Any vinyl experts out there?


Just got a Music Hall MMF5 here after not playing records for more than 15 yrs!

I don't know if it's just me, but the sound seems very dark and base heavy. I have noticed my Odyssey Stratos really brings out the base in my Gallo Ref II's, but this was a pleasant thing when listening to my digital sources, it's not so pleasant when listening to the MMF5.

Those troglodytes at UPS managed to shake a few things lose (and break the dust cover) but I'm just not knowledgeable enough to figure out what adjustments might help bring down the base.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

AudiogoNers Rule!
luynes
Table isolation... You need to physically make sure that it is on a heavy well damped surface... Like blocks of wood 2 X 4's stacked, or a good Sand box... This will isolate and make it cleaner sounding. There are about 100 other tweaks, but you seem to be a novice and none will make much sense to you, but you should get somebody to set your vertical tracking force, and vertical tracking angle for you.

Mostly though getting it very physically stable is key, so many guys build a good isolation box, like mentioned with even some sand to weigh it down and deaden, or purchase heavy Butcher blocks like 3" thick solid maple as a table to go under your table, but this gets pretty expensive. Also they make Wall mountable shelfs specifically for turntables which will add almost literally the damping and mass of your entire wall to support and disipate energy from your table.

Also proximity to your speakers could be an issue, if you have the table sitting in a bass heavy node of the room, a corner, or right between speakers this will cause all the above issues as well. So for the fastest most direct experimentation to see where your at first, I suggest moving the table around and getting it on a very stable non-resonant surface of some sort. I believe you also have leveling spikes built into that table, but not sure if it has a built in level.... Having the table level is critical as well as all other factors... Beyond that for adjustment parameters on that table you have to get the VTA, VTF, and Antiskate all setup correctly as mentioned above, and all these will depend on the cartridge recommendations and how that arm reacts to the specific cartridge used.

Getting back into vinyl will take work, oh and also how well you have your PHONO AMP matched to the cartridge your using.. Whether it be Moving coil or Moving magnet, its all of importance getting it tuned in.
Do you have a local dealership in your area with which you would be comfortable developing a relationship? If so, I would seriously consider trying to get your money back from whomever you purchase your Music Hall. Then I would develop said relationship, and if comfortable, buy from him/her. Good luck, Lars
What is you catridge and phono pre amp? Are they matched in impedance? I see that undertow has already brought this up. But it is a viable option.
Racamuti has your answer above. Try setting your arm differently. You'll find the right base balance that works with your system by doing this. Also recheck your tracking force. No need to send your table back.

What cart are you using?

I owned the same table for about a year. Had same concern. Problem was easily resolved per above. Try it before complaining to UPS or dealer but try promptly just in case you need to make a UPS claim or send back to dealer for some other problem.
"Any vinyl experts out there?" Is the Pope Catholic?

Sometimes I get the impression that 95% of the world supply of vinyl experts are on Audiogon.