I think, you overload your phonsection. Distortion has nothing to do with Antiskate, Azimuth or wrong alignment when you only can hear it in the upper frequencies when the dynamics start to rise. "This" kind of distortion in Phono is normally the result when the SUT is too strong( or the cartridge is too strong for the SUT, you can see it this ways or the other way). 0.3mV MC run normally easy with 60-63dB, sometimes a bit more but not much. Try to loan a SUT with 10dB less, just for a check or when one of your friends owns a cartridge with 0.20mV, try to loan it. Next is the output power from your Preamp to your power amp. When the Pre drives the amp easily, this kind of distortion becomes much more present even at lower volume.
Distortion with ARC Ref 150 and Maggie 3.7
I have this problem that drive me nuts for quite a while. I purchased a like new fully balanced ARC Ref 150 tubes amp through Audiogon for my single ended only CAT SL1 Ultimate preamp and connected both with a RCA to XLR interconnect. It sounded okay with most recording but has awful distortion with certain recording specifically piano and vocal. Some of this recording happens almost on entire record but some only on certain musical passage. Most of the time with higher pitch or peak of music or higher volume.
For your information I listen to vinyl only most of the time and more on Jazz music. Other component listed as follow:
Turntable: Sota Nova, Tonearm: Origin Live Illustrious, Cartridge: Dynavector XV1-S, Step up transformer: Bob's Device CineMag 1131 (Blue) feeding directly to CAT's own phonostage, Speaker: Magneplanar Magnepan 3.7. Power cords, ICs, Speaker cable, Autoformer: Paul Speltz Anti-Cable.
Trouble shooting which has been done includes: checking preamp tubes condition and checking power amp bias. Since ARC claims their Ref 150 was design for balanced preamp only so I also tested by replacing it with single ended tubes amp but the distortion remain. As for the cartridge I believe I have done the alignment pretty accurate with the Mint's Best Tractor but not very sure with the azimuth.
While tested with my other 2 pair of speakers, one which has higher spec show the same problem while the lower spec one seems get rid of distortion. So I suspected the issue probably was with the new Maggie. Called the dealer and he performed a test with his transistor amp with no distortion at all. So he assumed my Maggie is okay. Is it true that the Maggie only good with transistor amps?
By now it leaves me with total confusion! Sincerely hope fellow audiophile here could give me some advice and save me from this endless misery !
Thanks very much in advance!
For your information I listen to vinyl only most of the time and more on Jazz music. Other component listed as follow:
Turntable: Sota Nova, Tonearm: Origin Live Illustrious, Cartridge: Dynavector XV1-S, Step up transformer: Bob's Device CineMag 1131 (Blue) feeding directly to CAT's own phonostage, Speaker: Magneplanar Magnepan 3.7. Power cords, ICs, Speaker cable, Autoformer: Paul Speltz Anti-Cable.
Trouble shooting which has been done includes: checking preamp tubes condition and checking power amp bias. Since ARC claims their Ref 150 was design for balanced preamp only so I also tested by replacing it with single ended tubes amp but the distortion remain. As for the cartridge I believe I have done the alignment pretty accurate with the Mint's Best Tractor but not very sure with the azimuth.
While tested with my other 2 pair of speakers, one which has higher spec show the same problem while the lower spec one seems get rid of distortion. So I suspected the issue probably was with the new Maggie. Called the dealer and he performed a test with his transistor amp with no distortion at all. So he assumed my Maggie is okay. Is it true that the Maggie only good with transistor amps?
By now it leaves me with total confusion! Sincerely hope fellow audiophile here could give me some advice and save me from this endless misery !
Thanks very much in advance!