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Comments on Clearaudio Aurum Beta S

All
Just wanted to relay my current experience with a new Clearaudio Aurum Beta S on my Linn LP12 with Ittok LVII arm as I didn't see too many comments here prior to my purchase.

There were big time hum problems on the right channel only (which is also the channel the cartridge grounds to.) The only way I was able to get it down to manageable (read bearable) level was to use a 3 prong to two prong adapter on the LP12 power cord and to not connect the LP12 ground wire to the pre-amp. The hum definitely followed the cartridge right channel when I switched the tonearm leads at the cartridge. The left channel was very quiet.

The original K-9 cartridge exhibited no hum at all. But then it didn't sound very good either.

With the grounding changes there is still a very low hum but it is below the noise floor on most lp's. With out the grounding changes I could hear the hum (almost a buzz) during quiet passages on the lp's.

That being said, the sound of the cartridge is impressive especially in the low and midrange. High brass on classical recordings sounds a little synthesized. Rock and jazz sounded very nice. Good pace with a nice open soundstage.

I would be happy as a pig in sh!t if it weren't for the hum problems.

Tim
twclark
rello
311 posts
 
I just had a Wood Virtuouso installed on my lp/12 Ekos . Absolutely dead quiet. Unfortunately I have no idea what the cause is except to say it is not an inherent issue with the cartridge design or your application. Just curious...the 10 gram weight of the Aurum betas seemed to be out of the range of the Linn arms. Do you have to move the counter weight far back?
twclark OP
4 posts
 
All
Thanks for all your responses. The dealer told me to put a three prong to two prong adapter on the lp12 AC cord. I did that plus removed the ground wire from the LP12 to the pre-amp and that greatly reduced the hum in the right channel but did not eliminate it. Linn Help line indicates that the table should be grounded so I am not going to leave it like this.

I did switch the leads around at the cartridge and when I switched the left and right the Hum went to the left side so the problem is definitely with the cartridge and not the LP12 leads.

I have another call into the dealer. I think I am going to push to get this returned. Thanks again for the comments, I was getting ready to give up vinyl all together.
jpharris
41 posts
 
I had a little hum on mine until I put the little plastic stick on film ''shim''on the cartridge and used the plastic screws that were included in the package. I'm using the RB300 Quint wired arm and a Gram Amp 2 SE. It is very quiet now. Grounding the TT did not help me. I seem to remember a thread from a while back that talked about one of the channel grounds on the Aurum Beta, which made me think, isolate it and only ground it at the amp end.
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