Starting point:
LP12, Lingo2, Ekos, DVXX2 Mk2, Prefix, 52, 52PS, Supercap, Snaxo362, 250*3, A5 DBLs. Hydra, radial off dedicated Consumer unit.
Having gone active recently I wasn’t happy that the system wasn’t coming on song as I’d expected as the Snaxo run in. I (erroneously) put this down to losing the supercap off the Prefix to power the Snaxo. Set about looking for another supercap and ended up with a …..Superline. Now I’ve read enough to know there are circumstances where a Superline simply, for whatever reason, will not work however I purchased at a price that would enable me to move it on if it didn’t cooperate.
Next step was to call by my dealer who removed the prefix, fitted a second hand BNC terminated armlead (checked out first with a multimeter) and also a second hand Trampolin 2 that had just arrived in.
Took it home. Plugged it in. It hummed like a bugger. Hmmmmmm.
Borrowed my sons Planar 3 (fitted with a Denon MC) from upstairs and plugged that into the superline. No hum.
Took my LP12 back to the shop and left it with them to investigate. No hum there but thay reckoned it was a bit off. Tracked it down to the Ekos which was then dispatched to Linn for a service.
Called in to collect my TT refitted with a newly refurbished Ekos. First had a listen to a LP12/Lingo4/EkosSE/Krystal combination. Rather good. Then my own turntable. Actually not that far behind in performance terms. Well pleased. At this stage my turntable was fitted with a new Linn T-Kable, just left it on.
Took LP12 home. Plugged it into the superline. It hummed like a bugger. Hmmmmmm.
Tried it both straight into the Superline phonos and also with adaptors into the Superline BNC inputs. Hummed on both.
Changing the capacitance: 1µF reduced the hum a bit, 4.7 µF reduced it some more, 10 µF no more than 4.7.
Procured a pair of K boards for the 52 and fitted them. Plugged the turntable into them. Hummed like a bugger. (Superline totally isolated from system). Must admit I wasn’t expecting that.
Tried my LP12 in my son’s 42/hicap/140 system. No Hum!
Borrowed my son’s 42.5/hicap (fitted with MC boards) installed in my system taking my 52 out of the picture. No hum!
Reinstated my 52. Borrowed a 52/supercap/burndy/snaic. Set about replacing first my 52PS with the Supercap, then the snaic, then the burndy and finally the 52. Hummed all the way.
Borrowed a LP12/EkosSE/Arkiv/Radikal/Urika and tried that into my system. Didn’t hum. (Unfortunately it had a mishap on the way here and the antiskating wasn’t functioning properly so we couldn’t do a proper evaluation).
Let’s summarise:
My LP12 into the Linn amp and speakers in Lyric is fine.
My LP12 into 42/hicap/140/mission 700s is fine.
My LP12 into 42/hicap/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls is fine
Rega Planar3/Denon MC into superline/52/52ps/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls is fine
My LP12 into superline/52/52ps/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My LP12 into K boards/52/52ps/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My LP12 into superline/alternate(52/supercap)/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My LP12 into K boards/alternate(52/supercap)/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My dealer called out briefly (fitting me in on a Sunday afternoon as he was then off on Hols). We started with the K boards (isolating the Superline from the system). Jigged up the turntable and checked it out internally. All fine.
Using a multimeter we have continuity from the Topplate to the arm lead earthing tag (that then connects to phono binding post on the back of the pre). The top plate itself is connected via the Lingo to mains earth. This should be the single earth reference point (no other source connected to the system). However, we discovered that connecting an addition wire from the top plate to the 52 phono binding post, in effect in parallel with the arm lead earthing wire, significantly reduced the hum. Due to time constraints that’s as far as we got on that occasion.
Sunsequently I added the Superline back in. Had to move the additional earth wire so that it connects from LP12 top plate to the superline binding post (armlead earth wire still connected to 52 binding post).
Despite significantly reducing hum it’s not eliminated. Audible with volume past about 1 o’clock position.
Sound of the system is not what I’d expect it to be. Also seems to be somewhat variable.
So, before we give up and revert to the prefix, consigning the superline and K boards once more to the secondhand market has anyone any idea wtf is going on here?
Willy.
LP12, Lingo2, Ekos, DVXX2 Mk2, Prefix, 52, 52PS, Supercap, Snaxo362, 250*3, A5 DBLs. Hydra, radial off dedicated Consumer unit.
Having gone active recently I wasn’t happy that the system wasn’t coming on song as I’d expected as the Snaxo run in. I (erroneously) put this down to losing the supercap off the Prefix to power the Snaxo. Set about looking for another supercap and ended up with a …..Superline. Now I’ve read enough to know there are circumstances where a Superline simply, for whatever reason, will not work however I purchased at a price that would enable me to move it on if it didn’t cooperate.
Next step was to call by my dealer who removed the prefix, fitted a second hand BNC terminated armlead (checked out first with a multimeter) and also a second hand Trampolin 2 that had just arrived in.
Took it home. Plugged it in. It hummed like a bugger. Hmmmmmm.
Borrowed my sons Planar 3 (fitted with a Denon MC) from upstairs and plugged that into the superline. No hum.
Took my LP12 back to the shop and left it with them to investigate. No hum there but thay reckoned it was a bit off. Tracked it down to the Ekos which was then dispatched to Linn for a service.
Called in to collect my TT refitted with a newly refurbished Ekos. First had a listen to a LP12/Lingo4/EkosSE/Krystal combination. Rather good. Then my own turntable. Actually not that far behind in performance terms. Well pleased. At this stage my turntable was fitted with a new Linn T-Kable, just left it on.
Took LP12 home. Plugged it into the superline. It hummed like a bugger. Hmmmmmm.
Tried it both straight into the Superline phonos and also with adaptors into the Superline BNC inputs. Hummed on both.
Changing the capacitance: 1µF reduced the hum a bit, 4.7 µF reduced it some more, 10 µF no more than 4.7.
Procured a pair of K boards for the 52 and fitted them. Plugged the turntable into them. Hummed like a bugger. (Superline totally isolated from system). Must admit I wasn’t expecting that.
Tried my LP12 in my son’s 42/hicap/140 system. No Hum!
Borrowed my son’s 42.5/hicap (fitted with MC boards) installed in my system taking my 52 out of the picture. No hum!
Reinstated my 52. Borrowed a 52/supercap/burndy/snaic. Set about replacing first my 52PS with the Supercap, then the snaic, then the burndy and finally the 52. Hummed all the way.
Borrowed a LP12/EkosSE/Arkiv/Radikal/Urika and tried that into my system. Didn’t hum. (Unfortunately it had a mishap on the way here and the antiskating wasn’t functioning properly so we couldn’t do a proper evaluation).
Let’s summarise:
My LP12 into the Linn amp and speakers in Lyric is fine.
My LP12 into 42/hicap/140/mission 700s is fine.
My LP12 into 42/hicap/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls is fine
Rega Planar3/Denon MC into superline/52/52ps/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls is fine
My LP12 into superline/52/52ps/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My LP12 into K boards/52/52ps/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My LP12 into superline/alternate(52/supercap)/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My LP12 into K boards/alternate(52/supercap)/supercap/snaxo362/250s/dbls hums.
My dealer called out briefly (fitting me in on a Sunday afternoon as he was then off on Hols). We started with the K boards (isolating the Superline from the system). Jigged up the turntable and checked it out internally. All fine.
Using a multimeter we have continuity from the Topplate to the arm lead earthing tag (that then connects to phono binding post on the back of the pre). The top plate itself is connected via the Lingo to mains earth. This should be the single earth reference point (no other source connected to the system). However, we discovered that connecting an addition wire from the top plate to the 52 phono binding post, in effect in parallel with the arm lead earthing wire, significantly reduced the hum. Due to time constraints that’s as far as we got on that occasion.
Sunsequently I added the Superline back in. Had to move the additional earth wire so that it connects from LP12 top plate to the superline binding post (armlead earth wire still connected to 52 binding post).
Despite significantly reducing hum it’s not eliminated. Audible with volume past about 1 o’clock position.
Sound of the system is not what I’d expect it to be. Also seems to be somewhat variable.
So, before we give up and revert to the prefix, consigning the superline and K boards once more to the secondhand market has anyone any idea wtf is going on here?
Willy.
