Rega RP1 Sound Distortion

[rsp2015]

Hi guys I've recently set up my system (Rega RP1 > Marantz PM4200 > Wharfedale 9.1s) and am having some problems with the sound quality of the turntable which is seriously making me question why I bought it and am very close to selling/returning it. But hopefully I won't have to do that and you guys are able to help me! First of all, I can hear a slight distortion/fuzziness when playing LPs and there is a constant hum/buzz in the background. Nowhere near close to the crystal clear sound quality I expected which is made even worse by the fact that playing my iPod through the Aux input actually produces a better sound quality than the turntable itself. Second of all, playing through the iPod produces a better soundstage, more clarity, deeper bass and just better overall. Surely there must be something I'm doing wrong or wrong with the turntable? Don't get me wrong, the sound quality isn't AWFUL but surely it should sound better than playing music through my old iPod classic! Any suggestions? I've tried realigning the cartridge and the arm on these turntables is automatically balanced so not sure what else I can do. Could it be a problem with the needle or the RCA wire? Please help!

 

[MajorFubar]

I wouldn't have thought you should be getting hum, but as for the rest, if you've been brought up on a diet of digital all your life it could easily be that turntables at the cheaper end of the market are not giving you the same kind of sound you've taken for granted from digital sources. There's a reason why the best turntables cost in excess of ten times more, and unlike digital sources, the potential qualitative gap between the cheapest and the most expensive is huge. I'm not knocking the RP1 because I haven't heard it, but obviously I'm not I hearing what you're hearing so I can't say whether the distortion you hear is normal for the deck, or whether it's your records.

You worry me when you say you've been tinkering around with the cartridge alignment.

Did you buy it from a dealers, and if so, did you demo?

 

[Al ears]

Not too sure what you mean about the arm automatically balancing. It doesn't bad far as I am aware. If you got it from a dealer take it back and ask them to reset it.

Hum could be an earthing problem.

 

[bigfish786]

Could be, the cartridge or stylus not aligned correctly, the bias weight set too high or low. The hum will probably be bad earthing.

Bare in mind, you have bought a basic, bottom of the range turntable, so don't expect miracles, but if it is set up correctly, it should at least sound decent.

 

[thescarletpronster]

First of all, I can hear a slight distortion/fuzziness when playing LPs and there is a constant hum/buzz in the background.

Do you have the hum when your amp is set to the phono input even when you are not playing a record? If so, does that hum increase/decrease when you adjust the volume on the amp, or is it constant, even when the volume is set to zero?

I had this problem with my turntable a few years ago. On investigation, it turned out to be the aerial lead from the satellite box, which appears to be carrying a small current. The hum is there on other amp inputs, but because the phono input has to amplify the sound levels so much more than for the line-in inputs, it's only noticeable when the phono input is selected. Solution in my case is not to have the satellite aerial connected unless I'm actually watching TV.

I'm no expert, and others please correct any errors here, but this is what I'd suggest:

Disconnect everything from your amp bar the turntable input and speaker cables (and the amp's power cable, of course!) and seeing if the hum is still present. If not, you probably have hum introduced by one of the other components in your setup. Reconnect the components one at a time to find out which is the culprit.

If the hum is present with only the TT and speakers connected, try the following:
– disconnect the TT from the amp. If the hum is still present, the problem most likely lies within your amp's phono input.
– move the TT away from the amp. If the stylus is near the amp (perhaps directly above it), it can cause hum from the amp's power.
– move the TT and amp to somewhere else in the room. It's just possible that mains cables in the wall behind where your hi-fi is situated are causing the problem.
– also consider that the TT shouldn't be near or in direct line of the speakers, as this can cause feedback.
– if all else fails, take your TT to a friend's house, or back to the dealer, and try it on their system.

 

[Al ears]

First of all, I can hear a slight distortion/fuzziness when playing LPs and there is a constant hum/buzz in the background.

Do you have the hum when your amp is set to the phono input even when you are not playing a record? If so, does that hum increase/decrease when you adjust the volume on the amp, or is it constant, even when the volume is set to zero?

I had this problem with my turntable a few years ago. On investigation, it turned out to be the aerial lead from the satellite box, which appears to be carrying a small current. The hum is there on other amp inputs, but because the phono input has to amplify the sound levels so much more than for the line-in inputs, it's only noticeable when the phono input is selected. Solution in my case is not to have the satellite aerial connected unless I'm actually watching TV.

I'm no expert, and others please correct any errors here, but this is what I'd suggest:

Disconnect everything from your amp bar the turntable input and speaker cables (and the amp's power cable, of course!) and seeing if the hum is still present. If not, you probably have hum introduced by one of the other components in your setup. Reconnect the components one at a time to find out which is the culprit.

If the hum is present with only the TT and speakers connected, try the following:– disconnect the TT from the amp. If the hum is still present, the problem most likely lies within your amp's phono input.– move the TT away from the amp. If the stylus is near the amp (perhaps directly above it), it can cause hum from the amp's power.– move the TT and amp to somewhere else in the room. It's just possible that mains cables in the wall behind where your hi-fi is situated are causing the problem.– also consider that the TT shouldn't be near or in direct line of the speakers, as this can cause feedback.– if all else fails, take your TT to a friend's house, or back to the dealer, and try it on their system.

Good points but knowing the RP1 I would be doing your last point first.

 

[thescarletpronster]

Oh, does it have a bad rep? Do that then.

 

[respe]

The arm is not self balancing, it is totally manual. What are you using to align the cart with, how are you checking the tracking force, how are you setting the antiskate, and what cart is it.

How clean or otherwise is your vinyl.

Vinyl and digital sound different, and unfortunately decks do require setting up optimally.

 

[Al ears]

The arm is not self balancing, it is totally manual. What are you using to align the cart with, how are you checking the tracking force, how are you setting the antiskate, and what cart is it.

How clean or otherwise is your vinyl.

Vinyl and digital sound different, and unfortunately decks do require setting up optimally.

Correct. If bog standard the TT is equipped with an Ortofon OM5e. The TT is not that bad it's just that Rega's quality control has been called into doubt lately.