Thanks, that was a great overview of the kinds of noises one might hear through their phono stage. I now have a better understanding of what I'm hearing in my system. Certainly hiss with a bit of hum mixed in. I'll have to listen again to see if I can pick out any others. Then, onto mitigation. 🙂
I have built 3 of your phono stage designs, great circuits, the cornet octal I built is my favorite. On the octal the input 6SL7 would pick up my cell phone if I got close. I made a shield for the tube from coiled romex wire and that did the trick. Dead quiet even with my cellphone close.
Great video. Have you considered making a video or series of videos talking about your products and designs? I think your products are VERY underrated and deserve the added spotlight. Also, did you happen to see the thread on Audio Karma regarding the Bugle phono preamp? "Best phono preamp under $1000." Cheers!
I have a big problem with Garrard turntables. All have had hum or static by touching the parts of the unit, including buzzing by touching metal on it. All different receivers I have do it, and 2 Garrard tables have the same problem. All my other tables are perfectly quiet. I think Garrard's just have big issues with this problem and can't do much about it. I thrown out so many Garrard's due to it, I just quit spending money on those.
With tube based phono stages you may have good results with screening/shielding the tubes instead of having them fully exposed on the top. With all the gain, the tubes may pick up noise and hum directly from the air. Adding an open grid or spiral made a huge difference in my tube pre. And I can still admire the beautiful tubes through the copper wire screens.
Not all designs are created equal. This phono employs differential tube stages, hence any noise picked up by the plates will be common mode and mostly rejected. I also place a relatively low impedance EQ network between plates, further reducing noise. Have you ever heard one of these? Noise floor is remarkably good.
My turntable is quiet when idle, but when you stroke the stylus or on warped lead in there is a buzzing sound like a bumble bee flying next to you ear. It is not there on smooth surfaces. I check ed a friends turntable and its not there on theirs. Any ideas on what is going on?
That sounds like a compliance issue. Mismatch in cartridge mass versus tonearm. I had exactly this on some tracks with my Opus 3 on an RB300 arm. Somehow a 14Hz horizontal flutter kicked in.
I get this high pitched radio wave sound that comes in & out of my tweeters. I can’t hear it unless I turn my gain way up. I still hate it though… & I can’t find anything on this high pitched thing. I don’t get hiss, I get radio rave sound.
Does it sound like a whistle? If so, then you have an oscillation in your phonostage. Does it sound like voices or music? If so, then it is nearby radio getting demodulated by the front end of phonostage.
@@hagerman_amplification It’s like this whining “meep me me meeep meep” noise. Gets more chaotic when I mess with the interconnect from tt to pre amp. New tube on the way. Hopefully that pacifies the problem… edit: seems to get worse as the unit warms up. Again it’s not noticeable when it’s set to normal listening, but I don’t like how it’s an inconsistent noise. Bothers me knowing that my tweeters are taking on a inconsistent signal while sitting in idle. Also no lights flicker on the device & no matter how I ground this unit, it creates a hum. No hum when it’s not grounded. I do have another turn table in my system that is grounded to its own external pre amp. Both turn tables use the same power amp though. Not sure if that’s why. Is it a problem if there is no hum present when it’s not grounded, but hum present when it is grounded?
What a great video! Please make more of these! ❤
Thank you Jim. Subscribed and waiting for more such insights.
Thanks, that was a great overview of the kinds of noises one might hear through their phono stage. I now have a better understanding of what I'm hearing in my system. Certainly hiss with a bit of hum mixed in. I'll have to listen again to see if I can pick out any others. Then, onto mitigation. 🙂
Fan and customer from WAY back!, I've been recommending and buildng your Bugle kits for years! Fun to see you on here.
I have built 3 of your phono stage designs, great circuits, the cornet octal I built is my favorite. On the octal the input 6SL7 would pick up my cell phone if I got close. I made a shield for the tube from coiled romex wire and that did the trick. Dead quiet even with my cellphone close.
Great video. Have you considered making a video or series of videos talking about your products and designs? I think your products are VERY underrated and deserve the added spotlight. Also, did you happen to see the thread on Audio Karma regarding the Bugle phono preamp? "Best phono preamp under $1000." Cheers!
Thank you for the kind words. Yes I plan to make more of these, not just technical topics, but also to cover various products.
@@hagerman_amplification Looking forward to them!
Thank you Jim! I don’t think I’ve read or heard such comprehensive and succinct phono noise advice before. I look forward to your next video!
Very cool! Pls do more, espc also on your guitar stuff. That’s how I learned about your work.
Yes, I plan to. :)
Really useful. You sound like you need less traffic noise in your listening room! Great advice on noise sources and phono preamplification.
Good stuff Jim. I have a Trumpet MC headed to Austin. Thanks.
I have a big problem with Garrard turntables. All have had hum or static by touching the parts of the unit, including buzzing by touching metal on it. All different receivers I have do it, and 2 Garrard tables have the same problem. All my other tables are perfectly quiet. I think Garrard's just have big issues with this problem and can't do much about it. I thrown out so many Garrard's due to it, I just quit spending money on those.
Edit: All tho I do like Garrards look to them the best of any vintage tables made
That's a missing ground. Perhaps to tonearm?
I have a hum that is present until I start spinning the turntable. Then it goes away even before the needle is dropped. Just spinning stops the hum.
Interesting. Perhaps platter does not make electrical contact through bearing unless spinning? I'm guessing a metal platter here...
With tube based phono stages you may have good results with screening/shielding the tubes instead of having them fully exposed on the top. With all the gain, the tubes may pick up noise and hum directly from the air. Adding an open grid or spiral made a huge difference in my tube pre. And I can still admire the beautiful tubes through the copper wire screens.
Not all designs are created equal. This phono employs differential tube stages, hence any noise picked up by the plates will be common mode and mostly rejected. I also place a relatively low impedance EQ network between plates, further reducing noise. Have you ever heard one of these? Noise floor is remarkably good.
positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/hagerman-audio-labs-trumpet-mc-phono-stage/
Excellent video...
My turntable is quiet when idle, but when you stroke the stylus or on warped lead in there is a buzzing sound like a bumble bee flying next to you ear. It is not there on smooth surfaces. I check ed a friends turntable and its not there on theirs. Any ideas on what is going on?
That sounds like a compliance issue. Mismatch in cartridge mass versus tonearm. I had exactly this on some tracks with my Opus 3 on an RB300 arm. Somehow a 14Hz horizontal flutter kicked in.
@@hagerman_amplification Ok, Thanks for the reply.
Thats easy, buy a streamer😂🎉
I get this high pitched radio wave sound that comes in & out of my tweeters. I can’t hear it unless I turn my gain way up. I still hate it though… & I can’t find anything on this high pitched thing. I don’t get hiss, I get radio rave sound.
Does it sound like a whistle? If so, then you have an oscillation in your phonostage. Does it sound like voices or music? If so, then it is nearby radio getting demodulated by the front end of phonostage.
@@hagerman_amplification It’s like this whining “meep me me meeep meep” noise. Gets more chaotic when I mess with the interconnect from tt to pre amp. New tube on the way. Hopefully that pacifies the problem… edit: seems to get worse as the unit warms up. Again it’s not noticeable when it’s set to normal listening, but I don’t like how it’s an inconsistent noise. Bothers me knowing that my tweeters are taking on a inconsistent signal while sitting in idle. Also no lights flicker on the device & no matter how I ground this unit, it creates a hum. No hum when it’s not grounded. I do have another turn table in my system that is grounded to its own external pre amp. Both turn tables use the same power amp though. Not sure if that’s why. Is it a problem if there is no hum present when it’s not grounded, but hum present when it is grounded?