Vinyl Asylum

Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

Return to Vinyl Asylum

Message Sort: Post Order or Asylum Reverse Threaded

VPI Static

73.78.29.94
Posted on January 19, 2017 at 07:26:42
JerryS
Reviewer

Posts: 2026
Joined: February 24, 2001

My VPI Aries 3 sounds great, especially with a Kuzma 4-Point arm, but static is a real problem. I think I found a cheap and easy solution and wonder what other owners have done to address the static issue.

The platter and bearing are not grounded, which creates a different electrical potential between the platter and arm. I started with a piece if insulated stranded wire, which is long enough to reach from the bottom center of the turntable to the ground lug on the phono preamp. I stripped about 3 inches of insulation off one end of the wire. Then I sorta crumpled the wire strands into a ball about 1/2" in diameter.

I placed this wire ball under the center of the bearing and held it in place using electrical tape - several 4-5" pieces. I also taped the wire to the underside of the table in a few places as it exits the rear of the table. The other end of the wire is attached to the ground lug on the phono preamp.

This simple, reversible tweek lowers static significantly. Now when I remove a record, the platter mat - either a DIY cork mat or an Origin Live mat - no longer sticks to the bottom of the record.

 

Hide full thread outline!
    ...
RE: VPI Static, posted on January 19, 2017 at 08:14:12
miner42
Audiophile

Posts: 473
Location: Texas
Joined: April 28, 2007
 I use a Herbie's Way Excellent mat on my Aries 3 - no static encountered.

 

RE: VPI Static, posted on January 19, 2017 at 08:26:28
rrob
Audiophile

Posts: 762
Location: Kansas
Joined: February 7, 2010
 I have a humidifier running in my room. Never had a problem.

 

RE: VPI Static, posted on January 19, 2017 at 09:16:46
thegage
Audiophile

Posts: 1157
Location: Western Mass.
Joined: April 29, 2000
 I use a similar solution, with a ground lug under the spindle bolt, and run the wire to the ground lug on the junction box. Not sure it makes any difference where it goes.

BTW, since you have the Phoenix PSU components, I'd suggest you get an HRX pulley for your motor. This would allow you to run 2 or 3 belts for better power transfer to the platter, which should improve transients and other aspects.

 

All I use is a basin of water. The evaporation is plenty enough to stop static., posted on January 19, 2017 at 10:36:26
3+4=5
 Usually static is only a problem in the Winter here.
I solve it with a plain old pot of water I leave out, in the kitchen.
The evaporation is enough to solve any static I would get.

 

RE: All I use is a basin of water., posted on January 19, 2017 at 17:06:59
texana
Audiophile

Posts: 420
Location: Houston, Texas
Joined: March 3, 2002
 Wouldn't your toilet(s) do the same thing?

 

Yup!..., posted on January 19, 2017 at 17:25:46
kootenay
Audiophile

Posts: 8446
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Joined: October 16, 2007
 and if you need to refresh the water all you need to do is flushed the old one.


 

True! Suggest move your TT into the bathroom! nt, posted on January 22, 2017 at 08:59:51
3+4=5
 .

 

RE: VPI Static, posted on January 22, 2017 at 11:13:47
bill_stevenson@bellsouth.net
Audiophile

Posts: 418
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Joined: January 6, 2015
 I run a ground wire to the plinth on my Prime by threading a bolt into the underside of the spindle. This helped, but did not effect a total cure. Two things helped reduce static further: From the VPI help forum a deerskin mat with the suede side up (bought on ebay) in conjunction with a Furustat III to treat every record made the static problem vanish. I also endorse the HRX pulley and either 2 or 3 belts (I added 3 but heard no improvement over 2 so I robbed one for another VPI TT).

 

Page processed in 0.025 seconds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]