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Is it possible for a record to be too loud?

I was just listen to a copy of a newish Sigur Ros album "Valtari" and on last two tracks on side B it has pretty huge dynamic swings. It gets so loud that my cart, EMT TSD 15, starts doing what I can only describe as maxing out. Left channel starting squawking and both channels sound crazy compressed.

The only other things I could think of is maybe I am overloading my input impedance on the pre, since this is a MC with a 1.05mv output that doesn't seem like it should be ruled out.

Any ideas? Bad pressing? Faulty cartridge to tonearm matching?..which is a Ortofon RS 309d and preforms absolutely wonderfully on every other record in my collection.
ohnofiasco

Showing 3 responses by ohnofiasco

ohnofiasco OP
49 posts
 
55 db, I think. It sounds fantastic on every other record I own, but heck that could be why. Would definitely fill out the sound a little bit if it were over driven.
ohnofiasco OP
49 posts
 
Thanks for the advice, making me feel a little less crazy.

After posting this I spent a good few hours going down the compliance rabbit hole only to find out that all of the manufacturers weight measurements were way off and my cart/headshell/screw were spot on where I wanted the whole time. At first I thought I was running a bit heavy, around 6hz, but after throwing everything on my scale there was a whole 10g difference from the specs I was using to calculate.
ohnofiasco OP
49 posts
 
Thanks for all the advice. I just purchased a long overdue copy of hi fi news and it checked out totally fine so I am pretty confidant that my set up isn't the issue and the issue has to be that particular cut on that record.

That all being said I am on the market for a better phono stage so if anyone has a suggestion with a variable gain or even more ideally one that is spec'd for this type of medium output MC I am all ears.
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