Ground Loop

AndyGwis
AndyGwis Posts: 3,655
edited January 2007 in Troubleshooting
Hey All,

I've determined I have a ground loop issue with my preamp. With just the preamp and amp on, a hum sound travels with the volume.

I searched ground loop and read up. I bought a couple of cheater plugs. Both amp and preamp are older and have two power prongs. Will the cheater plugs still work, in theory?

I've already tried just flipping the plugs and it seemed to help a bit.

Thanks! Would it do much good to put a wire from preamp phono ground to the chassis of the amp?

Andy
Stereo Rig: Hales Revelation 3, Musical Fidelity CD-Pre 24, Forte Model 3 amp, Lexicon RT-10 SACD, MMF-5 w/speedbox, Forte Model 2 Phono Pre, Cardas Crosslink, APC H15, URC MX-950, Lovan Stand
Bedroom: Samsung HPR-4252, Toshiba HD-A2, HK 3480, Signal Cable, AQ speaker cable, Totem Dreamcatchers, SVS PB10-NSD, URC MX-850
Post edited by AndyGwis on
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Comments

  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,776
    edited January 2007
    With two prong plugs, a cheater plug won't do anything. All it does is remove the ground leg, and your cords don't have one.

    Ground loop hum does not usually increase with the volume control. Have you tried different interconnects?
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  • AndyGwis
    AndyGwis Posts: 3,655
    edited January 2007
    I guess I can swap the ICs out.

    Yeah, the cheater plug didn't seem like it was going to do anything, but worth the $.99 anyway.

    Thanks! Fire away with any other ideas, guys.

    ANdy
    Stereo Rig: Hales Revelation 3, Musical Fidelity CD-Pre 24, Forte Model 3 amp, Lexicon RT-10 SACD, MMF-5 w/speedbox, Forte Model 2 Phono Pre, Cardas Crosslink, APC H15, URC MX-950, Lovan Stand
    Bedroom: Samsung HPR-4252, Toshiba HD-A2, HK 3480, Signal Cable, AQ speaker cable, Totem Dreamcatchers, SVS PB10-NSD, URC MX-850
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  • Loud & Clear
    Loud & Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited January 2007
    Try moving the TT further from the amp to see if the hum decreases in volume as the distance increases. I went through a problem with hum very recently. I also thought about ground loop hum, but after reading it seems that ground loop hum sounds like a bass note. I had more the "angry insect" noise, which I believe is called mechanical hum. I picked the TT up from off it's top shelf perch and noticed that the hum decreased in volume the higher I held it. So, I moved the integrated from the second shelf down to the bottom of the rack. Problem largely, and satisfactorily, solved.

    Two Channel Setup:

    Speakers: Wharfedale Opus 2-3
    Integrated Amp: Krell S-300i
    DAC: Arcam irDac
    Source: iMac
    Remote Control: iPad Mini

    3.2 Home Theater Setup:

    Fronts: Klipsch RP-160M
    Center: Klipsch RP-160M
    Subwoofer: SVS PB12NSD (X 2)
    AVR: Yamaha Aventage RX-A2030
    Blu Ray: Sony BDP-S790
    TV Source: DirecTV Genie
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited January 2007
    Your turntable interconnect should have a ground wire along with the RCA plugs. Make sure that is securely connected on your preamp.
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