Advice on how to test

[DaveofBradford]

Hi Guys

I have developed a problem within my system, which shows as the left channel not working. This is only when using the turntable.

The turntable is the VPI classic with Denon DL304 into a Musical Fidelity square silver fronted X-LPS v3. I have eliminated a cable problem.

Do I need to test the turntable and phono stage with a multimeter? If so how?

Any help would be appreciated.

Kind Regards

Dave

 

[Cable Monkey]

Swap the input over, left to right of the phono stage. If the fault moves your issue is the TT. If it doesn't it is the phono stage or beyond. Do not test with a multimeter. Leave that to experts.

 

[SergeAuckland]

As long as the turntable goes round, there's nothing to test there that would account for a left-channel failure.

The left channel failing can be due to several reasons:-

1) The cartridge is faulty.

2) The cartridge pins to phono stage cable is faulty.

3) The phono stage is faulty.

A multimeter won't help in finding any of these, so you have to act logically. On the assumption that you have checked all the cables, then 

I would go from back to front, i.e. unplug the phono stage from the turntable, and attach a pair of interconnects to the inputs. WITH THE VOLUME CONTROL VERY LOW, touch the ends of the interconnect with a finger. You should get a hum equally on both channels. If that's OK, then the chances are the phono stage is OK.

Next, reconnect the arm cables to the phono stage and unplug the cartridge from the arm cable. Again, touch the cartridge tags with a finger WITH THE VOLUME CONTROL VERY LOW. You should again get a hum equally from the two channels.

If that works, then it's likely that the cartridge itself is faulty in one channel. I would not check the cartridge with a multimeter as the current from the multimeter could damage the cartridge. If it seems the cartridge is at fault, then either try the cartridge in another turntable if possible, or try another cartridge in yours.

Good luck with the investigation.

S. 

 

[HoopsOnToast]

I had the same problem with my system after I moved house a few weeks back, loosing the left channel on the TT input.

I solved it by switching the cables over from the Amplifier input backwards to see which result changed the channel output to.

Going backwards from the amp means you can rule out the components as you go all the way back to the cartridge.

It turns out for me, it was the integrated tonearm cable, the connection into the phono connector had come loose.

 

[DaveofBradford]

Thanks guys, I will check out these suggestions this weekend. Great call Cable Monkey 'no multimeter here' lol.

I will get back and let you know what the fault was, i hope.

Kind Regards

Dave