[Gopher]

I've got a Well Tempered Reference table and arm and am experiencing a rather annoying higher frequency, tizzy noise that occasionally buzzes.   FWIW the cartridge is a Nagoaka MP-50 and this noise was not present with low output MC.

Sometimes it will go away all together, and I can change the characteristic of the distortion by playing with the portion of the tonearm cable that goes to the RCA junction box.

I double checked to ensure I'm properly grounded and this was not audible with lower output MC, but is now with MM. The music behind the distortion is great, but the sound is driving me insane with headphones on.

FWIW, I've got a bunch of other gear in the environment (LCD TV, fios box, ps3, will and other stereo components).
It is also present in the same manner with two different phono stages, so I'm pretty sure the issue is isolated to that five inches of wire.

Any suggestions?

[Wayner]

I actually had a noisy interconnect cable on my Rega RB300 tonearm (integral). I soon discovered that when I moved the cable (while playing a record) I could generate weird "static" types of noise. My conclusion was that the braided shield on the cables was flexing internally and generating the noise on the the very smallish signal. I eventually had a problem with the molded on RCA cable and removed the cable, and the source of noise all together.

If that's any help for your situation, I don't know, but it may be a similar cause. It may be something else.

Wayner 

[neobop]

Interesting that you didn't have this noise with a LO cart, which should be more susceptible. Do you have long cables from your junction box to preamp?

The MP-50 has a lot of inductance and if you have too much capacitance loading the cart, your high frequency resonance will be lowered. It could easily be lowered into the audible band. You might try shortening the cables as much as possible. Hope this helps.