Help....local radio station coming through my phonotstage!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by mike catucci, Feb 11, 2018.

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  1. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Sorry to have caused you expense. Glad you can still use the power conditioner. I honestly swear by mine, I have one in both my systems, so the advise was in earnest, even if it didn't help.
     
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  2. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    Oh no, not the SE II also... I (and many) have had this issue with the Mani - I was actually looking at the SE II on a short list, this is not good. I thought at the $1K price point this would be something I would not have to deal with!!
     
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  3. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    Who said he had to solder in the unit itself? I did not. It can be upstream of that! I suggest options and that is a disservice? No way. So, being well versed in electronics is not a good thing either? Right. In fact, what is your electronics background?

    I will continue to help others despite what you post.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2018
  4. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    If you believe you're helping them, then you did not understand the content of my post.

    My suggestion of trying another interconnect first makes more sense than soldering ever would as a first step and I don't need any electronics knowledge to apply that logic.
     
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  5. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    Fine, an option from you. But, if it does not work, then try re-soldering connections. It makes sense to list all possible causes does it not? Of course it does. What is your electronic background?
     
  6. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    I suggested a far more logical first troubleshooting step but never suggested there wasn't a chance the culprit might be something else. Again, before breaking out the soldering iron, trying another cable infinitely makes more sense, regardless of what background one might have in electronics.

    Feel free to disagree. And that's the last of this back & forth I'm willing to respond to. The end.
     
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  7. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Your arguing seems to me a bit pointless. You're both right, but depending on the situation. If the phono was out of warranty and wasn't being returned, re-soldering could be a valid option. As the situation is a lot simpler, and the faulty unit is being returned and replaced with something better, in practical terms it isn't an option in this particular case. Shake hands and have a nice cold beer. In vino veritas.
     
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  8. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    You likely do not have any electronics background. I am willing to listen to problems here, pull up the schematic and troubleshoot the problem. Or, I may know the problem immediately. So, do not dismiss my electronic troubleshooting skills sir. That is not a DISSERVICE to others here on this forum as you mentioned!
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2018
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  9. mike catucci

    mike catucci Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    PA
    It's the damnest thing. I spend lots of cash on a new turntable/cart/stage and now I get radio stations and siblance which
    No worries. I needed one anyway. I'm embarrassed to say I completely forgot to put a surge protector in my power chain. So thousands of dollars of equipment could have been ruined by one strike. That issue is now addressed thanks to you. :)
     
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  10. mike catucci

    mike catucci Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    PA
    Another update for anyone still following. I removed the BCSEII and hooked up the Sutherland Insight, the radio station is there loud and clear. It is also a local FM station, I know it well. Here's what I tried so far:

    Switched phonostages, station still there.
    Turned off turntable power, station still there.
    Unplug phonostage, station goes away once power fully shuts down (30 seconds after pushing the "off" button)
    Turn phonostage back on, unplug Rega phonostage cables one at a time, station remains when I unplug the right cable, HOWEVER station goes away when I unplug the left cable.

    So with that test, is it the Rega table causing the issue?

    By the way, the station is so loud I cannot play records at this point.
     
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  11. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Possibly the Rega phono, not the table. Are they close together (the phono's)? Can you try to pull them as far from each other as possible? Are your RCA interconnects generic on the Rega phono? Maybe try better cables? Could that be ground loop on steroids? I admit to have no electronic engineering background, so I'm really just guessing out loud. Have you sent back the BCSE? If not - try to plug it instead of Rega phono, if the radio disappears - your problem is there.
     
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  12. empirelvr

    empirelvr "That's *just* the way it IS!" - Paul Anka

    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    I've been there. RFI is a really tricky issue. At it's worst it can seem to defy logic, physics, and reality itself it seems.

    True story: when I was a kid my uncle's old solid state Scott receiver was doing similar in phono mode. He tried everything. He swapped cables. Tried different AC outlets. Even a different turntable. As a last resort he tried wrapping the receiver in aluminum foil to see if it was a shielding problem within the unit. The only way he found to stop it was to move the receiver to a different spot. (And it wasn't all that far away from where it was either.)

    Sounds like you might have a similar situation. Sometimes all the resoldering, interconnect switching, and powerline surge protection experimenting can't overcome the old real estate saying: "location! location! location!" You've already said you can get it louder or softer by turning it this way or that and it stops when you put the phono stage on vibrapods. Doing that probably got it out of the "magic spot." Sometimes you just have a magic combination of a strong radio signal, and equipment in just the right spot to cause problems. If you can, move the new phono stage out of the problem vicinity entirely and see what happens.
     
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  13. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Good on you for doing some troubleshooting on your own and reporting back. That is actually relevant important info!

    Wondering though if you've tried another interconnect cable? There could be something in the one you're current using that's acting as an antenna. Makes sense that the turntable being off wouldn't affect anything as the phono stage is on and transmitting sound regardless.

    Using the vibrapods, you weren't able to make the problem disappear with the Insight? How about changing the location of the phono stage unit?

    Also, were you having this problem with the Insight before or did it just start once you replaced the BCSEII with the Insight again?
     
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  14. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Again, keep in mind the issue can be rooted somewhere else. I've done a lot of research on users' experiences with the BCSEII and this is the first instance where I've seen RFI. That's why I believe it's elsewhere, especially since the user has switched phono stages and is still encountering the problem.
     
  15. mike catucci

    mike catucci Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    PA
    I think it is safe to say the BCSEII can be ruled out. It is doing it with the Sutherland and I believe I've narrowed it down to the Rega's left side built in phonostage cable. What that tells me I do not know.....cable? stage? arm? I'm going to try and move the stage but the damn built in cables on the Rega are only so long.
     
  16. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Try to connect BCSE to the Rega table.
     
  17. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    What do you mean? That's how it was plugged in initially and the problem was still there. He's plugged in the BCSEII and Insight, yet still has the issue.
     
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  18. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    I've read before about how the tonearm wiring can cause those types of issues. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to provide an explanation about why this is only occurring now. Is the turntable still under warranty?

    These are merely possibilities as RFI can be caused by any number of things. Some of the more frustrating things to troubleshoot for sure. You have my empathy, sir. :(
     
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  19. mike catucci

    mike catucci Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    PA
    It was connected to the table. I only switched to the Sutherland this morning to see if the station appeared with a different stage and it does.

    I just moved the Sutherland all around the room and the station comes in loud and clear. As I said it is loud enough that playing records is out of the question right now. I'm out of troubleshooting options right now. My system is new enough (2 weeks) that I'm considering returning it for a VPI table. I'm just not sure if that is a fool proof way to remove the station or is there a chance it may come in with the VPI as well?
     
  20. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    Yes, thanks for that - I read further and saw you swapped out the BC SEII and it still happened - I started thinking at that point maybe crosstalk internally in your amp, but then when it went away when you took out the left input of the phono stage, I was back to scratching my head.... this is an interesting scenario.
     
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  21. mike catucci

    mike catucci Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    PA

    A couple of things...the table is brand new -2 weeks old, it is a Rega Planar 6 with the Ania cart. I was torn between this and the VPI Prime Scout. So one option is to swap the Rega for the VPI. A quick search last night and it seems Rega is known for this type of problem. I just don't want to go through the hassle of returning and find the problem still exists with the VPI. And yes this is very frustrating. Between the table, cart and stages I spent 4k and this now sound worse than my Project Debut Carbon and Lounge which was a 1/3 of the price.
     
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  22. empirelvr

    empirelvr "That's *just* the way it IS!" - Paul Anka

    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    My gut says if you get RFI from a strong radio signal with the Rega, which has the tonearm wiring cable almost completely enclosed by the armtube etc, I can't imagine how the VPI would be better with the tonearm wires being right out there in a big loop, unshielded, to the RCA junction box, because of the unipivot design of the tonearm. If anything, I'd try getting a second sample of the Rega and see how that fares. A cold solder joint at the point where the tonearm wires are connected to the captive RCA cable, could, as suggested earlier, be forming a diode making the turntable, in essence, a radio.
     
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  23. mike catucci

    mike catucci Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    PA
    I just swapped out a Cifte tube in my Magnum II's center AU7 position and put the Mullard back in thinking that may have caused something since I swapped them right after the table arrived, but no go, station is still there. I don't see any other options. Station is really loud today. Not sure why.
     
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  24. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    It's Valentine's Day...
     
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  25. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Sorry, I thought you had two tables and two phono's, one of those being a Rega Fono.
     
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