Sony (receiver) / Music Hall (turntable) compatibility problem?

[gaivs]

My turntable (Music Hall, MMF-5) and receiver (Sony STR DE-995 with built-in preamp) don't seem to work together.

For the first few months I got normal stereo sound, but slowly one channel (red cable) began to cut out. Now that channel is dead. The other channel seems to work just fine. [Yes, I've isolated the problem to the cables, and not the speakers.] In fact, I've even connected the turntable through a cheap-o external preamp to an aux port on the receiver. Same thing happens.

What's weird, I ran the turntable through 2 other receiver brands (also via built-in preamp) and the problem disappears completely.

Does anyone know of incompatibility issues with Sony and Music Hall products? Short of buying a new device, is there a way of getting around this? I thought maybe an external preamp might have been the solution.

Thanks.

PS I'm new here. While I like my turntable a lot, would my audiophile card be revoked if I said I'd prefer a turntable with an automatic arm return??
[speaking of which, excuse me a moment while I walk over and return the arm]
Can I have my cake and eat it, too?

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

I can't answer the question about Sony and Music Hall products, but I have a question for you. You mention that you've isolated the problem to the cables. What do you mean by that? Is it possible that the cables (well, the red one) are bad?

BTW...would your audiophile card be revoked for preferring an automatic arm return? I don't know. Would your Audioholics card be revoked? Not a chance!

 

[Haoleb]

There is no issue with the reciever and the table working together, I'm a bit confused with your troubleshooting, But it sounds like its probably a bad connection somewhere. Dont forget to check the connections on the cartridge itself where it meets with the headshell. It is probably a good idea to pick up something called "Deoxit" made by Caig, followed by a treatment of "progold" It is a very good contact cleaner. You can find it at radioshack but you can get it cheaper online too.

You said you hooked it into your sony through a cheap external phono preamp, but since it was into the Aux plug and not the phono plug, that eliminates a bad connection on the reciever or the r eciever itself. Its either the cables your using or one of your connections on the table.

 

[gaivs]

My retailer (a reputable mom & pop shop) looked the cable over and did not find any connection issues.

Besides, doesn't the fact that the turntable worked flawlessly with other receiver brands rule out a loose turntable connection? I can't help but wonder if there's an internal flaw in the receiver, such that it loses half the signal no matter which input I use. That's way above my head.

Who makes a good mid-range($) receiver with a phono preamp these days?

 

[Haoleb]

if you can use a cd player or any other source and it works fine plugged into the same aux input it eliminates the reciever. If you have a solder crack or even a bad cable they are often times intermittent so it may work sometimes and other times not. One really easy to way to test if its the reciever or cable is to simply plug the red cable into the white jack and same for the white cable. If the problem follows the switch it eliminates the reciever.

Try plugging it in and wiggling the cables around at the ends and see if it cuts in and out too

 

[Adam]

One really easy to way to test if its the reciever or cable is to simply plug the red cable into the white jack and same for the white cable. If the problem follows the switch it eliminates the reciever.

Excellent suggestion.

 

[gaivs]

One really easy to way to test if its the reciever or cable is to simply plug the red cable into the white jack and same for the white cable. If the problem follows the switch it eliminates the reciever.

Try plugging it in and wiggling the cables around at the ends and see if it cuts in and out too

Did both of those. In the beginning, wiggling would sometimes remedy the problem. Now it makes no difference. Red is dead.

As for the red/white change-up, yes, the problem followed the switch. But when I turn around and plug the cables into a different receiver, why does the problem go away? D'oh!

Sorry, this issue may be too weird to solve here. Thanks for your help, though.

 

[Adam]

when I turn around and plug the cables into a different receiver, why does the problem go away?

Hard to say without knowing all of the parameters. It could be that you put the cables into a different orientation, or stretched them more, in order to make the connections with the other receivers. It seems logical that it shouldn't always sound fine on other receivers and always have the issue on the Sony if it's the cables, but there may be more going on then you realize or have remembered to share with us.

Are those cables built into the turntable, or are they separate?

 

[Haoleb]

It definetly sounds like the cable. I think that turntable only has RCA jacks on it, not a captive cord. So if you took the table somewhere else and used different cables thats why it worked. Try using some different cables and your problem should be fixed

 

[3db]

Did both of those. In the beginning, wiggling would sometimes remedy the problem. Now it makes no difference. Red is dead.

As for the red/white change-up, yes, the problem followed the switch. But when I turn around and plug the cables into a different receiver, why does the problem go away? D'oh!

Sorry, this issue may be too weird to solve here. Thanks for your help, though.

let me get this straight.

1.) You switched red and white leads on the Sony and the problem followed? If so, that eliminates the Sony.

2.) You used a crappy pre-amp? were the exact same cables used connecting to the pre-amp? Did the problem follow?

3.) Are the cables detachable from the turntable or are they hardwired on? If not hardwired, get anothe pair of cables and try that. If the problem still exits, there's a problem with either the cartridgre or wiring from the cartridge to the jack on the turntable. Look over your cartridge wiring and make sure the connection is solid. Could be some oxidation thats giving you an intermittent connection.

 

[TLS Guy]

Did both of those. In the beginning, wiggling would sometimes remedy the problem. Now it makes no difference. Red is dead.

As for the red/white change-up, yes, the problem followed the switch. But when I turn around and plug the cables into a different receiver, why does the problem go away? D'oh!

Sorry, this issue may be too weird to solve here. Thanks for your help, though.

This problem is not weird and will be solved by elementary logic.
It seems the problem is contact between your RCA plug, (Red) and Jacks. The voltages from a turntable are minute, one to two millivolts. A small signal like that is easily lost by a connector that has a small amount of oxidation on it, or other contamination. These types of issues are not uncommon with turntables.

You need to carefully clean all plugs and jacks in the path.

I doubt the problem is at the cartridge and, this will be most likely at the RCA plug and jack interface.

Your turntable is not incompatible with your receiver.

Avoid arms with auto return, they have too much mechanism to pull, impair results and increase record ware. Arms need to have as little friction as possible.

 

[fmw]

Did both of those. In the beginning, wiggling would sometimes remedy the problem. Now it makes no difference. Red is dead.

As for the red/white change-up, yes, the problem followed the switch. But when I turn around and plug the cables into a different receiver, why does the problem go away? D'oh!

Sorry, this issue may be too weird to solve here. Thanks for your help, though.

That answers it. You have an intermittent connection. Most of the time this problem is up at the tiny wires that plug into the phono cartridge. Be very careful. They are extremely delicate and super easy to break.