Turntable grounding issue (advice needed)

beano.79
beano.79 Posts: 785
in Musicians and Gearheads
I'm aware of several audiophiles on here with great set ups and experience, you guys might be able to help.

All of a sudden my right channel will go super bright and louder then the left. Most times I can move the grounding cable and it goes back to normal, then suddenly turn loud and bright again, it's very random and intermittent.

I have a project debut carbon, into marantz PM6005.

I have tried a different grounding cable, and I have swapped the RCA cable around and nothing changes.

It can play fine for hours then suddenly the right channel goes super loud and bright, then back again. And as I said, fiddling with the grounding cable seems to remedy it for a time.

Comments

  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    Could be a few different things. Can you replace the RCA cables or are they permanently affixed to the turntable?

    Also, I would make sure that the tiny little wires that connect the cartridge to the tonearm wires are firmly crimped in place and free of corrosion. 

    Those things would be my guess as the easy places to look for the most likely culprit.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • beano.79
    beano.79 Posts: 785
    Ok I'll check that out, the RCA cables are the pro-ject connect it cables so easily replaced.
  • beano.79
    beano.79 Posts: 785
    Cartridge connections look perfect so I'll get some really cheap RCA cable tomorrow, if it fixes the issue I'll purchase the pro-ject ones.
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    Good luck! I hope it ends up being an easy fix for you. Those intermittent issues can be really frustrating. 
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • beano.79
    beano.79 Posts: 785
    Ok, it's neither of those. I swapped my speaker cable around at the speakers and the problem switched left, tried different cable and still the same.

    So I think it's the phono stage in my marantz 😔 will try a pre amo through the aux and see what happens...
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    Bummer! Do you have a CD player or any other source you can use to rule out issues with your Marantz that might not be in the phono pre?

    At this point, it's just a matter of eliminating variables.
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • beano.79
    beano.79 Posts: 785
    That's a good point. I can borrow one, thanks!
  • beano.79
    beano.79 Posts: 785
    Other devices through the other inputs worked just fine, so I have hooked up a pro-ject pre amp through the aux and all is good. And a bit of a bonus is it sounds great, tighter lows and smoother highs. Glad to have it sorted, very frustrating 
  • dudeman
    dudeman Posts: 3,159
    Excellent! I'm glad you got it figured out. Better sound is definitely a bonus, too!
    If hope can grow from dirt like me, it can be done. - EV
  • Vedd Hedd
    Vedd Hedd Posts: 4,631
    beano.79 said:
    Other devices through the other inputs worked just fine, so I have hooked up a pro-ject pre amp through the aux and all is good. And a bit of a bonus is it sounds great, tighter lows and smoother highs. Glad to have it sorted, very frustrating 
    I think I have a similar issue.  My marantz 2240B has some static in the right channel.  Thought it was just a connection, but I am going to try the pre-amp through the aux and see if that works.  
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  • beano.79
    beano.79 Posts: 785
    It was frustrating as hell, every time I'd touch the grounding cable it would sound normal, but soon return very bright and loud. I've had zero issues since going through a pre-amp.

    Hope you get yours sorted.
  • Vedd Hedd
    Vedd Hedd Posts: 4,631
    beano.79 said:
    It was frustrating as hell, every time I'd touch the grounding cable it would sound normal, but soon return very bright and loud. I've had zero issues since going through a pre-amp.

    Hope you get yours sorted.
    Thanks, I hope just needing to be cleaned a bit.  And proper speakers.  
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • Parksy
    Parksy Posts: 1,849
    I've had similar issues with my Marantz ... i cleaned all the pots and switches and it fixed the problem... but only temporarily. 

    Interestingly... I never thought to try a Pre-Amp to aux.  I love the look of the Marantz, so if I can get the sound going again via pre-amp then consider me a happy camper lol 
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  • beano.79
    beano.79 Posts: 785
    This thread isn't a glowing review for marantz phono stage 😂
  • Vedd Hedd
    Vedd Hedd Posts: 4,631
    Indeed.  I also noticed that when I raise or lower the volume, I hear some static.  Is this just a symptom of needing to be cleaned?
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • mace1229
    mace1229 Posts: 9,827
    edited August 2024
    I also need some advice on grounding my TT.
    I have a Realistic tt for my home and love it.
    I just got a technics sd-33 to take to work and set up in my classroom. I bought a 90s Kenwood receiver I found for a low price at a used store. I hooked it up, with the ground from the table to the receiver, and couldn’t get rid of that hum. There’s a noticeable difference when I attach the ground, so I know it’s working, but still loud enough to be annoying. Then I noticed if I put the receiver on the floor it went away completely. Then I realized there’s no ground from the receiver to anywhere, it’s only a 2 prong (but so is my home set up and just about any other set up Ive used.)
    So I took some wire, attached it to the ground on the receiver, then shoved the other end into the ground prong of the outlet. I know there’s no live electricity there, it’s just connect to the ground wires in the house. But just seems super janky. It works, sounds great and no hum.
    I tried attaching the ground to other metal objects, or the floor, and nothing. Only worked when in the outlet.
    But there has to be another way to ground the receiver to get rid of the rest of the hum, right?
    I don’t want to open it up and redo all the wiring to add a ground, but is that the only option?
    Post edited by mace1229 on

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