This sounds like an alignment issue. What tools are you using to confirm the accuracy of your tangency, azimuth and VTA/SRA settings?
Gonna have to ditch the Soundsmith Carmen II
I've given this cart the benefit of the doubt and then some, but it's going to have to go.
the sibilance on s's is just to much. The sound isn't distorted, just way louder than the rest of the vocals. This happens to one degree or the other on all records with vocals. Sometimes it's barely noticeable sometimes it hard to bare. other than the sibilance I love the sound, I love the live nature of the music. so I hate getting rid of it.
So so the things I've done and made sure are dead on:
alighnment - that means SRA, VTA, TF, Azimuth, anti skate (per,SS), platter level, checked mounting hardware, checked tunntable . . .etc
my Denon 2x20L doesn't do this.
it may be there is a bad combo with some piece of equipment or loudspeaker and it just doesn't jive with the rest of the rig.
My system:
VPI prime
Parasound JC3+ Phono pre
PAD phono cables
Decware integrated SET tube amp
Zu Omen Def MKII with Radian tweeter upgrade.
So the question is what cart, around $1k will give that live dynamic sound, tracks well, but does emphasize the S's?
ones I'im interested in but have no way of hearing:
Ortofon Quintet Black
Audio Technica ART 9
???
the sibilance on s's is just to much. The sound isn't distorted, just way louder than the rest of the vocals. This happens to one degree or the other on all records with vocals. Sometimes it's barely noticeable sometimes it hard to bare. other than the sibilance I love the sound, I love the live nature of the music. so I hate getting rid of it.
So so the things I've done and made sure are dead on:
alighnment - that means SRA, VTA, TF, Azimuth, anti skate (per,SS), platter level, checked mounting hardware, checked tunntable . . .etc
my Denon 2x20L doesn't do this.
it may be there is a bad combo with some piece of equipment or loudspeaker and it just doesn't jive with the rest of the rig.
My system:
VPI prime
Parasound JC3+ Phono pre
PAD phono cables
Decware integrated SET tube amp
Zu Omen Def MKII with Radian tweeter upgrade.
So the question is what cart, around $1k will give that live dynamic sound, tracks well, but does emphasize the S's?
ones I'im interested in but have no way of hearing:
Ortofon Quintet Black
Audio Technica ART 9
???
Showing 4 responses by cleeds
last_lemming I tried lowering VTA ended almost had no affect ...It still sounds like an alignment issue. Please explain how you used your alignment gauge to ensure proper tangency. Hint: If you aligned the cartridge body rather than the cantilever, the phono cartridge is probably misaligned. Please also tell us about the gauge you used to measure VTA. Simply raising or lowering the pickup arm at random is an unreliable way to set VTA. |
folkfreak@cleeds if you did some research on the SMARTractor you would be aware that is a system that includes a magnifier, a mirrored high precision gauge and a very accurate P2S system. In other words about as close to perfect alignment as possible ...I'm familiar with the Smartractor but as with any tool, it can be improperly used. It still isn't clear to me that the OP has used it as intended, nor is it clear to me what he used to measure the VTA. |
last_lemming I align the cantilever not the bodyDid you align while looking at the cantilever, or a reflection of the cantilever? Did you use a magnifier? What are you using to measure VTA? |