Project Debut III - Only one channel audible

[soulforged]

Played a record on my TT after a long time (a couple of months) and I noticed that the sound was coming from only one channel! Tried another record with the same result

The connections all are in place (don't know if something's gone loose in the cart). How should I go about debugging this? What could be the issue? Planning to setup the downforce/counter-weight again and see if that helps.

 

[Absolute Phase]

Check all your cables and connections. Might be dirty and do a clean up with contact cleaner spray. Also check your amp and speaker cables. Clean your cartridge too. There are many factors for getting sound in 1 channel only. Hence you need to check everything.

 

[mbhangui]

Played a record on my TT after a long time (a couple of months) and I noticed that the sound was coming from only one channel! Tried another record with the same result

The connections all are in place (don't know if something's gone loose in the cart). How should I go about debugging this? What could be the issue? Planning to setup the downforce/counter-weight again and see if that helps.

Just interchange the RCA at the TT end and see if you start hearing sound from a different channel. If not, troubleshoot the next stage in the same way

 

[stevieboy]

Soul,

Definitely sounds like a loose wire at the cartridge rear end. Does not seem like something in the cartridge itself. Cleaning the stylus, switching RCAs as recommended to check that aspect should help. Sometimes my interconnects get a bit kinked and sound disappears from one channel. Straightening it out helps. Downforce will not affect one channel not coming through.

Regards

 

[cmsajith]

- Check the connections first

Find out whether the issue is with the TT or phono or preamp/poweramp
- Use the rca which is working and connect it to the Phono-Ins one at a time, if only one is working the issue is with phono/pre
- In the above step, if both are working, then the issue could be with the TT out. Use the non working rca end to the phono channel which is working to cross check the issue is with the TT out.

If it is with TT out, you may need to open the TT and check further. First try to find where the issue is happening.

 

[reubensm]

flip the RCAs on your amp phono input, if the music shift to the other speaker, the phono stage of your amp is perfect.

Do you hear any funny sounds on the silent channel (like noise, hum, etc)? This would indicate a broken circuit

Pls run your checks in the following order:

1) flip the RCAs on your amp phono input and check if the music moves to the other speaker
2) check the cables from the TT and the RCAs
3) check the cartridge leads to the headshell
4) check your headshell, remove it and plug it back in, try to see if this makes a difference
5) check if the same scenario exisits when you play a different record
6) if you have a spare cartridge and headshell, try it, if the same problem persists, then it is your tone arm wiring or cables, if the same problem does not persist, its your cartridge wiring or perhaps your cartridge itself

 

[soulforged]

Thanks guys! will try out the wiring checks this evening and update

:signthankspin:

 

[stevieboy]

Update update?

 

[soulforged]

Sorry bro...got home pretty late from work yesterday so couldn't try. Plan to do it today.

Thanks for your concern.

 

[soulforged]

vokai...here's the update -

Just tried the checks suggested. First I flipped the RCA ins in the phono but the right channel continued to remain mum. Then I swapped the connection the CDP and voila! both channels began to sing Made me think that there's probably something wrong with the amp inputs but when I played a CD (now connected to where the phono was before), they too sang fine!!! Wonder where the issue went...

 

[stevieboy]

Hehe all's well that ends well. prob an interconnect that needed jogging a bit


www.vinylnvalves.blogspot.in

 

[Shivam]

I clean the connector from dust using a dry cloth and the bare wires using isopropyl alcohol once in a while. Twisting the RCA connectors back and forth a couple of times is also a good idea.

In your case the problem was most probably elsewhere though.

 

[sandeepmohan]

How did the CD player input on the amplifier play a phono source? There should be no sound at all.

I suspect your amplifier source selector. Oxidization can cause this to happen as well. If it is a mechanical source selector, try pushing the knob in, switch sources and check of sounds is heard from both channels.

 

[soulforged]

How did the CD player input on the amplifier play a phono source? There should be no sound at all.

I suspect your amplifier source selector. Oxidization can cause this to happen as well. If it is a mechanical source selector, try pushing the knob in, switch sources and check of sounds is heard from both channels.

I have a separate phonostage that connects to my amp. What I did was to swap the connections at the amp end such that the phonostage's output was connected to the amp's input sockets where the CDP was connected earlier. Likewise, the CDP's output was connected to where the phonostage was earlier.

Like Steven and Shivam suggest, I guess the trouble was most likely with the connection at the RCA terminator