[rmullins08]

Preamp to receive should be the longer one.  The signal coming out of the table is so weak that you want it to be amplified sooner.

 

[analogsurviver]

  Since the turntable can't be close to your speakers, which connection should should be longest in the setup - turntable to preamp or preamp to amp/receiver?

Preamp to amp/receiver. For multiple reasons, main one being phono cable capacitance - which can (and does...) play havoc with moving magnet phono cartridges.
NEVER use long phono cables - unless running a cartridge that is invulnerable to capacitance and you can route this long cable well away from anything from which it could pick up hum.
 
In real world, to be avoided as pleague. 
 
Signal in pre/amp/receiver is already at line level, some 40-60 dB higher than that in phono cable, by this amount less susceptible to hum pick up, etc.
 
The exception would be a tube (phono) preamp without cathode follower, which also hates ANY capacitance at its output, due to its high output impedance.  That is why puristic tube designs are often integrated amplifiers - simply because the worst load possible for such a preamp is one metre of normal interconnect cable. In integrated, it is few centimeters - if that much.

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

What were to happen if you wrapped the 'table rca's in tinfoil then electrical tape?

 

[analogsurviver]

  What were to happen if you wrapped the 'table rca's in tinfoil then electrical tape?

Tinfoil electrically connected to anything conductive?
 
It would change the capacitance, it would improve screening against hum and RF pickup - time to get yourself a tiny but useful RLC meter ?

 

[crimbo912]

I came across this. I don't know what it is but it seems important for cartridge setup.
 
http://daveyw.edsstuff.org/vinyl/loading/

 

[analogsurviver]

  I came across this. I don't know what it is but it seems important for cartridge setup.
 
http://daveyw.edsstuff.org/vinyl/loading/

It is. 
 
Expect a thorough turntable setup description soon - cartridge loading included.

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

  Tinfoil electrically connected to anything conductive?
 
It would change the capacitance, it would improve screening against hum and RF pickup - time to get yourself a tiny but useful RLC meter ?

 
To be honest I don't get any hum at all unless the ceiling fan is on, go figure

 

[analogsurviver]

   
To be honest I don't get any hum at all unless the ceiling fan is on, go figure

That is where they scream : Every man for himself ...

 

[Skylab]

I have that issue...I only get hum when the dimmer lights in my kitchen are on. I tried lots of things to eliminate the problem and in the end I just leave those lights off

Regarding clamps, the reason the VPI clamps work so well is that they are an integral part of the design. In conjunction with the platter design they create a very slight vacuum that holds the record down to the platter in addition to clamping it. Very effective.

 

[analogsurviver]

I have that issue...I only get hum when the dimmer lights in my kitchen are on. I tried lots of things to eliminate the problem and in the end I just leave those lights off

Regarding clamps, the reason the VPI clamps work so well is that they are an integral part of the design. In conjunction with the platter design they create a very slight vacuum that holds the record down to the platter in addition to clamping it. Very effective.

Interesting - so VPI actually did take advantage of both worlds - vacuum included - for clamping. Nice to know !

 

[Shaffer]

Interesting - so VPI actually did take advantage of both worlds - vacuum included - for clamping. Nice to know !

To be clear, the slight vacuum is produced by the combination of a mildly dished platter and the reflex clamping system. There is no pump.

 

[Skylab]

To be clear, the slight vacuum is produced by the combination of a mildly dished platter and the reflex clamping system. There is no pump.

Right, but it works remarkably well.

 

[Shaffer]

Right, but it works remarkably well.

Completely agree.

 

[analogsurviver]

Again, this is similar to the original Oracle. It was not dished platter/mat, but the mirror-like surface of the mat and dishing by the clamp allowed for "vacuum" in most of the cases. I am glad that VPI could slightly improve upon this solution.

 

[Shaffer]

Again, this is similar to the original Oracle. It was not dished platter/mat, but the mirror-like surface of the mat and dishing by the clamp allowed for "vacuum" in most of the cases. I am glad that VPI could slightly improve upon this solution.

I have, or more accurately, had an original Oracle mat. I say had, because is cut it into shapes needed to modify the suspension on my VPI. Its surface was hardly mirror-like. It was more like mass-loaded vinyl (as in the material).