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I am at the end of my rope, please help

I have a problem that I can not solve and makes no sense to me at all.
My right channel is stronger than my left by a large margin. I can plug my tonearm cable directly into a Fozgometer (measures left and right output) and I get a substantially stronger signal on the right side. I confirmed this with my Voltmeter to make sure there was not a problem with the Fozgometer. So, as far as I can tell, this narrows the problem down to the Cart, Tonearm, Tonearm wire or the table.

Here is what I have tried:
1. Changed Azimuth in both directions. Small change but still much stronger on the right side.
2. Changed antiskating. Very little change.
3. replaced the cartridge. No Change.
4. replaced the tonearm and cartridge. No Change.
5. replaced the tonearm, cartridge and tonearm wire. No change.
6. I have used a second test record. No Change
My turntable is perfectly level.
I simply do not see how this is possible! I have an $83,000 system that I can not listen to. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

My system:
DaVinci Turntable > Lyra Titan i > Schroeder Reference tonearm > Manley Steelhead > Stealth Indra cables > VTL 450 amps > Stealth Mlt speaker cables > Vienna acoustic Mahler speakers
audioraider
tzh21y
1,377 posts
 
I hope you get it figured out. I agree with above.
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,517 posts
 
A. As someone already asked, did this problem just begin?
B. And do you run the Steelhead directly into your amps?

I think you have checked the signal chain thoroughly enough. And I don't think the problem lies with sloppy hookup or wires. Frankly, with that big a difference, I would have been more inclined to first check the components themselves meaning:

1.) The cartridge (which is OK)
2.) The phono preamp. Not necessarily faulty (though possible) but maybe an adjustment or connection got inadvertently changed/switched?
.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
8,673 posts
 
Did you perform the checks with the Fozgometer and the voltmeter AFTER performing all the replacements and adjustments that you described, as well as before doing them?

If not, consider the possibility that there may be two problems present, causing similar symptoms. So the replacements or adjustments might have fixed one cause of the imbalance, but not a separate problem further downstream that may be causing a similar symptom.

That would seem to be pretty unlikely, but given all the things you have tried, whatever the explanation turns out to be will probably be something unlikely.

Swapping channels at the Steelhead inputs would be the obvious way of either ruling out or ruling in that possibility.

Good luck!
-- Al
dweller's avatar
dweller
2,152 posts
 
I knew when I saw "I am at the end of my rope" that the post was going to be a turntable problem!
mcfarland
356 posts
 
Try switching right and left cartridge clips to see if the opposite channel is weaker. If not, the problem may be in the phono stage or preamp. Switching R&L cables on those starting at the highest point in the chain will further isolate the symptoms. Also check all cabling for solid connections,. I empathize with you. Sorry to hear your having trouble.
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