Help with vinyl frustration?


I guess it is my turn for some frustration with set up. I've read posts about it, but haven't encountered it until now.
I bought a new ScoutMaster about 4-5 months ago. I installed a brand new Dynavector 20XL which is supposedly a good match. However I have never sensed the magic that I believe this TT is capable of providing. I have checked and rechecked all calibrations. I have been up and down the scale of VTF/VTA. The problem persists.
The problem is that on certain songs on certain albums the vocals and upper mids/mid bass have a slight distortion. This might happen on one song and the next song sounds fine. This began just about the time of break in for the cartridge, maybe 50-75 hrs. As I said, I have checked and rechecked. I can find nothing wrong. I get the feeling that it is a very minor thing. Then sometimes I wonder if it is the cart itself?
I only notice this on classic rock albums which is what I play the most. I haven't heard this on classical albums. Which causes me to ask, Am I seeing to deeply into a poorly recorded record? But if so, why only certain songs on the album? And always the same place; vocals? This doesn't seem like an acceptable answer. Certainly if it is I guess I shouldn't have sold my MMF-7. However the SM kills the 7 on classical.

Anyone with any suggestions?
artemus_5

Showing 4 responses by artemus_5

Cmo
I have used the ortofon alignment tool (2 point) and the VPI (1 point). didn't seem to make any difference. Record proximity IE end of record makes no difference. It might happen anywhere on the record so i don't think it is anti skate, but will try anything at this point.

Pscialli & Cmo
It does seem to happen moreso on more "congested" songs rather than simple passages. AAMOF, simple passages might sound great in the same song. This makes me wonder about overload. Actually that is the exact word I would use to describe the sound that i am hearing. So you may be right. I can turn down the output on the phono stage via the output (volume) pots on the Wright phono stage. Thanks for the suggestion. Don't know why I didn't think of that. Duh

Onhwy61 & Hals den. Thanks. I've thought about the same thing but it seems odd that it is sporadic across the album. You may be right but I hope you're wrong.
That was it. Overload. That was the word that kept running through my mind when I heard it but I never thought about the phono preamp overloading. Duh! it was turned down but not enough. The Wright has 65db gain w/o the 1:10 tranny. I've got it turned down as low as it will go now and the distortion has gone. At least it has on the 2 of the songs that were leading offenders.
Thanks a bunch
Dan ed
Wouldn't a 1:15 or 20 give more output? I was thinking 1:5 would be less, but maybe I'm thinking backwards.
Nonetheless the problem seems to have gone now that i have it turned down.
Dan ed, even though the Wright Phono preamp has 65 db gain and is able to accomidate the cartridge, when i tried a previous LOMC cart, I got a tube rush problem. However i think I had the cartridge loaded wrong due to my misunderstanding of loading. this may have exacerbated the problem. Maybe i'll try it without the tranny and with the proper loading and see what it does. But the problem does seem to be fixed at the moment. Thanks