Noisy Bellari VP 129?

I had a Bellari and this exact problem. After calling Bellari tech support, sending the unit back to them twice I determined it was a grounding issue between the Bellari and the Preamp. Try this:

Make a jumper using a cheap interconnect cable such that you connect the ground post on the Bellari to an un-used RCA input jack (outer ground only) on your preamp. The hum should go away, but if it doesn't, go RCA jack to RCA jack.

Macrojack, I have completely removed the Bellari from my system & only plugged in the power. With the headphone amp turned half way up it is a very loud hum. I think the tube or the pre-amp is defective. If you wouldn't mind or if it is even possible please hook a pair of headphones up & turn the headphone amp up half way, let me know if you can hear a loud hum noise.

Bdgregory, I have the Bellari completely disconnected. I used a interconnect cable to touch the outer nut of the ground on the Bellari to the outer portion of the jack on pre-amp, it made no difference. I could hear the cable make a scratching noise when I move it around on the jack but no reduction of hum. I do not understand exactly what you mean by RCA jack to RCA jack?

by RCA to RCA, I mean connect an RCA Cable from one to one of the outer ground sleeves of the Belari, to one on the preamp. I don't recall if the Belari has any extra RCA's that are unused when your table is connected - but if not use an aligator clip or other means to connect to the Belari. On the preamp end I cut the center + post out of an RCA connector - leaving only the outer cuff.

I recommend you try this multiple ways - RCA-RCA, Ground Post on the Belari to RCA on the Pre, and RCA on the Belari to Ground post on the Pre. During one of my first calls to Belari the guy told me to connect a jumper from the outer RCA on the Belari to the ground post (on the Belari). I did this and it made no difference. This whole idea seemed illogical to me at the time, so I didn't go further with it. I ended up sending mine back to the factory where they changed the tube and returned it to me - same exact issue. I sent it back and they sent me a new one - same issue. Then I worked out a jumper to give me a ** good solid ground **. My recollection is that mine went from the Belari Ground post to an un-used RCA on my Exposure RC21 Pre. The result was total silence. By the way - I also had a Music Hall MMF Phono pack at the time, and had experienced a similar buzz, though not as bad. The same jumper eliminated that problem too.

My point is don't give up after one try. Fiddling with a ground is much easier than sending the unit back.

Hi Fishwater, I plugged my son's Grado SR 60 headphones into the rear jack with no input and turned the volume up half way and then all the way. No hum. No sound at all. Seems like you might have a bum unit.

I was not able to mess around with it much tonight but I'll take another shot tomorrow and let you know if I can offer any better suggestions.