OK, let's say I realigned the cartridge (it really wasn't off by that much) and I still get the distortion. Time for a new TT or cartridge maybe?
I admit, I'm looking for the easy answer and I know there isn't one, but humor me for a bit, will you?
Any recommendations for my sub-$500 (US) TT?
Kofi
I admit, I'm looking for the easy answer and I know there isn't one, but humor me for a bit, will you?
Any recommendations for my sub-$500 (US) TT?
Kofi
Hi Kofi,
did you re-align the cartridge only longitudinally (that is, did you check and adjust only the overhang?). And, when doing so, did you make sure that the cartridge is really parallel to the shell and not, for example, a bit skewed?
Did you check the VTA (vertical tracking angle)? (Although, in this last case, the VTA-induced distorsion should be constant over the entire record surface).
Cheers,
Bruno
did you re-align the cartridge only longitudinally (that is, did you check and adjust only the overhang?). And, when doing so, did you make sure that the cartridge is really parallel to the shell and not, for example, a bit skewed?
Did you check the VTA (vertical tracking angle)? (Although, in this last case, the VTA-induced distorsion should be constant over the entire record surface).
Cheers,
Bruno
Thanks for all the great advice. I had no idea what a pain in the *** this would be.
I have been busy this weekend helping Jaques Chirac install a new wine-and-stinky-cheese cellar in his basement, so I haven't had time to mess with this. Since tomorrow is Labor Day, the UN building will be closed so I'll be working on this then.
I've read all of the links you've provided and taken your advice(s) to heart and I'm going to sit down and realign the whole damn thing tomorrow. I believe now that it is the cartridge and I'm glad to know that its not my imagination that the distortion is confined to one channel and gets worse as the stylus progresses toward the center of the record.
This distortion is just driving me nuts. I'm running the turntable through a pair of SET 2A3 tube amps and some 96dB Fostex 206Es in the 208EZ BLH cabinet design (me and Gerhard Schroeder built them one weekend). Since the speakers are so sensitive, I notice everything in the record now, so the distortion seems particularly acute.
Also, I'd like some more recommendations on another sub $500 TT. I really want this one to work, but I heard a Pro-ject run through some SET 2A3s with a moving coil cartridge and the difference in sound is remarkable. Not that I don't like my TT, I do, but I know that I'm on the low end of hi-fi here and there's room for improvement.
I would prefer to have a TT that I can "grow" with-- that is, something I can purchase an upgraded cartridge for as time goes by.
Thanks for answering all of my stupid, stupid questions. Mrs. Annan will gladly knit some outerwear for any DIYer providing a recommendation that cures my problems and / or results in the purchase of a new TT that causes me to play air alto saxophone as I mock-smack up a vein and faux shoot some Mexican Brown into my arm in between imaginary sets at the Five Spot.
Kofi
I have been busy this weekend helping Jaques Chirac install a new wine-and-stinky-cheese cellar in his basement, so I haven't had time to mess with this. Since tomorrow is Labor Day, the UN building will be closed so I'll be working on this then.
I've read all of the links you've provided and taken your advice(s) to heart and I'm going to sit down and realign the whole damn thing tomorrow. I believe now that it is the cartridge and I'm glad to know that its not my imagination that the distortion is confined to one channel and gets worse as the stylus progresses toward the center of the record.
This distortion is just driving me nuts. I'm running the turntable through a pair of SET 2A3 tube amps and some 96dB Fostex 206Es in the 208EZ BLH cabinet design (me and Gerhard Schroeder built them one weekend). Since the speakers are so sensitive, I notice everything in the record now, so the distortion seems particularly acute.
Also, I'd like some more recommendations on another sub $500 TT. I really want this one to work, but I heard a Pro-ject run through some SET 2A3s with a moving coil cartridge and the difference in sound is remarkable. Not that I don't like my TT, I do, but I know that I'm on the low end of hi-fi here and there's room for improvement.
I would prefer to have a TT that I can "grow" with-- that is, something I can purchase an upgraded cartridge for as time goes by.
Thanks for answering all of my stupid, stupid questions. Mrs. Annan will gladly knit some outerwear for any DIYer providing a recommendation that cures my problems and / or results in the purchase of a new TT that causes me to play air alto saxophone as I mock-smack up a vein and faux shoot some Mexican Brown into my arm in between imaginary sets at the Five Spot.
Kofi
I have also been reading up on the TT stuff. Saw this http://www.brooksberdanltd.com/ and I'm sure there are others - scroll down to near the bottom of the page and you'll see an article on how to set up the TT. It's a pdf file that you can download.
Hi Kofi,
do not worry, your questions are not stupid...
So, just to summarise, I would re-align the whole darn thing according to the following steps:
1. Level the TT
2. Adjust the VTA of the arm, if it has the possibility to do so.
3. Check whether the cartridge/shell is skewed around the longitudinal axis and, if so, adjust it (well, not all arms/shell offer this possibility, chances are yours doesn' t, but in this case the cartridge should also be correctly aligned).
4. Adjust the overhang, triple-checking that the cartridge is REALLY parallel to the shell (i.e., not skewed).
5. Adjust balange, tracking force, antiskating
6. Enjoy the music
All of above sounds like a royal pain in the neck, but it can be done in a couple of hours.
As for a new TT, well... I personally am a fan of the "suspended chassis" philosophy (Thorens, Linn, etc.). I personally believe a good ol' Thorens 126 or 160 could be a good choice; they are very good machines, they last forever and they give you lots of room for upgrade/modding (check this link: Thorens mod/upgrade ).
Have fun!!
Bruno
do not worry, your questions are not stupid...
So, just to summarise, I would re-align the whole darn thing according to the following steps:
1. Level the TT
2. Adjust the VTA of the arm, if it has the possibility to do so.
3. Check whether the cartridge/shell is skewed around the longitudinal axis and, if so, adjust it (well, not all arms/shell offer this possibility, chances are yours doesn' t, but in this case the cartridge should also be correctly aligned).
4. Adjust the overhang, triple-checking that the cartridge is REALLY parallel to the shell (i.e., not skewed).
5. Adjust balange, tracking force, antiskating
6. Enjoy the music
All of above sounds like a royal pain in the neck, but it can be done in a couple of hours.
As for a new TT, well... I personally am a fan of the "suspended chassis" philosophy (Thorens, Linn, etc.). I personally believe a good ol' Thorens 126 or 160 could be a good choice; they are very good machines, they last forever and they give you lots of room for upgrade/modding (check this link: Thorens mod/upgrade ).
Have fun!!
Bruno
Well, I spent some time meticulously aligning the cartridge this morning and it really wasn't that hard to do. I also balanced the TT, which was actually moderately out of whack. Then I increased the tracking force (is this term correct?) from 1.75g to about 2g.
Plugged in, turned on and it seems that the distortion has all but disappeared! From beginning to end, the records sound noticeably better with greatly diminshed distortion.
Thanks again to all who helped me through this... to think I was about to take my preamp apart! Any additional advice on the selection of a new TT for the future would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks to everyone for the help and for the links to various helpful resources. Mittens all around!
Kofi
Plugged in, turned on and it seems that the distortion has all but disappeared! From beginning to end, the records sound noticeably better with greatly diminshed distortion.
Thanks again to all who helped me through this... to think I was about to take my preamp apart! Any additional advice on the selection of a new TT for the future would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks to everyone for the help and for the links to various helpful resources. Mittens all around!
Kofi
Hi Kofi,
I' m glad to hear your problems are solved!
As for the new TT, this is what i personally would do:
Buy an used Thorens td126 mkIII, with its original arm.
Buy a good mm cartridge (Grado, for example )
Set it up correctly and enjoy it!
Than, in one year or so, when the upgrade/modding virus will compel you to cannibalise your equipment, start with a differrent arm and with some tweaks as described in the link i posted...
Have fun!
Bruno
I' m glad to hear your problems are solved!
As for the new TT, this is what i personally would do:
Buy an used Thorens td126 mkIII, with its original arm.
Buy a good mm cartridge (Grado, for example )
Set it up correctly and enjoy it!
Than, in one year or so, when the upgrade/modding virus will compel you to cannibalise your equipment, start with a differrent arm and with some tweaks as described in the link i posted...
Have fun!
Bruno
In case anyone's interested, I just bought a Thorens TD 160 on Ebay for $125. It may need some work and will almost certainly need an arm / cartridge upgrade but then, I'm buying it to tweak so I'm actually glad to see it in that shape.
Thanks again for all the advice. I know I'll be logging on to the Thorens upgrade site quite a bit in the coming weeks.
Yeah!
Kofi
Thanks again for all the advice. I know I'll be logging on to the Thorens upgrade site quite a bit in the coming weeks.
Yeah!
Kofi
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