I have a Philips GA437 turntable that I’ve been trying to fix a buzzing noise on. It happens when the tonearm is lowered. The audio is extremely quiet and when I turn the volume on preamp up so it is audible, the static becomes louder. The static is in both channels. The static is affected/slightly changes when electronics plugged into the same circuit are turned on/off. Here are videos, pictures, and schematics:
Things I’ve already tried:
Replace the RCA cable, including the ground wire which I’ve attached to the ground post on the chassis base and also tried attaching it to a screw on a receiver
Plug the power cord directly into a wall outlet and also into a power conditioner
Replace the 2 capacitors
Resolder capacitors and RCA cables multiple times
Replace stylus
Clean cartridge pins and reseating the wires
Replaced belts
Tried multiple records
soldering ground wire onto red ground post and rightmost post (which it originally was soldered onto)
Is it possible to test with another turntable with same cables and connections (same setup)?
Just to figure out it actually is the GA437 or its parts that is the troublemaker here.
Does it have a Line / Phone switch and does it affect the noise sound?
Can you get the noise even without the actual vinyl playing and does it start when arm is lowered with out touching anything?
Does it start if you gently touch the arm, stylus or when lowering needle on a finger?
The noises happens when the switch to lower the tonearm is engaged but it is there even if it is not touching the record. There is a static when the turntable is unplugged but is a different type of static (more of a wave static instead of constant buzzing).
One cause might the actual tonearm cables:
It mentions “moving” but in your case the “activation” of tonearm starts the sound still might be from cables as well.
Issue 10: Interference When Moving the Tonearm
The wires inside the arm sometimes rub the walls of the tube, which in turn creates static, or they rub against one another which can also lead to induced current. This is more likely to occur in dry environments, so if you live in a warm, dry climate this could well be an explanation.
Getting into tonearm wiring is not as straightforward as some of the other fixes outline above, so unless you’re confident this may be one that is best left to a professional or at least someone with more experience.
have you tried a power conditioner? or trying a different amp, if you have one. if its there when the turntable isnt plugged in, then the source likely isnt the turntable. the tone arm is very susceptible to just about anything. like dirty power. you also mentioned that turning off other electronics changes the noise slightly.
It is plugged into a power conditioner as I’m pretty sure I do have dirty power, but that still doesn’t seem to work. I don’t have another amp to test.
