I ''won'' a Technics SL-D303 direct drive turntable on e-bay. As it's cartridge moves over the inner half of the platter it begins to pick up some sort of electronic grumbling noise, I suppose from the drive motor. This happens even with the cartridge suspended over the rotating platter. The noise gets louder as the cartridge approaches the center spindle. The noise is loudest with a Grado Blue cartridge (naturally), but even my Shure M97xE, ADC Integra XLM-III, and Shure RXP-3 pick up the noise. All cartridge to RCA jack connections show good continuity and the platter seems well grounded through the ground wire. What can I do to curb this unwanted noise?
Thanks for looking!
CHECK TONEARM GROUND TO SIGNAL GROUND WIRE OR SOCKET FOR CONT.
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After a Web search I found a nearby Technics certified repair shop. It's technician found and replaced several bad motor capacitors which completely cured the problem with most of the cartridges I own. The SL-D303 still doesn't like my Grado Blue which still picks up the motor noise - albeit at a much diminished level - but Grados have problems with both my direct drive turntables. My SHURE M97xE is sounding really great on it's tone arm.
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