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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
ohnofiasco

Showing 4 responses by ohnofiasco

ohnofiasco OP
49 posts
 
Thanks for the replies, I just recently purchased the this table/arm and just recently notice that I have twice as many anti-skate adjustments as I previously thought. The arm uses both the thread slots and the spaces, held in place by rubber O's, in between the grooves for anti skate adjustments, .25g per groove and I guess .125g if you count the spaces. This awareness has helped out a lot, sibilance and other vocal related things have cleaned up a good bit.

This arm apparently is incredibly sensitive to this, which consider the way the bearing it sits on can freely float from side to side isn't surprising.

The rack is all maple with two two inch platform and one 4inch on top with turntable. I have been wondering if that could be a little too thick, In my head that could cause less bass and sharper highs.
ohnofiasco OP
49 posts
 
I haven't tried loading options yet since my grado pre doesn't have any, but my new Musical Fidelity M1 Vinl that should be in the first part of next week will. Im hoping that will solve most my issues and if not I have another cart also on the way, ha.

VTA/VTF have been pretty much my biggest focuses. Ill get dialed in for one particular problem album and get it sounding pretty clean then when I move on to the next, regardless of the thickness, It seems like every change I made went out of the window. Given thats not the situation 100% of the time.
ohnofiasco OP
49 posts
 
Thanks for all the responses they have been very helpful and I think I finally have this nailed down.

Nanbil,

I just got the M1 vinyl in and its fantastic, It has a little bit of a clinical side to it with a pepper smidgen less lows than I normally go for but considering my room much welcomed splash of precision. The sound stage is fantastic, has a very clean top end, and the definition in the lows is really good. Plus you have to like the loading options.
ohnofiasco OP
49 posts
 
Sorry just noticed your post Jkorten, I live in TN. I just recently got the Well Tempered Labs Amadeus and I am now in complete audio bliss, ha. But really it is that big of a change.
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