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System feedback coming thru speakers.....help

I just hooked up my system that I have been building for several months and I am getting some feedback out of the speakers. I ended up hooking up a different speaker and it still is doing the same thing. The speakers are all static-ie and the signal seems weak. Here is my system:
Sonograph SA 400 amp
CJ PV 11 with phono
Thorens TD 160 turntable
Hales T 3 speakers
Nakamichi dragon tape deck
Panasonic DVD S 53 as cd source (for now).
Just had a pair of audio quest bi wire speaker cables made today.

Any ideas?
Additional note: I am in a really old house......like late 1800's. Old wiring, two prong, pre grounding even. Could it be:
Line noise?
Cables touching behind my system?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

Jason
jdvorak
lloydelee21
1,202 posts
 
To make sure i got it right...pre amp (on), amp (on), DVD (connected but off), turntable (disconnected and off)...no buzz no matter how loud you turn it up. That's GOOD. Once you put the DVD on, you get noise? If so, it seems to be either: a) the power strip, b) the connection between the DVD and the preamp (ie, the cable or the actual RCA in-jacks in your preamp...try different onces), or c) the actual DVD player itself. Try to avoid the 3-2 reducer on the end of the strip...it means you have no ground. that could be part of your problem?

If your amp and preamp run thru power strip just fine...plug DVD player separately into wall direct and see what happens.
roscoeiii's avatar
roscoeiii
1,155 posts
 
+1 on getting your equipment into a grounded socket. I'd do that pronto.

If you are renting, I'd talk to your landlord. Having safe electricity is a pretty reasonable request. If you own, then I'd spring for an electrician to give you some grounded outlets.
jdvorak OP
13 posts
 
All great advice, thx! yes, renting......just moved out of house that we built 6 years ago, so been a bit spoiled on actually 21st century technology, vs. NINETEENTH!!!! :) I have a call into my electrician today to get addressed, either way. Will do further isolation testing tonight as well to see if I can figure this out. so frustrating, but I think you are both on the right track for me. Thank you so much! Jason
markpao
525 posts
 
Sounds like you have a "cheater plug" between your power strip and outlet. I would get rid of that. You can have a standard grounded 3 prong outlet installed in place of that 2 prong. You would run a "ground leg" from the ground terminal of the new outlet to the steel electrical box via a grounding screw to the threaded hole in the back of that box. Since the cabling is probably BX, it would be self grounded to the main panel box.
markpao
525 posts
 
I should have mentioned in my previous post- BE SURE to shut off your circuit before doing this or hire a qualified electrician if in doubt.
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