No sound from left speaker when playing vinyl - help!

[STEVE R]

This is driving me mad!
I have been setting up my new amp and I've run in to a problem. When I play vinyl there is no sound from the left speaker. When I play a CD it's fine. I have swapped round CD and phone inputs into the amp and it makes no difference and I have taken out all of the various interconnects and cables and started from scratch but I'm still left with same issue.
Any thoughts?

 

[tackleberry]

Cart?

 

[leroyd]

Check the 4 leads coming off the back of your cartridge. These are very fragile, so carefull

 

[MVJ]

This is driving me mad!
I have been setting up my new amp and I've run in to a problem. When I play vinyl there is no sound from the left speaker. When I play a CD it's fine. I have swapped round CD and phone inputs into the amp and it makes no difference and I have taken out all of the various interconnects and cables and started from scratch but I'm still left with same issue.
Any thoughts?

Check your cartridge tags one might be loose ?

Not sure if one tag is loose if it will stop any signal at all getting thru or not?

 

[Jazid]

Have you tried swapping phono l;eft and right leads into the amp and seeing if the problem moves to the right hand channel? If so its before the amp. That's a start.

 

[STEVE R]

The leads from the cartridge look ok to me.

 

[audio_PHIL_e]

Have you tried swapping phono l;eft and right leads into the amp and seeing if the problem moves to the right hand channel? If so its before the amp. That's a start.

^ this ^ you need to know whether both phono plugs are delivering signal before you know which component to blame, You know the rh plug is delivering signal and that the RH dept of the amplifier is amplifying it. So if the LH plug delivers signal to the RH i/p it will get amplified (except it will come out of the wrong speaker), but you will know the problem is not at the cartridge end or on the way to the amplifier. You can double-check that the amplifier's LH dept is working OK by plugging the RH phono into it. If the LH plug is delivering no signal then you need to investigate the wiring from the cartridge onwards, maybe even test the cartridge itself by swopping the channels over.

 

[Lurch]

Looking at your about info you have an SME 309, have you checked that the phono lead is properly seated in the arm base plug socket. If it is and the silence changes channel when you swap, the RCAs over as mentioned above, get a multimeter and check continuity between the plug and RCAs. Also if possible unscrew the cover on the RCA and check the integrity of the solder joints, plug aswell if possible.

 

[tackleberry]

Faili

The leads from the cartridge look ok to me.

what do you mean by ‘looks’?

I’m not saying it’s definitely the problem but I’ve had this problem a few times and re wired two sme arms because of it.

 

[STEVE R]

Well, it looks like the problem is either the tonearm wiring or the cartridge itself. I guess the wiring is the most likely.
I'll just have to find a dealer who can help now!
Thanks for the advice.

 

[The_Krell]

Well, it looks like the problem is either the tonearm wiring or the cartridge itself. I guess the wiring is the most likely.
I'll just have to find a dealer who can help now!
Thanks for the advice.

try switching the cartridge wiring L to R this should then tell you if it's the cart or the arm wiring.