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High frequency distortion?

Hello all, I'm newish to vinyl, having gotten my first turntable, a Denon DP 300F within the past 12 months. It's been great so far, but lately I've been noticing distortion in both channels, mostly with high frequency sounds, like cymbals, high guitar notes, high vocal ranges, etc. Pretty much anything that comes out of the tweeters. All of my records were purchased new, so they've only been played within 5 times each. Anyone have any idea what could be the cause of the distortion?

Troubleshooting I've done:

  • Hooked up different speakers to the receiver.
  • Unplugged turntable from phono, and into cd, then used the turntable's built-in pre-amp.

  • Plugged headphones into the receiver while playing a record.

    In each case, the distortion persists, in both channels, at the high frequencies. Thank you so much to anyone who can offer any insight.


128x128bizzy
15 responses Add your response
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,482 posts
 
Search for VTA, VTF, anti-skating and azimuth. Also ensure your stylus is clean. Search Magic Eraser.
honeyooi
121 posts
 
if cleaning your stylus still no working maybe is time to look other cartidge
chayro
2,931 posts
 
what exactly do you mean by distortion?  People use that word differently. Do you mean harshness, mistracking, breakup of the sound?  It can't be diagnosed without more specifics, IMO.  But - the usual suspects are too light a tracking force, dirty stylus or excessive static buildup, which can render a record unplayable.  
inna
7,132 posts
 
Or your hearing is so good and your ears are so sensitive that you react to things most people don't. There is a distortion in every recording, and every piece of equipment distorts too.
Try cd player, does it distort ? Or tuner?
daniele_g
81 posts
 
if it's been "great so far", and the distortion appeared only "lately", as you say, and after the troubleshooting you described, I guess it must be something related to the cartridge, namely dirt or wear. 
did you buy the cartridge new or used ? how many hours (more or less) did it play ?

I had a similar experience years ago and I solved by just changing the stylus (it was an MM cart).

but maybe it only needs cleaning.
bizzy's avatar
bizzy OP
5 posts
 
No, the stylus was new as well. I just ordered some cleaning solution, I haven't cleaned it yet, and although it doesn't look dirty, there's a good chance there's stuff there that I don't see.

As for HOW the distortion sounds...like I said, mostly highs. It kindof sounds like a blown sweeter trying to play sound. A little bit of fuzzy cackling, especially during loud highs. No other input distorts, but using the turntable on the other inputs does bring with the same distortion. 
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,615 posts
 
I recommend a complete setup on the arm- set the stylus overhang, check the rake angle, set the tracking weight, etc. Use a protractor to see the overhang; you can't do that any other way!
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,371 posts
 
sounds like a setup problem to me.  Check cartridge vtf (and all other parameters as well)
bizzy's avatar
bizzy OP
5 posts
 
Alright, I reset the tone arm and adjustments per manual instruction. The problem has diminished slightly. I will clean the stylus, then retest.
tketcham
291 posts
 

Hi, bizzy, some of the most common problems have been mentioned already but here are a couple more to consider if they don't work...

One of the common but overlooked problems that can cause the type of distortion you describe is a loose fitting in the stylus, cartridge, or tonearm.

Sometimes the stylus assembly can become slightly loose from the cartridge body. To check, you can try CAREFULLY pushing the styus assembly firmly back onto the cartridge. Your Denon owner's manual has a diagram and instructions on how to remove and replace the stylus so you can use it as a guide.

The other things to check are the cartridge mounting screws and the headshell lock nut: make sure they're both tight. Be careful not to apply too much torque, but they should both be finger tight. Again, your owner's manual has a diagram and descriptions.

Good luck in your troubleshooting and let us know what you find out.

Regards,

Tom

bizzy's avatar
bizzy OP
5 posts
 
Thanks to everyone who took the time to offer suggestions, it means a lot and I appreciate it. I'll try them out this weekend when I have some time, and I'll make a post with results in case anyone is curious
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
You've had the turntable 12 months and never cleaned the stylus....😱
My money is on a dirty stylus as the culprit. Don't you have a stylus brush? It's the No.1 accessory you need for any cartridge. Brush from the back to the front.
Be careful with any fluid. Get some cheap Magic Eraser and do a search in the Archives on how to use it. Onzow ZeroDust is worthwhile as well as long as it's not a London Decca cartridge.

bizzy's avatar
bizzy OP
5 posts
 
Will do, and thanks. Yeah, I know, I haven't used it a ton, but I should've thought about cleaning it earlier.
bizzy's avatar
bizzy OP
5 posts
 
So, my stylus cleaner and record cleaner both came in yesterday, and today I cleaned the stylus, and a record. The problem is virtually non existent. Thank you all for your help for a newbie like me, cheers!

Highway To Hell is sounding epic :)
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
Glad to hear it bizzy.
It is vital to clean your stylus at least after every listening session.
I know many who clean theirs after every album.....I certainly need to do this with my London Decca Reference which picks up crud from the grooves like some Atlantic bottom feeder.
Unfortunately just brushing the stylus does not render it pristine and if you inspect it under a 20x or 30x lupe....you will see the encrustations fairly clearly. That's why many resort to Magic Eraser and ZeroDust to perfect the process.
Happy listening...🎶🤗
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