Why is a 1.5-2 volt AC signal on my Neutral line?

UPDATE: turns out NAIM only ties the neutral side to the ground in their source components - not at the amp.

The Ground Loop isolator mentioned above eliminated the additional hum introduced by the Pioneer DVD player.

But when I connected the "Ground" screw on the Phono stage to the ground screw on the power conditioner an eerie silence came over the entire system

The manual for the phono stage does not indicate whether this is good or bad practice, but it works and I did not have to mess with grounding component chassis - just used the terminals available.

Anyhow - all is now quiet - just very pure music - I even removed the ground loop isolator.

I am glad that we were able to pinpoint the problem as being due to a Ground Loop and help you solve it!

UPDATE: turns out NAIM only ties the neutral side to the ground in their source components - not at the amp.
07-07-10: Williewonka

Williewonka,

?? Your use of the word neutral is confusing....
From reading your posts I believe you use the word neutral in reference to the outer shell of the RCA jack, the signal ground.

Are you saying on your NAIM amp the signal ground is not connected to the chassis? The chassis is only connected to the safety equipment ground?

On the rear panel of the amp is there a signal ground lift switch by chance?

Lifting the ground makes the amp hum more
06-25-10: Williewonka

That would make sense if the signal ground of the amp is not connected to the chassis.

My use of the word Neutral does refer to the outer shell of the interconnect/phono socket

Using a multi-meter continuity tester and resistance settings I placed one probe on the outer shell of the amp and the other probe to the earth pin on the amp and there was no beeping from the continuity tester and the resistance setting showed a completely open circuit.

I asked NAIM about this and they confirmed this was how they designed the amp.

The ground on the amp is connected to the amp case/chassis for safety

They ground the neutral side of the signal in their systems at their source components

I did try "lifting the ground" on the amp and the hum got louder, but NAIM did not condone this practice and warned against it sighting safety.

One thing I've done in the past is bond all the metal cases together with a 14 or 16 gauge wire.That helped get rid of hum a lot of the time.