Phono stage picking up radio signals?

There is no reason for a phono system to act as an antenna, even with a MM cartridge, with the possible exception that you live near or under a transmission tower, if you will:

1.) Make sure the turntable, tonearm, and phono preamp (if separate) are properly grounded to the rest of the system. If the separate phono preamp has a three prong plug, use a lifter (or "cheater plug") to disable the ground -- it gets its "ground" from the main preamp through the IC's.

2.) Use shielded IC's from the phono preamp to the preamp (and throughout your system, preferably) making sure the IC's have a "floating shield" (one that's connected to ground at only one end, usually the "arrowhead" end) and make sure the arrowhead end is at the preamp.

3.) Oh yes, and make sure the main preamp IS grounded at the wall!

That should do it.

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Thanks for the suggestions. Here is my set-up currently:

I have a Kuzma Stogi tonearm with a "fixed" cable that is grounded at the Whest.

I am using a Benz M2 MC cartrdige.

I'm using Nordost Red Dawn cables as my standard IC for all components, including the Whest. I suspect they are shielded at one end, the one with the arrow which is the end I plug into the preamp. The Whest also came with it's own ICs that I will try as well.

All my components are plugged into a Running Springs Audio Haley, which is then plugged into the wall. The RSA is in a continuous "on" funtion as it has no power switch of its own.

The Whest has a PS Audio Statement connected to it with removable ground pin. Right now the ground pin is in, but I will try removing it versus using a cheater plug.

Nsgarch - would you still recommend the preamp be grounded at the wall based on this? Also, my turntable is a SOTA with a separate power supply. Can you suggest how I can ensure it is grounded properly.

Lastly, I have a Ground Zero which I have not hooked up yet. Would this potentially clear up the situation.

Okay, I referred to the previous thread on this posted by Rich62. After some testing here is what I have come up with:

Changing the ICs on the Whest makes no difference.

Unplugging the TT power supply from the RSA and the power supply umbilical from the TT makes no difference.

Additionally, when the above is done in conjunction with either leaving the tonearm cable and ground attached to the Whest or removing them does not remove the noise, although when the tonearm cable and ground are removed the noise is reduced.

Removing the ground pin from the PS Audio Statement that is connected to the Whest does not make a difference.

I have a PS Audio P300 lying around that the RSA replaced and read a post where someone said that may work so I'll try hooking the Whest and maybe my TT into it. Also, I'll try hooking up the Ground Zero. Before I do that, I am going to reconnect my Cary PH-301 and see if it has the same effect. I recall some noise from the Cary, but never heard a radio station before.

I am getting to the point where Rich62 was in his efforts. This is entirely frustrating and to make matters worse I don't have any flexibility to move equipment around.

Clio09: Your preamp is OK running thru the RSA if the RSA is grounded. (And I'm assuming your wall receptacle ground is functioning?) Yes, do try removing the ground pin from the PS cord, however that's more for hum prevention, but still a good idea.

The Kuzma should also have a separate ground wire (bundled with the "fixed cable") that you can attach to the ground lug on the back of the Whest, or on the back of the main preamp. Ditto the TT, however, again, these are mainly for hum prevention. I was surprised to learn your Stogi came w/ a dedicated IC, but I've gotta believe it's high quality and shielded. And I don't think the Sota power supply is the problem.

Which brings us back to the IC's I honestly don't know anything about the Nordost Red Dawn cable topology (conductor layout/design) and a number of cable manufacturers make unshielded cables that still have arrows so you can always install them in the same orientation after break-in, so don't assume the Red Dawns are shielded. Check with Nordost.

A quick and dirty diagnostic for the Red Dawns is: while the problem is evident, touch one hand to a bare metal spot (like a screw) on the grounded preamp chassis, and with the other hand, grab both Nordost IC's, and see if the radio reception doesn't diminish. If it does, then they're the problem.

I've never tried a Ground Zero. I've always achieved "star grounding" by making my preamp the only component that was grounded thru its power cord. (Caution: don't work on amps or other components unless the IC's are in place or you've re-grounded them at the wall.) Again, this is a ground loop issue, and if your system has no or very little 60 cycle hum, then you don't have ground loop problems.

Nsgarch,

Thanks for the advice. The TT does not have its own ground cable, but it does have a ground lug under the chassis. I imagine it is for the tonearm cable ground wire. I prefer attaching the ground to the phono stage instead. My preamp is a Cary SLP-98 which is offered as a linestage or with a phono stage. Since I only have the linestage the RCA inputs for the phono section are plugged, as are the tube socket holes on the top of the chassis. However, it also has a ground lug and I wonder if I should try connecting the ground for the tonearm cable there as well. Probably can't hurt.