2. analog
  3. 1440947331

Love / Hate relationship with vinyl?

Ok, I do love the sound of vinyl, but with my LOMC (Lyra Kleos), I hate the noise (low level hum, and hiss) levels I'm getting. I own a Hagerman Piccolo head amp that I haven't used in a couple of years, so I thought I'd hook it up, and see what happens. Well, still got the hum (at high levels), and the hiss. However, I do like what it's doing for the sonics! I've tried moving cables, moving the head amp, but I only get incremental improvements. Is this just the nature of the beast (LOMC's), or is there something I'm not doing that could improve these noise levels? Of course, another option is to go with something that has more output, like a HOMC, of a MM? Thoughts?
louisl
elinor's avatar
elinor
275 posts
 
I haven't waded through all the replies to your hum problem but do you have the grounding wire from your tonearm to your preamp in use?
austinbob
235 posts
 
I use a Graham Slee Reflex C with my Dynavector 20X2L and it's very quiet. Why don't you try a solid-state preamp that is returnable (Music Direct) and see if that solves the issue? They have very helpful sales staff as well.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,896 posts
 
Another thing to consider is that SUTs are not as cartridge-specific as you may have thought.

The loading of the transformer with a given cartridge at the input *is* however.

If you get a Jensen SUT (which are some of the best made, price no object) then they will know exactly what the correct loading will be. In this way you will bypass noise and hum possibilities that are very likely affecting you situation by using an active stepup device.

I don't think your line stage tubes are a problem; if they were the hiss would be an issue on all functions. Its not how old the tubes are, its how much time on them that counts.
louisl OP
183 posts
 
Bifwynne, I replaced the tubes in my preamp, and no more hiss. Still a low level hum, but very low. I'm still going to work on it, because I want it, as another A'goner said, "dead quite".
louisl OP
183 posts
 
Lewm, I am hearing a low level 60hz, hum. The hiss now is gone, as I have replaced the two tubes in my Audible Illusions L3 preamp. My phono stage is a Acoustech PH-1P. The head amp is a Hagerman Piccolo. Oh, I respectfully disagree that someone would lower the VTA to treat a problem with hiss. Sure, it might lessen the hiss, but that also alters tonal balance. Anyway, the hiss was from the old tubes is now corrected.
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