Yesterday, I was going to listen to an LP. No sound out of the left channel. I turned on the CD player, and everything was OK. So, it’s certainly isolated to the turntable. I switched the input leads left for right and right for left and the problem moved to the right. Again, points to the turntable. I looked in the manual for my Rega P8 and my Rega Apheta 3 about wiring. All they say is “ensure the cartridge is wired correctly.” Not very helpful. I want to switch the leads at the base of the cartridge left for right to see how it behaves, to try and learn whether the problem move left to right or not. If it does, it would point to a bad cartridge. If it doesn’t, it would mean both sides of the cartridge are good and something is open in the leads. I would think switching the leads on the base of the cartridge left for right would do it, but I have nothing in the manuals to confirm that. Does anyone know if that’s how cartridges are set up?
I believe you are correct in your thinking. Also the ground in Rega tables is through the left channel cable which your silent channel. But I don’t know how that fits into your issue just saying. Good luck and let us know.
What is your phono preamp? Before I would mess with the very delicate cartridge leads, I’d confirm the health of the phono stage.
Before switching cartridge leads, I would first closely look and check whether any of the clip ends are touching as that tonearm wiring exposes them. If not and you have a multimeter, I would measure the resistance between the pin and shield of each cable. They each should read the same and ~10 ohms. If one side is reading 0 or very high, OL, then I would repeat the measurement at the cartridge clips (after attaching the stylus guard. If its still OL then its the cartridge, If it is 0 then it is a short likely in the phono connector. On the other hand, if you don’t have a meter, then you will need to switch the clips; however, make sure you attach the stylus guard first. Good Luck!
My phono stage is built into my Mark Levinson No.28 preamp. I really don’t believe the issue is in the preamp because if I switch the inputs left for right and right for left, the problem switches sides. To my that would indicate a healthy phono stage as both sides will play when properly driven. I do own a multimeter and will try measuring the cables.
Can you take a picture of the cartridge leads?
Typically,
there are little R and L markers for Right and Left channel, and there are little + and - markers for hot and ground on each channel, molded on the back end of the cartridge body, near the pins that they correspond with.
The wiring assignments are thus:
Red = Right channel hot
Green = Right channel ground
White = Left channel hot
Blue = Left channel ground
I can take a picture of the leads this evening, after work. The wiring assignment will also be helpful in diagnosing the problem. It’s odd that there’s nothing like that in the manuals for the turntable or cartridge.
Rega very delicate connector, very delicate!
rule of thumb, unplug TT and plug it again!
does amp have up and down connection or left right connection?
do you have another amplifier, connect the TT on it, to B shure, it is the TT?
just saying!
I don’t see anything that looks like a short at the leads to the cartridge. Unfortunately, we had a contractor here doing some work when I got home. I won’t have time to look into the suggestions you’ve all left for me. I’m starting to suspect this is the result of a lot of plugging in and unplugging of those leads recently while I was working on an unrelated upgrade. The RCA plugs have a barrel that you spin once the connection is made that tightens the ground around the connector on the preamp. I’m wondering is something came loose with the number of cycles.
I had a problem with my cartridge leads. They came loose over time. Before trying to swap the leads I recommend lightly trying to jiggle them by trying to slightly move the copper connector that slides over the pins on the cartridge.
Before even attempting that, you didn’t say anything about checking the end of the phono cable that connects to your preamp. Please check that those are properly seated. You might even try removing and reconnecting them for good measure.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Sounds like you’ve found your problem.
If you decide to check leads on cartridge and have them unhooked you can carefully tighten them by placing a toothpick in the metal leads from the tonearm and give them a VERY GENTLE squeeze with tweezers or a needle nose pliers then remove the toothpick and reattach the leads to the cartridge. Old timer trick and may keep one from crushing the metal lead while making it a wee bit tighter.
I finally had the time to properly diagnose the turntable, lines and cartridge. If I flip the leads at the cartridge left to right and right to left, the problem switches sides. That tells me the wiring in the table arm is good. If I measure the cartridge with an ohm meter, the right side is coming up around 10.6 ohms while the left side is coming up as an open line. To me, that points to a bad cartridge. Shoot! That thing is expensive. Since I bought it used, I have no warrantee as it’s not transferable. I guess it’s time to talk to Rega to see if the Apheta 3 can be repaired. I really liked the sound of it. Depending on what they say, I may repair it. If that can’t be done, I’m not married to another Rega cartridge. In fact, I’d be afraid of one. My brother is still listening to the Denon 302 I installed in my AR ES1 back in the mid 80s. I’ve honestly never heard of a cartridge failing like this. I’d be interested in folks’ opinions on low output moving coil cartridges in the $2.5K range or less.
Good troubleshooting, David. Before spending $2.5K on a new cart, since you like that one, if you’re in the U.S. give Steve Leung at VAS a call, or send him an email. If it’s just a broken wire to one of the cartridge pins, it should be a pretty easy fix. Even if it’s more complicated, Steve can probably take care of it with no issue. If you’re on the West Coast, you could try Andy Kim. I think he’s out that way somewhere. Haven’t use his services, but from what I hear he’s also quite good.
I spoke to Michael at the Listening Room yesterday. He is a Rega rep. He owes me contact information for a guy to do the wire to pin repair. I’ll be curious to see if it’s the same person. He said that repair runs $200 - $300. In the worst case, if the cartridge needed a complete rebuild he said Rega offers a factory rebuild program/exchange for approximately $1500. He said with that, they replace the motor assembly, the cantilever and the diamond. I hope it doesn’t come to that but it’s still better than full price.
I’ve had Steve repair a couple carts for me and he did a good job.
But when my Linn Ekstatik needed repair, I sent it to Linn and they had the OEM (EMT) do the repair. $1000. for new sapphire cantilever/stylus plus a new suspension. Returned back to former glory for a fair price imo.
Since you bought it used, before trying to fix it I would have the stylus checked for wear. If it also needs to be replaced then you would need it re-tipped as well.
All that happens when you turn the barrel is that it compresses on the outer “lugs” of the RCA male plug to lock them on the female. Nothing electrical. A simple test without a meter or anything complicated would be to touch the + terminals on the cartridge with a metallic extension of your finger (e.g. tweezers). You should get a nice hum if the connection from the lead back to the preamp is viable.