On Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 2:18:08 PM UTC-4, wrote:

As far as using an ohm meter. I do understand the old analog ones are
probably not a good idea. I do have a modern digital one (not one of
those cheap HF ones). But what about using a VTVM. I may be wrong, but
it's my understanding that VTVMs are safe to use on darn near anything.
I have two of them, a Heathkit and an Eico.

Whoooo Boy! I can think of no reason whatsoever that one should ever use a VTVM in these modern times. Sure, loading a Zenith TransOceanic while performing an alignment via a VTVM makes some of the things go 'by the book', but using a regular high-quality VOM is just fine. Better in many cases. Nor would I ever advocate using a mains-connected VTVM on much audio stuff in any case. Nor do I appreciate them as ancient tools. I do not have enough real-estate on my bench to entertain tools that are not useful.

(Presently the Heathkit one tends to act a bit flakey, probably needs
new caps, but the Eico works fine).

But it's probably easier to just look them up by model.

Wheeee.....

A typical stereo phono cartridge of any ilk has four (4) wires coming out of it. Some (very) cheap devices have only three, sharing the ground between the channels, but I have not seen one of those for over 30 years.

Not to mention..... Both the AT and the EV have FOUR wires coming from
them, but when they exit the turntable, they only have TWO (as in RCA
plugs). What are the other two wires for?????

So, we have:

SR/RG (signal right/right ground)
SL/LG (signal left/Left ground)

Which goes to Right RCA Jack as follows:

SR to center post. RG to shell (shield).

And the left RCA Jack as follows:

SL to the center post. LG to the shell (shield).

Magically, four wires go to two wires.

There should be a general ground wire in there somewhere - which *SHOULD NOT* go to the pre-amp/amp chassis ground but to either of the shells on either of the jacks.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

One cannot make this stuff up!

On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

H.L. Mencken