Grounding a turntable

[Napalm Frog]

So, I got my hands on a 30ish year old Technics SL-3200 in great shape with a brand new cartridge and hooked it up to my computer via a small 9V powered preamp. Connecting it went all fine and dandy, but I'm left with the ground wire that I don't know what to do with. I was originally planning on squeezing it under one of the case screws, but realized they are spring loaded with plastic caps, so that isn't really ideal. For now I have it shoved in a small crevice in the computer chassis, but that isn't really ideal. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[jason str]

If you are not experiencing any ground hum you may not need the ground.

Is there a place to drill and tap a screw in anywhere or drill a hole for a self tapping bolt ?

 

[nathancipher]

you'll probably want an RIAA spec phono pre-amp which will have a ground on it anyway

Records are made with boosted high frequencies and/or reduced low frequencies. This reduces the effect of background noise, including clicks or pops, and also conserves the amount of physical space needed for each groove, by reducing the size of the low-frequency undulations.

During playback, the high frequencies must be rescaled to their original, flat frequency response—known as "equalization"—as well as being amplified. A phono input of an amplifier incorporates such equalization as well as amplification to suit the very low level output from a modern cartridge. Most hi-fi amplifiers made between the 1950s and the 1990s and virtually all DJ mixers are so equipped.

Since the late 1950s, almost all phono input stages have used the RIAA equalization standard. Before settling on that standard, there were many different equalizations in use, including EMI, HMV, Columbia, Decca FFRR, NAB, Ortho, BBC transcription, etc. Recordings made using these other equalization schemes will typically sound odd if they are played through a RIAA-equalized preamplifier. High-performance (so-called "multicurve disc") preamps, which include multiple, selectable equalizations, are no longer commonly available. However, some vintage preamps, such as the LEAK varislope series, are still obtainable and can be refurbished. Newer preamplifiers like the Esoteric Sound Re-Equalizer or the K-A-B MK2 Vintage Signal Processor are also available.[12] These kinds of adjustable phono equalizers are used by consumers wishing to play vintage record collections (often the only available recordings of musicians of the time) with the equalization used to make them.

 

[bonsai]

Go to your room turntable, you're grounded!




Sorry... couldn't resist.

 

[Napalm Frog]

If you are not experiencing any ground hum you may not need the ground.

I get an unbearable hum. I had the ground connected to my PC case as mentioned, and experimented by removing the ground, and the drone drove me insane, haha.

Is there a place to drill and tap a screw in anywhere or drill a hole for a self tapping bolt ?

No, plus I'm in an apartment, and that sort of thing is a no no (yay for student life).

you'll probably want an RIAA spec phono pre-amp which will have a ground on it anyway

I have a simple one from Radio Shack that does the RIAA specs, but no ground. The case is metal and plastic, but no sign of a ground. After tons of searching online, the only logical solution is to use the screw holding on the plastic case for a stand power outlet (non-painted, of course).

 

[mir]

All my Turntable require to plug a Ground to my A/V which has a specail Ground just for TurnTable