Probably static

Can anyone explain why I get static through one speaker for a couple of seconds when I lift the needle off the record? Does this mean its there all the time? Ive tried changing cables and using the phono stage on my amp not the ext. one and it makes no difference.
Ive got a Rega P3, and am using just my A&R setup at the moment, cos the AE speakers have died, but the static was happening on both!
Im sure I remember another Rega deck doing the same thing on a friends setup, so maybe its not uncommon!

 

When I had a Rega planner 3, rb200,it always gave me a little tingle through my finger when I lifted the arm,changed it for a Rega P25 and have never had it since

 

Sounds like that was the cart somehow making the headshell become live. Was there less background noise through the speakers when you touched the arm, because it could have been the earth on the arm being dodgy, and therefore earthing through you when you touched it?
Im actually getting a crackle through the speakers when I lift the arm (after the music has stopped) !

 

I suppose it could have been any number of reasons,as it was a early 80s deck,but I seem to recall it only happened in that particular house of the time.But i'm sure that i never got any noises coming through the speakers though,and most defintely no crackles.

 

I don't know if this is the same problem you're having but it may be related.

I'm using a Michell Mycro on doorstop/squash ball supports with an Origin Live Silver arm, Ortofon Rohmann cartridge, Tim de Paravicini phono preamp and mc transformer.

When I first fitted the Silver arm I got loud static cracks every time I moved a vinyl disc on or off the platter. I experimented with the earth lead from the arm and found that the only way I could stop it was to connect the lead to turntable chassis.

Try playing with your arm's earth lead.

 

I'd be tempted to point the finger of blame at the felt mat, as depending on the environmental conditions in your room such as carpet materials (if you have carpet) and dust and hummidity, felt matts on t/t's are notorious for causing static build up in the record playing surface IMO.

I'm not a big fan of t/t's with felt matts, and would be tempted to replace the felt with a Statmatt from Ringmatt Developments if it were me.

But I think 7_V has a very valid point with the earthing/tonearm lead arrangements. Best check that out first before splashing any money out.

 

Do your records pick up the felt mat when you remove them from the platter. I have found that I get the odd crackle (very rarely though) through my speakers if the record hasn't been cleaned. Getting rid of the static by wet/Vacuum cleaning my records, eliminates the static charge completely and they stay static free for many playings/weeks/months.
If the crackles you are hearing are a in stream of close together pops then it is almost certainly static. If the static charge on a record is so strong that it can attract a relatively heavy felt platter mat, then a dust particle is going to be even harder to remove.
I've found that the only wayto eliminate static is to clean your deck with an Anti-Static cleaning spray, wet/vac my records and ensure that all of the earth/Ground?bonding points on the deck are correctly connected, sometimes by fitting some extra ones. I actually checked this out once using my kids computer microscope the pictures say it all really, a quick swish with a carbon fibre brush just doesn't do it. :
Pictures of dirty records

 

I always got this on my rega two as well, never did explain it but it dosn't occur on the Linn.

 

I get it on both NAD 533 (P2) and my P3 - but the latter is usually BEFORE I put the arm down onto a record. Mind you, apparently Ortofons are highly reactive to capacitance so this might be why in my case (both decks have 5x0 carts).

Neither is audible thru speakers - only headphones - it's very low level.

Felt mats suck.

 

Rega arms have a crap way of earthing, the earth is conected to the shield of the left channel only and uses that to earth the arm. Could possibly be that you have a static problem from the felt map (as said by others, felt = pants), but as it is earthed thru on side only it may explain what you experience

 

How do I prove if its the earth? Can I run a lead from the arm to the ground on my phono stage. I was surprised to find that the p3 doesnt have an earth lead!

 

you could try attaching a temorary lead, but make sure it contacts bare metal and not paint. It may help to specify the fault, but may also induce a ground loop.

 

Today's top tip: if you have a particularly bad static problem with some of your records and don't have a wet cleaning machine, just wrap them in a very slightly dampened towel for a few seconds, voila, problem solved. (This was not my idea btw, but something that was suggested on PFM.)

Oh, and buy some anti-static inner sleeves (Nagaoka or the like) if you don't already have some.

This particular case sounds more like an earth problem to me, however, as others have suggested.

-- Ian

 

Interesting those anti static inner sleeves, mainly for the fact that they arent anti static...............

 

Hmm...the record does sometimes pick up the felt mat, certainly looks like its static thats the problem here.
Conflicting advice though,

"use a wet towel on records",

and (from instructions with T-Table):

"keep all water and fluids away from records, cleaning should not be necessary, in general cleaning is overdone and one should not believe all the claims made by record cleaner manufacurers"

However lots of my records sound well harsh - they used to sound harsh on my old deck, I bought the P3 and it went away, now everythings starting to sound crap again. Is this static as well. Does it build up within the deck?

I remember getting some records cleaned on one of those swanky cleaning machines once and they did sound amazing afterwards - looks like that is the way to go.

Oh yeah, can I just not use the felt mat, and put the record straight onto the glass

 

Not a wet towel, a very slightly damp towel. The aim is to kill the static, not wash the record!

As for cleaning, I have a VPI 16.5 record cleaning machine, and can recommend it. Overpriced for what it is, but definitely worthwhile if you have a lot of records or buy secondhand vinyl in any quantity. There are cheaper kit options, and a Google search will find several DIY versions.

-- Ian

 

Just tried the damp towel, not sure, might have made a difference. Sound is overall less harsh I think.

I think a cleaning machine is a good idea, some of my records are quite grimey, and I buy most second hand - it'll be worthwhile, I've got 300+ LPs compared to about 30 cds. ive seen some cleaning machines on audiophilecandy.com, but they start at £400ish! are they good value, and is it worth just buying the cheapest, or saving up for decent one?

Does static build up within the deck, or just on the record, and can I just do away with a mat!

 

I would imagine that when Rega introduced the P range they did the same as the P25 where the earth is actually ran through the interconnets.

To leave the Records static free you could try the cheap as chips Knotsi,which is effective.

iIm going to change the glass platter to acrylic on my rega p25,not looked into the felt melt though.

 

It does have an earth, but as i said, it runs thru the shield/return of the left channel.

 

I think Origin Live can upgrade the Rega arms to have a "proper" earth; surely if you're grounding the arm to the phono input on the amp, the signal ground (on left channel) will earth to the same point as the earth binding post???

Let me know if that acrylic platter idea works - I'm tempted to give it a go myself.

BTW - I take it you keep your stylus clean? If not, that could explain the harshening up of the sound?

The Knosti is a HUUUUGE bargain - it's saved many records I own from being binned, as it really helps clean up harshness and inground "mush" in both the grooves and the resulting sound!