Before you go off the deep end to blame this on your turntable or tonearm or cartridge, have you tried another hi-level source, like a CD player, to determine whether the problem really has anything to do with phono. A bad or dying vacuum tube alone can cause the symptoms you describe.
Why does my system sound so shrill and distorted?
My system has been sounding very shrill and in some situations it will have a little distortion in the higher dynamic range with vocals and horns. I have used the feickert protractor to align my cartridge and have tried all three of the different geometries with not much change. Any ideas?
My set up,
Wilson Benesch Full Circle turntable with ACT TWO tonearm 9gm effective mass
Grado Reference Platinum cartridge 20cu compliance, I have a Sound Smith Carmen on the way.
Grado PH-1 Phono pre, Musical Fidelity M1 phono pre on the way
Manley Stingray II, pretty much always run in triode mode
Sonus Faber Liuto Monitors
cables are all Cardas Quadlink's
Thanks,
Thomas
My set up,
Wilson Benesch Full Circle turntable with ACT TWO tonearm 9gm effective mass
Grado Reference Platinum cartridge 20cu compliance, I have a Sound Smith Carmen on the way.
Grado PH-1 Phono pre, Musical Fidelity M1 phono pre on the way
Manley Stingray II, pretty much always run in triode mode
Sonus Faber Liuto Monitors
cables are all Cardas Quadlink's
Thanks,
Thomas