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Post by routlaw on Jul 30, 2017 10:01:52 GMT -5
Anyone here use the XPS-1 with a low output moving coil cartridge?
The reason I ask, just yesterday I installed my new Sound-Smith MIMC Star that has .4 mV output and since my Tubes4HiFi Ph16 that I built last year only has 43 db of gain I thought what the heck I'll hook up the XPS-1 at least for awhile until I can figure out what to do in the long run. Man did this thing hum and make noise, totally unusable in this fashion. All of the reviews I've seen of Sound-Smith carts have noted how quiet they are not only in the groove but also electronically but it sure doesn't get along well with the XPS-1. It was so bad I took it out after only a few minutes of play, and connected the new cartridge to my PH 16 with only 43 db of gain while ramping up the volume on my XMC-1 to: -10 to -15 db which produced a much quieter solution, yet still far from being dead quiet but at least listenable.
Anyone else experience this with low output carts? Thanks
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Jul 30, 2017 10:22:21 GMT -5
Anyone here use the XPS-1 with a low output moving coil cartridge? The reason I ask, just yesterday I installed my new Sound-Smith MIMC Star that has .4 mV output and since my Tubes4HiFi Ph16 that I built last year only has 43 db of gain I thought what the heck I'll hook up the XPS-1 at least for awhile until I can figure out what to do in the long run. Man did this thing hum and make noise, totally unusable in this fashion. All of the reviews I've seen of Sound-Smith carts have noted how quiet they are not only in the groove but also electronically but it sure doesn't get along well with the XPS-1. It was so bad I took it out after only a few minutes of play, and connected the new cartridge to my PH 16 with only 43 db of gain while ramping up the volume on my XMC-1 to: -10 to -15 db which produced a much quieter solution, yet still far from being dead quiet but at least listenable. Anyone else experience this with low output carts? Thanks Did you reset all the settings on the XPS-1 tp match the new cartridge? Are both switches facing the correct direction? Ive never heard a peep from my XPS-1. Let us know what happens. |
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Post by mshump on Jul 30, 2017 10:27:15 GMT -5
Do you have both dip switches set to 470 ohms? are both mm/mc switches set to MC. according to all specs these should be totally compatable
Mark
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Post by stads77 on Jul 30, 2017 10:27:31 GMT -5
I'm using it with a Denon 301 MC and it is very satisfactory. I will say that LOMC's bring out all the noise in the system so it could be one or two of many things. I've found the rca outputs of the turntable or other such connections can factor in as well.
Hope it can get resolved easily by checking all connections, otherwise I would also try a 12v battery supply to the xsp-1 to see if that silences it.
Ben
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 30, 2017 11:26:32 GMT -5
I use an old Denon low output MC with it. Sounds great.
Mark
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 30, 2017 11:28:59 GMT -5
By the way...how are all your cables? If you lightly pinch them near the connectors, does the hum change?
Mark
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Post by routlaw on Jul 30, 2017 12:15:33 GMT -5
Thanks for all the responses, and to answer the questions, yes absolutely all settings are correct, MC and for now 470 ohms, all interconnects are the BJ LC-1's, and I have even tried a battery supply connection all to no avail. The tone of the hum did change with battery but did not reduce the hum. I should add this does NOT seem or sound like a ground loop hum either. Curiously the right channel is a bit louder than the left but that could be due to other issues. I have not tried pinching the cables but with the LC-1's due to the way they are terminated doubt it would have much affect.
I'll keep trying now that I know others have had success with LOMC carts.
Thanks
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Post by stads77 on Jul 30, 2017 12:48:59 GMT -5
Obviously another to check if you haven't is the leads on the cart. They can be very sensitive and may be causing noise if they are not secured well or loosened (solder joint) by accident when you changed carts.
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Post by routlaw on Jul 30, 2017 12:56:45 GMT -5
The plot thickens, but for the good this time. Just went back downstairs where the system is, plugged it all back in and no noise. Well there is an ever so slight feint hum barely audible from listening position and this has always existed even in the MM setting. Hardly noticeable until you get to something like -26 or -25 db.
Audio can sure be strange sometimes.
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 30, 2017 14:05:54 GMT -5
Good idea to check the leads on the cart. The reason I thought cables is that I have had this type of issue more than once in my 40+ years of TT use. More often than not, it's either the leads to the cart or once of the cables between the cart and the phono stage. Once, it was the cable coming out of the TT very near the RCA's. I cut off a chunk of the cable and reconnected the RCA's to intact parts of wire and all was good.
Mark
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Post by routlaw on Jul 30, 2017 14:12:57 GMT -5
Granted when a small signal such as these are amplified hundreds or a thousand times more small insignificant things can become huge by comparison to standard line component signals. Thanks again
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Post by socketman on Jul 30, 2017 14:21:53 GMT -5
When i bought my MMF 7.1 i had noise using a MM cartridge. i spent hours upon hours chasing this , i noticed when i put my finger near the cartridge it would quiet down. I cut and re soldered all the connections at the cartridge and was rewarded with utter silence. Any kind of tugging on these wires no matter how slight can cause small internal breaks.
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