Touchy Elac hum on 33/45, little on 78?

I have an Elac H50. It has one screw on the back of an all wood case, top and bottom are wood enclosed. So I figure the one screw with a little washer behind it is for grounding. I don't always use this turntable although it has the best sounding cartridge due to an erratic feedback kind of hum that it displays. The first location I had it in was on a concrete floor and it only did it when touching the turntable deck or parts, and when the stylus lifted from or sat on its rest. Now that its in my house which has somewhat spongy floors I get a response though the speakers when I try to walk anywhere near it, but mostly in the 33 or 45 mode which uses its own stylus. I also play 78s and I got to realizing that when the 78 stylus is in place you can walk up to it and touch the parts with usually no hum feedback. I can touch the removable center spindle when its set for 78 play and almost never does it make a noise, but as soon as I put the 45 setting and needle the whole table again becomes touchy and inserting that spindle or touching it to the table causes a noise to occur. Any thoughts on what may be going on here? From the manual I had it appears that it says it doesn't need to be grounded. I was advised to check the wires to the cartridge which I did try to ease forward as snugly as possible, but the seemed pretty snug already.

Larrt

I am not familiar with this equipment, but you might try turning the AC plug over in the wall, on one, or more components-- Ron Rich

I don't think turning the plug will do it but I will try. I just now switched from the LP needle which is a pull out kind of affair many early makers used and in doing so noticed that just touching the arm, or the deck caused a loud thumping kind of noise in the sound. When I installed the 78 needle you could tap it all you want and it makes no sounds. So it seems to be located in the needle portion how ever that might work? All there is a tapered square shaft that you push into the font of the cartridge till the flat hand grip part stops it against the body. But that makes the noise appear?

I dono either --it would seem that it makes no sense, as there is no "electrical" difference in which way that needle assembly "faces". Just guessing,--does the "rod" "pop out" of the fork when needle is turned ? Ron Rich

Rich,

there is no needle to turn, I was going to post photos but I see the new site hasn't a place for them and going though to outside sources was never my ability. These needles are totally switchable, one for the other, you pull them out the end of the cartridge. I did notice that turning the plug made it a bit less sensitive to the turntable but the noises persist in walking or in handling it. I am going to have to send it out to someone to look at at some point I am thinking.

Larry

You can post your photos here and let us take a gander at it. I'm sure Matt and some of the other folks can chime in here and explain what's going on. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

I pretty much know now that it makes the noises when the arm is touching any part of the table, its rest or a record. If you walk near it every vibration makes a noise when the stylus arm is on its rest or on the record. As soon as the arm leaves the rest to sit down on automatic play you can walk out of the room and not a sound, but as soon as it sits on the record it picks up ever vibration. Don't know if that will peak any ideas or not.

I never heard of an Elac H50, perhaps the poster means an Elac 50H?
They're similar to the Dual turntables of the 70's.

The thumping sound could be caused by a defective idler wheel. Age takes its toll on them.
The intermittent hum condition could be caused by tarnished silver contacts up inside the headshell.
Best way to clean them is to remove the headshell and use Tarnex tarnish remover on a cue-tip on them as well as the mating contacts on the arm, being careful not to distort or bend them out of shape.

Other than that, it would be wise to take the turntable in to get it serviced, since as I said, age takes its toll.
I'm sure the lubricants are dried up from years of neglect.

Your correct I have it transposed it is a 50H. I tried to clean the stylus insert hoping it would be an issue which it wasn't since there seems to be a difference between the Lp stylus and the 78 one which is new. Is that tarnish remover something that is available locally or where do you get it or will some other substance work too?

If "real" silver, ammonia will do wonders in removing tarnish--but you GOTTA rinse it with water--
Commercial products are available,--I would suggest that a SMALL amount of "DeOxIt" could be used. Ron Rich

This sounds like one of these troubles:

1. The turntable itself is ungrounded. There is supposed to be a separate green ground wire from the turntable chassis to the amplifier chassis.

2. The pickup is wired backward, with the ground wires on the hot terminals. One pin on the cartridge is usually strapped to the cartridge shell. If it is a wire connected to the amp input live terminal, touching the headshell will cause hum.

3. The amp is a hot chassis amp from the 1950s. Use a different amp.

4. A pickup wire is not making good contact.

5. If you are exchanging headshells, instead of just styli, then something is wrong with the 33-45 headshell, its wiring, or its pickup.

Watch lifting the arm from the rest without a firm grip on the finger lift, or the changer can throw the arm toward the record.