedEx. I did pack the thing REALLY well. I even double boxed it.
I'll try a heavy duty power cord I'm using for my amp. If it works out then fine, but I will miss the extra(very noticable) slam.

Thanks,

[basite]

I don't know for sure man,
it should most likely be something like shielding or so, amps/preamps don't usually pick up radio stations, and then amplify them, that's where tuners are for...

and that radio station being a country radio station makes it even worse...

and, how's the new appartement btw?
and how's the new neighbourhood?

hope everything turns out good...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[JoeE SP9]

Heh, heh, my secret plot worked. Send me the preamp or your ears get it with more C&W.
Seriously, I'm sorry to hear about your problem. Do you have the problem at all the outlets?

[JohnMichael]

Man do you have troubles. Have you tried the MicroPurls? The sandwich construction and the purling is supposed to reject RFI. I remember companies used to make RFI chokes that would fit on cables and remove the problem. I hope this link might be of help.

http://www.radiodan.com/Henry/parts/RF_chokes.htm

[Resident Loser]

...ain't that a bee eye tea see H...guess you won' be a-needin' no help from a truck-drivin' picker...

jimHJJ(...pity really...)

[jrhymeammo]

I figured it out!!!

The Horse God is pissed. He's sick out me talking trash about Larry the Cable Guy.
But seriously this is really annoying, I tell ya Wha!! Do Wha Naw? sigh....

So, I tried different powercables, ICs(incl. micropurls), power strips, and different outlets. Whenever I reach my hand out towards the tonearm, "hum" and tobacco spittin' music gets worst. Also, lifting it up, down, left and right affects all depending on where I'm standing Very strange.
I need to open it up this weekend and check all the tubes just incase.

Maybe I'll go to a local hi-fi shop called Circuit City and see if they know anything...

thanks for the link JM, that looks pretty interesting. I will have to check it out if I can't resolve this by Sunday night.

[jrhymeammo]

Okay, I finally figured it out a bit. I got an extension cord out and plugged it into three other outlets including the one in the bedroom. I found 1 that works, but it's too far away from my system and adjusting my system for that is not an option.

Guess I'll have to invest in a power conditioner. PURE AV by Belkin?

Thanks Joe.

[Feanor]

Okay, I finally figured it out a bit. I got an extension cord out and plugged it into three other outlets including the one in the bedroom. I found 1 that works, but it's too far away from my system and adjusting my system for that is not an option.

Guess I'll have to invest in a power conditioner. PURE AV by Belkin?

Thanks Joe.

I have a Pure AV PF60 -- nice unit, although I don't have the same problems as you. I suggest you connect it to the preamp with a short, shielded PC.

DO NOT pay anywhere close to the MSRP of $599. I got mine on eBay, new, for US$220.

See specs ...
http://catalog.belkin.com/PureAV_det...duct_Id=178925

...

[jrhymeammo]

Thanks Bill.

I was going to get a Wall Mount Rack for my TT with my first pay check, but looks like that is gonna have to wait. I was already interested in a power conditioner so not a biggie. But I do like that MIT knock offs JM posted. Got some research to do.

Thanks again,

[JoeE SP9]

Okay, I finally figured it out a bit. I got an extension cord out and plugged it into three other outlets including the one in the bedroom. I found 1 that works, but it's too far away from my system and adjusting my system for that is not an option.

Guess I'll have to invest in a power conditioner. PURE AV by Belkin?

Thanks Joe.

I once had an apartment that picked up a local talk radio station on the two outlets in the living room.

[jrhymeammo]

I played around a bit more with wires.

I can still hear the station, but I would have to turn it up quite a bit, and place my ears next to a speaker. But it's not something I would ever hear in my listening position. I turned my microwave on and I lost the wireless internet connection.....

[bobsticks]

Hey Yo J-Murda,

Sounds like things are falling apart over there. Hope the Belkin works out although I'm cautiously optimistic at best. You needed to but new toys anyway.

I hope that the rest of the "settling-in" period goes smoothly.


Cheers.

PS Welcome to Kentucky (whattidjya expect?)

[JoeE SP9]

You should be happy your microwave doesn't pick up C&W also!

[JohnMichael]

One thing I did that greatly reduced noise in my system was to have nothing grounded. My PS Audio power cord had a removable ground pin and I removed it and was amazed at the lack of low level noise. Most three prong plugs do not have removable ground pins so you can use a cheater plug. The plug that allows you to use a three prong plug in a two prong outlet. Living in an apartment building I was picking up everyones' noise generated by appliances and computers. The noise was low in level and after a week of listening without my int. amp being grounded I replaced the pin. It was incredible how irritating that noise was after living without it. You might try your system ungrounded and see if that might not help.

[jrhymeammo]

PS Welcome to Kentucky (whattidjya expect?)

Slim girls driving Toyota Prius........

You might try your system ungrounded and see if that might not help.

thanks for another post. Everytime I get a power strip, I remove the 3rd plug so nothing is really grounded in my system. And I've also tried plugging PCs w/ 3 plugs straight into outlets.

The room is an acousticalm nightmare too so I got alot to do this weekend regarding audio.

[jrhymeammo]

, I remove the 3rd plug so nothing is really grounded in my system.

.....got me thinking and what do you know.

My turntable was grounded to my preamp. So I removed it and got mixed results. I taped the end of GND wire w/ electrical tape. Much better result, but WHATTA HELL, MAN!!!! F'it. It is what it is.

Peace,

[jrhymeammo]

After some adjustments, I picked up another station. 2 F'in country music stations.
I figured that I was trying to amplify too much, so switched to lower/MM setting. Much better but still there. So back to my DL-110. Looks like I wont be playing with L-output MC for a while.

Thank you to all who gave me suggestions,

Peace

[audio_dude]

yeh, i had that same problem with an old technics turntable once...

actually, wrapping all the cords with tinfoil helped greatly... try it!

(yeh, so what if it looks a little messy, if it gets rid of the country music, who cares!)

[poweredamp]

Must be in the way you packed the unit dude. You know, banged around like hell on your way.

______________
McIntosh MA6900 Integrated Amplifier - Download the MA6900 Integrated Amplifier Catalog by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

[jrhymeammo]

Maybe double boxing and filling it with 5 different kinds of packing material wasnt good enough. But, it has been crazy.

But lifting IC about 12-15" seem to help tremendusly. For now. I think I'll cap the MM input off and find out what happens

[jrhymeammo]

So, I'm a guy who likes to tweak this and that without altering capasitors and diodes and what have you. But as long as it works, I love tweaking.

If you are this thread from the beginning, you will know that I had a HUGE problem with RFI with my turntable setup. After playing with different positioning or gears and wires, I started to notice my problems had to do with wires. I even had my TT setup in a closet away from everything else. Blah blah and let me get to the point.

I wrapped my TT cables wit ERS sheet, and let me tell ya. That creepy German dude knew what he was doing. Now, I dont recommend this for everybody. BUT!!!!!! If you are having trouble with RFI with your TT setup, then just do yourself a favor and get a sheet of ERS.

This stuff TRULY works, and boy it work. I dont know what I can say here to have you believe me that this stuff ELIMINATED my problem.

Before tonight, the best I could do was to decrease the problem by playing with wire positioning. But if my dog sneezed, then it was all over. But now, no matter how I play with wires, I do not hear any country music nonsense.

But please be warned that I was under a severe case of RFI. I live in the SOUTH and country music signals are stronger than my love for records. And there is a huge radio tower 1/2 mile from my apartment.


Did I say this thing works?

Peace.

[bobsticks]

freakboy

[jrhymeammo]

freakboy

Dude.


I tell you this though. Tweaks only work when problems exist.
If I was crazy and rich, I would put'em up as wallpaper for the entire house. But since I'm not rich, I will just buy couple more sheets to wrap it around my head.

JRA