Okay, I think I've figured out that it is a grounding issue...but here is a follow-up question: I have an old receiver (from craigslist) with phono jacks, so there are no worries here. However, this turntable is a gift to someone with a more modern stereo system. Without knowing what they have, can you tell me if I will definitely need a pre-amp connector in order to properly connect this turntable to their system?