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Phono stage hum - Rega Aria

Hi folks, trying to solve a hum issue and would appreciate any thoughts. Rega Aria phono stage, into a PrimaLuna Dialogue tube preamp, then to Bel Canto SS mono's. 

With the tonearm NOT plugged into the phono stage, there's a hum.(especially when set to MC vs. MM)
Rega powered off, no hum while preamp at max volume. Turn the phono stage on, there's the hum...I hold the phono stage in the air, 4 feet from everything, same hum. When I hover it over my preamp, the hum gets much louder due to interference. Magnaplanar 1.7i speakers very quiet until that phono stage enters the chain.

Haven't tried a cheater plug...but have tried 2 diff interconnects (Better Cables/Silver Serpent and BJC LC1) from the phono stage to the PrimaLuna, and 2 different power cables (Furutech FP-S022N and factory cable) into a Furman Elite 15-DMi. 

Either this Rega Aria is a noisy phono stage, or I've somehow got a ground loop in there with it. It's really not bad at lower volumes, but sucks when that hum breaks the silence at louder volumes between songs/sides. 
Opinion - is this phono stage a weak link in my system? Maybe it would be fine if I find a way to eliminate that hum. 

JA Michell Gyro TT
Rega RB 808 tonearm
Ortofon Cadenza Black cart
Primaluna Dialogue Premium preamp
Rega Aria phono stage
Bel Canto M500 mono amps
Furman Elite 15-DMi power
Magnaplanar 1.7i

Better Cables/Silver Serpent interconnects
Blue Jean Cables for phono and Maggies
Furutech FP-S022N power/outlet

Cheers, thanks for any advice! 
128x128malmc02
malmc02's avatar
malmc02 OP
30 posts
 
Hi revreed, sorry to hear you’re having a similar issue. Do you get the hum at lower volumes or only when you go way up? I was not able to solve my problem...however I did experiment by switching to a different mm/mc phono stage, and the hum was significantly reduced. Could be the Aria has a flaw? 
conde64
1 posts
 
Hi I have an Aria Mk2 with exactly the same problem. After months of experimenting, swapping out different cartridges, cables, turntables and loaning various mains conditioners etc.nothing has worked for me. I thought I could live with it but hold on, why should I have to?

I’ve come to the conclusion there is an internal design or component mistake by Rega which is generating the noise. Yes I understand no stage is dead silent but too many people seem to have the same problem. So my question is does anyone have the same MC hum problem with the new Mk3 version? I understand its had an electronics tweak as well as a facelift.

Ultimately I’m going back to the dealer with my MK2 and will do a side by side comparison. If the MK3 shows no improvement with the MC hum noise, then I’m sorry Rega, as much as I love the sound of the Aria, this is a major design flaw and I’ll be buying a better one without the same problem.

Without listening to it yet I really hope the Mk3 steps up to the plate. If they have fixed the problem, then I shall remain a Rega owner.
dramatictenor
183 posts
 
Hi, I had similar problems when I switched from MM to MC, which is a bit like an antenna for stray noise. In my case, there is a nearby broadcast antenna that was generating RFI. The MMs weren't as susceptible to it. After trying most of the things you did, I started bringing home different phono stages. The one which rejected the noise, sounded amazing and met my budget was the Parasound Halo JC3 Junior. Dead black. Can even turn the volume way up with nothing playing an no hummers', hiss or anything else (not a useful test for listening to music, but proves how silent the Halo is).
lewm
13,038 posts
 
As your own description suggests, it is not the MC cartridge that brings in RFI, it is the high gain phono stage required to amplify the signal from a low output MC that is often the culprit (or the RF can get in via your AC cord or the ICs from cartridge to phono inputs).  You found a well designed one that does the trick.
dramatictenor
183 posts
 
@lewm , there is no doubt that high gain will magnify noise already present. My understanding, however, is that not all MC use a high permeability steel shell or other shielding to block or reduce rfi, and that therefore the cartridge can indeed be the culprit for the noise. As we (me and people who actually know this stuff, which I don't) ran different scenarios to rule out the etiology, it seemed the culprit was the MC itself. 

As I have an extremely quiet electric system, with an independent breaker for audio, and no noise elsewhere at any volume levels, with speakers or headphones, it is hard for me to accept your diagnosis. That said, if you can explain your thesis more, I'd appreciate it, as I am always ready to discard my previous assumptions.
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