1. Home
  2. analog
  3. 1435283104

Please help diagnose sudden turntable problem

Hi everyone,

I just encountered a very sudden problem with my turntable. I have a fairly new Marantz TT15s1 that was sounding great until yesterday afternoon. I noticed an unusual amount of static, but I chalked that up to the dry air from running the A/C for a couple of days. I used a zero stat gun, and that seemed to help a bit.

Today, however, the problem got significantly worse within the span of a couple of albums. Now, I have significant static and distortion, sometimes completely obscuring the music. It sounds like an amp being overdriven. I have tried two different phono amps and two different preamps, but in every case I get the same sound.

The Marantz has a captive tonearm cable, so I can even swap that out. It's a Clearaudio Virtuoso cartridge that looks to be in excellent shape. The stylus is not bent or damaged. All the leads are plugged in securely. I'm at a loss.

Any ideas would be welcomed. Thanks!
Scott
smrex13
mapman's avatar
mapman
15,679 posts
 
I'm still betting its a damaged stylus. That's not teh same as stylus wear which happens over time. Its usually teh result of sudden unintentional stress to the stylus. Something as simple as lowering onto a record too fast for example.

Examination with a magnifying glass by a trained eye might determine something if present but the only real way to know is to try a different stylus which assuming stylus is not easily replaced/removed a different cart with stylus for comparison. A spare cart to use when needed is standard equipment if one wants to be able to assure continued listening when a cart and or stylus related problem occurs.

Styly are very fragile devices. Over the years, and having worked with many tables and carts over teh years, I'd estimate that vast majority of issues relating to distorted phono sound tend to be stylus related, either sudden damage, wear over time, or both.
smrex13 OP
423 posts
 
Mapman,

It seems like a damaged stylus is the only possibility left, no? Unfortunately, the cartridge costs almost as much as I paid for the table, so I'm not quite ready to spend that much shortly after purchasing it. I suppose I could buy a cheap cartridge to see if the static is still there and then get the more expensive one if it solves the problem.

I've been on a terrible run of bad luck with new gear my last five purchases - turntable, amp, integrated amp, phono amp, and stylus gauge - all were either defective out of the package or broke down within a week. I've spent a fair amount shipping brand new gear to be fixed. This turntable has lasted a couple of months, so that's progress...

Scott
slaw's avatar
slaw
5,785 posts
 
just saying... possible interconnect issue. Have you tried alternating these or changing them out? Do you have any tube gear?
chayro
1,801 posts
 
Gruv Glide will completely eliminate the static issues. There are some people who are vehemently against putting anything on a record, but many people use it with no problems. Just use as directed and your static issues will be over. Of course, it may be something else altogether.
slaw's avatar
slaw
5,785 posts
 
My experience with Gruv Glide:

(1) In order to hear an improvement, you have to have a very revealing system
(2) This improvement isn't of a nature that over-rides the following negative aspects
(3) The application method (a fabric pad)+(this inherently is a source of static energy)
(4) If you can't find a way of putting but a few drops on the applicator pad, you will have put TOO much on your precious vinyl. Your stylus will pick this up and show it to you as a black blob on it's next visit to a Zerodust cleaner.
(5) The slight sonic benefit, to me, isn't worth the trouble or the cost.
(6) Bad investment... other more important issues await.
(7) I vehemently disagree with Chayro here!
More to discover