Cartridge or Amplifier problem ?

[PEAJAY]

I have decided to buy some vintage equipment to start enjoying my old LPs. I bought a 1980s vintage Kenwood truntable and Amplifier. I get low volume and not very crisp sound out of a record, so I am not sure if the problem is the cartridge or the AMP. I notice that when I put a finger close to the cartridge the Amp buzzes. If I press lightly on the arm when a record is playing there is no significant effect on the sound. I fixed the ground wire from the turntable to the Amp but noticed the Amp itself does not have a ground in the power line. Do I need a new cartidge or another Amp ? All advice welcome.

 

[Al ears]

I have decided to buy some vintage equipment to start enjoying my old LPs. I bought a 1980s vintage Kenwood truntable and Amplifier. I get low volume and not very crisp sound out of a record, so I am not sure if the problem is the cartridge or the AMP. I notice that when I put a finger close to the cartridge the Amp buzzes. If I press lightly on the arm when a record is playing there is no significant effect on the sound. I fixed the ground wire from the turntable to the Amp but noticed the Amp itself does not have a ground in the power line. Do I need a new cartidge or another Amp ? All advice welcome.

Hi Peajay, welcome to the forum.

From your description there is no real way to determine which is at fault. I would suggest you replace the cartridge, as it is the cheaper option and if it is that old you are going to have to do so anyway. Also check you have the turntable correctly wired in to the 'phono' inputs on the amp.

Hope this helps.

 

[PEAJAY]

Yes I definitely connected to the Phono circuit. If I plug in a CD player or tuner to the other circuits the sound is OK. I understand that it is easy to damage the phono circuit if something other than a trurntable is plugged in to Phono, so I am wondering if only the Phono feature of the Amplifier is not working ?

 

[Al ears]

Whilst it is indeed possible to damage the phono circuit it is highly unlikely. The output from a cd player should not be high enough to do so. Don't worry about the lack of earth wire to the amp this is typical of Japanese (and others) equipment of this age.

Can you possibly borrow a cartridge from anyone you know to see what that does when connected?

How onld is the cartridge? I assume it is correctly wired in the headshell.

My feelings are it is still most likely the item which is at fault. If it is old then replace it.

 

[PEAJAY]

I bought the turntable and AMP second hand and I am guessing the cartridge is old. I see four wires connected, is there a standard color coding for the connection ? where coud I find the correct connection requirement ?

 

[Al ears]

I bought the turntable and AMP second hand and I am guessing the cartridge is old. I see four wires connected, is there a standard color coding for the connection ? where coud I find the correct connection requirement ?

You do not mention what cartridge you have fitted. On some makes there is a coloured plasic ring at the base of the connecting pins that corresponds to the colour of the wire. If there is not then check Google for diagram of whichever cartridge you have.

However for any cartridge I have used the coding is thus:-

Left ground = Blue, Right ground = Green, Right output = Red, Left output = White.