Help me eliminate buzz.

[kevvel]

Hi,
I'm sort of a newbie (used to post infrequently years ago).
I own a Music Hall MMF-2, which I'm using to archive my vinyl onto my PC. I've been trying forever to find a good cart that doesn't have problems on this thing.
I have an Audio Technica 120E on it right now. It sounds decent and I'd like to keep it, but it keeps producing buzz, which is unacceptable (it's also very hard to clean for some reason). Had the same problem with an Ortofon cartridge. I've used a few Grados but they hum (which isn't that bad, but I'd rather not have it). The table came with a Goldring Elan, unfortunately I'm not sure where that one went.
So I need some tips on how I can get rid of the buzz. I don't even know where to start. The table is grounded of course. It doesn't buzz all the time, but when it's there it's very noticeable.
Thanks in advance for any help.

kevin

[Resident Loser]

Hi,
I'm sort of a newbie (used to post infrequently years ago).
I own a Music Hall MMF-2, which I'm using to archive my vinyl onto my PC. I've been trying forever to find a good cart that doesn't have problems on this thing.
I have an Audio Technica 120E on it right now. It sounds decent and I'd like to keep it, but it keeps producing buzz, which is unacceptable (it's also very hard to clean for some reason). Had the same problem with an Ortofon cartridge. I've used a few Grados but they hum (which isn't that bad, but I'd rather not have it). The table came with a Goldring Elan, unfortunately I'm not sure where that one went.
So I need some tips on how I can get rid of the buzz. I don't even know where to start. The table is grounded of course. It doesn't buzz all the time, but when it's there it's very noticeable.
Thanks in advance for any help.

kevin

...disconnecting the ground wire? Does it happen when the tonearm reaches a certain point in tracing the grooves? Are the connections clean and tight, like the one's that link the arm wiring to the leads that feed into your amp? Sounds like it might be bad connections to me.

Hum? Buzz? Define the difference.

jimHJJ(...you need to ask questions and try the process of elimination...)

[JohnMichael]

I agree it sounds like connections. Is the buzz in both channels? When you ground the tonearm to what are you grounding it? Also check the clips that attach to the cartridge and make sure you do not have them too close together. The pins on the cartridge can be quite close and if you have the clips turned so that they are close and they are bent toward each other you might have hum. In my situation I have a ground on my phono preamp and my int. amp. If you have two places to ground the circuit I would use the one that gives you less noise. I also had a ttable once that had plastic rca plugs that the ground broke in a plug. If the hum is in one channel I would switch r-l and see if the hum stays in the original channel or moves with the change. Also try it without the ground wire and see if that creates more or less noise. Let us know how you do. Both AT and Ortofon's are well shielded cartridges. I can understand the hum from the Grado's.

[ompid]

I had an intermittent hum in my MMF-5, and spent weeks trying to troubleshoot it. Tore the system down, three times. Went over my Cambridge Audio A500, looking for a suspect solder joint, loose pin on the phono stage...

Turned out to be a dimmer switch on the ceiling fixture, in the room, about 8 feet away from the amp. Noise was intermittent, because the lighting level was not always the same. Changed the switch and the problem was gone.

If there is a dimmer switch, in your listening room, you might want to eliminate this as a possible cause, only because it is so easy to check.

[kevvel]

thanks for the replies guys!
I completely forgot to mention that I have a few guitar and power amps in the same room (sort of a home studio), and when the my TT is buzzing, you can sometimes hear it in the other amps too (not always however). So it may possibly be a home wiring problem.

Does it happen when the tonearm reaches a certain point in tracing the grooves? Are the connections clean and tight, like the one's that link the arm wiring to the leads that feed into your amp?

-I hope so, I don't want to have to take anything on the table apart. The buzz occurs regardless of where the tonearm is but it does get louder at the center of the platter.

Hum? Buzz? Define the difference.

-technically they're the same, i think. but: buzz = harsh, such as when you disconnect the ground wire from the TT; hum = low level, low frequency tone.

Is the buzz in both channels? When you ground the tonearm to what are you grounding it? Also check the clips that attach to the cartridge and make sure you do not have them too close together.

-Yes the buzz is in both channels. The table is grounded to a receiver (hope the tonearm is too!). Looks like I'll have to poke around a bit.

If there is a dimmer switch, in your listening room

-...no fancy dimmers But you may be onto something with the wiring in the room.