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Question on phono input noise levels

Earlier this year, I had my Parasound P5 Preamp connected to my 35+ year old Bang and Olufsen turntable, with a moving magnet cartridge. I noticed that with the turntable connected (including the ground wire) I noticed quite a bit of hiss when not playing a record and the turntable was idle. In other words, the noise level was much higher when the input selector on the P5 was set to phono vs. other inputs.  Later, I upgraded to the Parasound P6 preamp. I noticed the same hiss, when the volume was turned up. I just assumed it was the turntable, since the problem (albeit minor) happened with both preamps.

As some of you may recall from a recent posting, I just purchased a new turntable. Yesterday, I received it - my new Rega P8 turntable with factory installed Alpheta2 moving coil cartridge. The hiss is worse!! So now I have experienced this background hiss with two different preamps and turntables. is this normal?  I'm wondering if the higher gain needed for the moving coil cartridge is adding to the noise level.  Could I be expecting too much out of the phono preamp section of the P6?

Note that both the turntable and amps have power run through an Audioquest Niagara 1200 line filter, so I do not think it is AC noise.  But the noise level is much higher on "phono" compared with other inputs.  Do any of you all notice this with your equipment?

btanchors
btanchors OP
13 posts
 
After carefully reading and considering all the responses above, plus some additional listening, I have concluded the following:

I believe the noise I am hearing, although much higher than I was expecting, is normal for my equipment.  I do not believe it is a malfunction.  It still bothers me, and I think I can even hear it on quiet passages of some of my classical music selections.  I think the real issue is I am experiencing the limitations of the phono section of my P6 preamp.  It is possibly made a bit worse by the gain required with a somewhat low output moving coil cartridge.

My thinking at this point is I will need to upgrade to a separate phono preamp at some point in the future.  Begin a fan of Parasound equipment, I am intrigued by the Parasound JC3+, which is about $3K, so I plan to save up for that, perhaps to acquire it some time next year.

Thank you all for responding, and for "talking me off the ledge".  After spending about $4K on a new cartridge/turntable combination, I guess I was just a bit surprised and disappointed.

On a totally separate topic, I have the Telarc 1813 Overture on a UHQR version.  I was rather surprised my $1800 Rega Apheta 2 cartridge can't track it successfully at 1.9 grams tracking force, and the turntable perfectly level and adjusted.

Oh well, so little time, so many worries, and not enough money to spend...
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I’m not specifically familiar with the UHQR version of the Telarc 1812 Overture, but as I recall the cannon blasts made Telarc’s original pressing unplayable on so many high end turntable/cartridge combinations that they released a second pressing and possibly even a third that were at least slightly less challenging.

And if I recall correctly from back in the 1980s some moving magnet cartridges, such as some of the Shure models, tended to have much better luck tracking it than most LOMCs, even the ultra expensive ones.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al

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almarg
9,670 posts
 
P.S: For those who may not be familiar with the Telarc recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, here is a photo of the groove on what I believe was the original release. Note especially the abrupt turn in the groove near the center of the photo!

I recall Harry Pearson in TAS commending Telarc for having the audacity to release a recording that was nearly unplayable.

Regards,
-- Al
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uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
That looks ready to launch a needle right out of the groove itself!

Never ever tried to play any version, so no idea how any of my tables/ arms/ carts would handle it...or not whichever the case would be.

Thx Al!
thegreenline
43 posts
 

I know this is a late post. Put did you try running a ground cable from the TT to the P5/6 phono ground. Or just getting a stand alone phono amp and running a ground cable to the P5/6 chassis? I had a hiss and hum problem with my P6 so I  ran a ground wire to my preamp (Emotiva XMC-1), this took care of the problem. When I upgraded to a Rogue RP-1 I had problem.

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