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Concerningly loud pops in vinyl playback

I have a problem I've been unable to diagnose yet, so I thought I'd gather some ideas. This is for a 2nd vinyl system in my girlfriend's home, not my main system. I've never had any issue like this in the main rig. 

We're all used to annoyingly loud isolated "pops" from surface defects or perhaps static discharge during vinyl playback, but usually these are only truly annoying during quiet passages and tend to become relatively "outgunned" during heavy loud music. However, very occasionally (once every several records) I will get a POP so loud it is concerningly startling, even during loud playback of rock music. I don't like the tweeters being subjected to that, though they're fine so far. And it hasn't tripped the VAC 200iQ's protection circuitry yet, so there's that. Still, I don't like this. It's happened on the left and on the right speakers, so it's not isolated to one channel. Once it occurs, it is more likely to occur again within several seconds (and again), until I take the record off and start over. It seems to occur only starting at a certain high volume level on my ARC Reference 6 preamp (40 and above). The records and stylus are clean, and it's now occurred on multiple different records that I KNOW aren't the problem. So my suspicions are down to: 

  • Static discharge (I have a  record brush with conductive fibers and use anti-static sleeves)
  • Really bad overload reaction in phono and/or preamp, possibly prompted by static discharges and possibly because the gain is set too high in phono stages (I have the Hagerman set to 60dB for 0.8mV which I thought would be OK)
  • Power line noise issue of some kind / EMI / RFI
  • Tubes in the ARC Ref 6 going bad. Maybe PSU tubes? But it really seems to be instigated by a volume level on the Ref 6 going above 40.

This rig is kind of like my playground, so I have lots of gear at my disposal, much from the main rig. I've already swapped out many different components and had the problem reoccur on each of:

  • Different Speakers (Tannoy TD10, Tannoy Glenair 10)
  • Speaker cables (AQ Rocket 88, AQ KE-4/CV-8 biwire)
  • Power amps (VAC 200iQ, Phison A2.120SE)
  • Phono stages (Hagerman Trumpet MC, Herron VTPH-2A)

The consistent gear I haven't swapped out yet has been:

  • Clearaudio Innovation Compact turntable, Universal arm
  • Benz Wood SM cartridge 0.8mV
  • Audio Research Reference 6 preamp

What do you think is most likely the cause, and how to fix it? I'm not real eager to "try" to reproduce the issue, for obvious reasons. But other than this issue, the rig sounds great - really enjoyable. 
 

128x128mulveling
mbmi's avatar
mbmi
445 posts
 

I will tell you Exactly what it is.....I had the same issue. You have the GAIN set too high on your phono preamp and it’s overloading the circuit on the preamp. I had to get a new pre that could handle the input load. First though...try lowering the output gain from phono preamp into your preamp..good luck......

fatdaddy2
368 posts
 

I had a similar problem when I first purchased my JLTi phono pre with outboard PS; the cause was the PS proximity to the (Garrard 401) TT, and was resolved with a longer umbilical between the pre and PS, moving the PS well away from th TT.

timeltel
830 posts
 

 

Regards mulveling:

mbmi may be on the right "track".

There is no recording standard for the maximum allowable value common for cutting LPs. An owners’ setting which is fine on one LP may clip when playing another.

Set up a Goldring 1042 (6.5mv output) for my sons’ Denon DP-60L into a Kyosera A-710 integrated amp. On loud passages there would be a startlingly loud "pop". Checked grounding, added an additional ground from the Denons’ chassis directly to the receptacle, no luck. Swapped cartridges to a Signet TK-5ea (5.0mv) and all was good.

 

Peace,

mulveling's avatar
mulveling OP
1,774 posts
 

Thanks again all, really good ideas here!

Replaced the 2 regulator tubes in Ref 6. Greatly enjoyed my music yesterday with no incident, though I didn't budge the Ref 6's volume past 40 max (if I'm in the mood I might like to go up to ~ 42 :)). Other than this issue the small room system has really exceeded my expectations; so nice. 

I did order an AQ Niagara 3000 from TMR; the gear in here deserves it, even if this isn't a power issue. 

Also have the Hudson Hifi brush/wand thing on the way - these devices never really appealed to me, but it's cheap enough to buy & try. Got a humidifier too; just need to hook it up. 

I hooked up the "optional" bearing ground wire to my Clearaudio, but it's not clear to me where the other end (small spade) goes. I've put it on the phono stage for now (along with tonearm ground) BUT being a Hagerman Trumpet, it takes DC from a SMPS wall wart that's 2 prongs. So there's no connection to earth ground. So I guess that's kind of a bummer if the intention of this bearing ground is to earth it? Any ideas what else I can do with this ground wire, or whether it might actually help at all? The Herron has a linear PSU with 3-prong cord, but quite frankly the Hagerman is the better sonic match here so I want to use that. 

Any ideas if clamp and mat can affect the static issue? I have a Synergistic Research UEF mat I can retrieve from the loft. When I've had the POP issue I'd been using the bare delrin platter with a Stillpoints LPI weight that fits loosely over the spindle. I've started using a Clearaudio Twister clamp that gives a tight grip on the spindle and should be conductively connected to the metal tightening knob. 

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,604 posts
 

I've put it on the phono stage for now (along with tonearm ground) BUT being a Hagerman Trumpet, it takes DC from a SMPS wall wart that's 2 prongs. So there's no connection to earth ground. So I guess that's kind of a bummer if the intention of this bearing ground is to earth it? Any ideas what else I can do with this ground wire, or whether it might actually help at all? The Herron has a linear PSU with 3-prong cord, but quite frankly the Hagerman is the better sonic match here so I want to use that. 

Its OK that the phono section isn't grounded to the wall. What is important is that the ground of the 'table is the same as that of the phono section.

IME the platter pad can have a big effect on static. I've never used a delrin platter though.

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