To Aesthetix users

Hi Cello,

It's funny, I was just wondering whether to post another update because it seemed maybe it was just me and Nkj at this point!

I got the shielded Belden AC cord for the Io and have exactly the same RF - so that's a no-go. (For those interested, it looks extremely similar to the stock cord, and didn't sound quite as nice - perhaps not broken in, perhaps other differences!)

I will be having an electrician in soon to find out whether my outlet is actually grounded at the circuit breaker box.

In the meantime, I'm investigating Telefunken (and other) 12AX7s / ECC83s. Man have the prices for NOS tubes gone up since I was last looking (about 3 years ago).

I just noticed oldvinyl's recommendation to use cryotweaks on the Io for RF rejection. I may try this too.

More updates as they come...

Patrick

Hi Patrick,

Wondered how you were making out. Now no one said this was a science!. At least you're only out some frustration and not alot money so far. I really think the ground issue is a red herring with the RF. To be sure ground is good... But I think you have a positioning problem(think antenna), too much gain problem or interconnect sensitivity problem to RF. Look back on the thread did you clean your connections? A simple move of your equipment could solve these problems if it is possible.

I think audio advisor has some rf clamps that can be attached to cables to mitigate RF. Might be worth a try. If you're really stuck I think I have some of those MF cables I mentioned in my black box of used cables that you could try.. I'm sure we could work out an arrangement for a trial if you wanted to go down that road.

Best,

Nkj

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Patrick,
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I think Nkj has a good point about working to control RF.
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I have some Versalab Red Rollers that are used on IC's for the purpose of handling RF issues. They have worked quite well in my system. You are more than welcome to borrow some to see if they help.
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Email me off line and we can organize getting them shipped up to you.
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Rgds,
Larry
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I had a similar problem with excessive RF with a phono stage I have since sold. You could here the music from the FM station through the speakers. I thought I had a $2500 tuner, but with no dial. In any case after several helpful pieces of advice from Audiogon members it turns out a major source of the RF was that the phono stage itslef was not properly grounded and eventually with a few tweaks to the chassis we ended up solving the issue. After getting rid of the FM station it turns out there was also an issue with hum, which was quickly resolved by moving the TT and phono stage closer to the floor.

It was almost enough to give up on vinyl, but the trial and error process was worth it in the end.

More news... the motor on my Garrard 301 is exposed in its skeletal plinth, and I thought this could be generating the problem. It has its own ground wire, unusually enough (I haven't seen this in other 301s), and I tried grounding it at the Io. No change.

Then I realized that I pick up the RF even when the TT isn't running, so it isn't the TT. It's the Io.

So next step is tube rolling in the Io, shielding the Io as suggested, rolling interconnects (currently balanced Kimber Select KS-1120 everywhere except from the two tonearms - Ikeda has its own single-ended pair, the Graham has singled-ended Golden Cross; noise is identical with either tonearm/cart).

In other news, I had my carpenter make me up a Graham/SME armboard so I could mount my 2.2 on the Garrard. It's currently running a Helikon Mono. Just roughed in alignment for now (though "roughing in" with a Graham is closer than most other arms) and making music.

Still just one phono stage with one set of inputs, so it's a task to switch between tonearms. But interesting. I might try mounting my as yet unused but intriguing Decca London Super Gold on the Graham, since it's said to like damped unipivots. (I have a Decca International Arm as well but would need to make a new mounting board once again.)

I still remain so impressed by the Denon 103R, which sits on my Ikeda. Maybe there's a synthesis between it, the Ikeda and the Orsonics headshell, but wow. For $250 (I just got an extra one) this cart blows away the Shelter. And it plays mono recordings more noisily than the Helikon Mono, but more musically. At nearly one-tenth the price.

sorry to ramble

currently on: Clara Haskil playing Schubert's posthumous sonata, mono, Dutch Philips Minigroove....... magical.

Patrick