Four easy ways to fix the annoying hum or buzz sound coming from your record player.
I love turntables, but they can be finicky at times. Having a properly dialed in turntable is key to optimal performance and playback. Record players can be a little intimidating to set up at first, but once you’ve done it a few times, it’s easy to get music playing properly right from the start.
A common question I get from people is, “What can I do to get rid of this annoying buzz or hum coming from my turntable?”. This happens when your turntable isn’t properly set up or you have interference from another component.
Below are a list of steps you can take to eliminate, fix or repair any hum or buzz noises coming from your turntable.
- Make sure to ground your turntable properly using a ground wire.
- Move other wires from audio components away from each other.
- Move your speakers to a different surface.
- Purchase a stand alone preamp.
Let’s discuss these more thoroughly below.
1. Make sure to ground your turntable properly.
Turntables often have a small wire in the rear of the unit located next to the RCA cables. Attach this ground wire to the GND screw on the rear of your receiver. Once this is connected properly, the ground loop causing the hum will be corrected and the noise will disappear.
Please note, if your turntable has a built in pre-amp, you may not have to ground the table to a receiver. Built in preamps are common on turntables that are hooked up to active desktop speakers that require you to plug them into the wall in order to work. One quick way to see if you have a built in preamp is to look for a switch on the back of the unit that says Phono or Line. It’s common for newer turntables such as Audio Technica models, LP-60 and LP120s to have built in preamps.
The below video does a good job explaining how to hook up a ground wire, but I would suggest doing so with the power turned off to your electronics before connecting:
If your turntable doesn’t have a ground wire, locate a metal screw on the turntable (usually underneath the table) and try connecting a piece of speaker wire to another metal screw on the receiver. You want to get a good metal to metal connection from the turntable to the receiver to get rid of the hum noise.
Another method is to tape a metal wire from your receiver to the turntable using gaffe tape.
2. Move the wires to other audio components in your stereo system away from each other.
Often, stereo systems will have a rat’s nest of wires running all over the place, criss crossing power cables and audio cables. Most beginner stereo connections will not use shielded cables, therefore the interference from these cables can sometimes cause a light 60 hertz hum or buzz in your speakers. Below is a video of nothing but a 60 hertz hum to give you an idea of the sound:
In order to remove this hum, try moving the power and RCA cables located around the turntable and receiver to see if the interference goes away. I had this issue with a power cable from a cassette deck causing hum on my turntable due to the cables crossing over each other. Once I separated the cables, the hum went away.
Also, you may try plugging the turntable into a different wall outlet or power strip, especially if you have a power strip full of other electronics. You’re trying to distance the turntable from other electronic power sources to avoid that hum sound.
3. Move your speakers to a different surface.
If your speakers are sitting closely to the turntable, the audio coming from the speaker could be picked up by the stylus on the turntable causing a feedback loop. This is especially the case when the music has a lot of bass response.
The easiest solution is to move your speakers to a different surface entirely. I recommend using speakers stands to get the best sound out of your system.
If moving your speakers to stands is not possible, you can purchase vibration isolation pads to place under the turntable. These come in various sizes and prices based on your turntable. These pads should help keep the vibration away from your stylus.
4. Purchase a stand-alone preamp.
I would save this step for last to keep you from spending extra money. Search for preamps for turntables and consider buying one for your system.
With a stand-alone preamp, you will run the turntable’s RCA cables and ground wire to the preamp, then run another set of RCA cords from the preamp to your receiver’s AUX input. This is more of a band-aid approach to solving the hum issue. I would recommend having a technician look at the turntable or speak to the manufacturer first before trying this method, just to ensure you do not spend money on a preamp you don’t really need.
Goodbye hum!
After following these steps above, the humming or buzzing sound on your turntable should disappear.
If the hum remains, there are hum exterminators you can buy, but I admit to never having used one. It may be worth your time to find an electronics technician to help you further.
Turntables sound great…
When working properly, turntables and records produce a warm analog sound that I think sounds better than digital services like Spotify.
If you get stuck, there are many YouTube videos that will help explain how to properly set up a turntable including balancing the tone arm, installing a cartridge and hooking up to your receiver. If you bought a brand new turntable, don’t hesitate to reach out to them with any questions. Manufacturers usually have an in house team that will happily answer any questions you might have.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us via the contact page. We also enjoy helping others get the best sound out of their system.
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