Is LP distortion the record or the cartridge?

Dear @mglik : You posted :

" The cartridge probably has about 2000 hours on it. "

1K hours is way different. In normal conditions and with that amount of hours seems to me that the culprit of those distortions is not the cartridge.
The cartridge could be only if it’s showing a problem with its suspension or that for whatever reason the stylus tip is in someway " loose " with the cantilever. Both conditions are not present very often in a cartridge as the one you own but could happens and by coincidence started with your new unit because before it you did not experienced that developed distortions.

" On dynamic peaks..... the sound breaks up and produces distortion. "

" Old vocals and piano are frequently bad "

" I really only noticed this distortion after inserting my new.."

After all what I said and posted to you the other alternative is that your new unit is not up to its new condition specs.

Now that I remember could be a third possibility and this is the cable tonearm that some Triplanar owners warned that if it’s not in the precise rigth position will not " track " as should be. 

R.

Dear @mglik  : According with a research made years ago ( taking care to clean the stylus tip and LPs. ) a good stylus tip starts to show deteroration signs at around 500 hours of play and it will be safe and will performs as " new " till it has 1K hours of play, after that time the stylus tip  increment the " velocity " of its damages and after 1.5K is time to think that any time soon we have to think in a retip to fix it and impedes that that stylus tip increment its damage and more important the LP damage . Your cartridge has not 1.5K hours but 2K hours.

I already gave you my advise that even that you don't listen any kind of distortions with new LPs this with a 2K hours of play cartridge is making an irreversible damage to all what you play with it.

Is up to you, are your LPs not mine.

@no_regrets  one of the best stylus cleaner is the Lyra one that comes with the Lyra cartridges when you buy it but you can buy the cleaner alone.

R.

Dear @mglik  : The kind of distortions you listened are a clear sign ( along those 2K play hours. ) that as I told you exist a " problem !" at the stylus tip.
The cartridge is showing you his degradation level that is at limit and needs retip it.

Even that in other LPs you don't listen yet any kind of similar distortions that cartridge is making an irreversible damage on all the LP grooves you play with it. My advise is to stop using it and wait for your Lyra.

R.

Dear @mglik  : Assuming that the head-amp along the Audible Illusions you owned were in good condition both units are not so bad enough to not reproduce the kind distortions you are talking about.

Assuming that you are loading the Shilabe with same or very near impedance value than in your former units then what you are experienced/listened could be generated inside your new unit or if by coincidence when you connected the new unit the Shilabe started with a suspension " problem " or a stylus tip " problem .

If I was you I will look probably with an audio friend that permits to mount your Shilabe and listen to it and if not distortion at all then your new phono stage has a trouble and you need to know it even if with the Lyra does not happens. Is up to you.

R. 

Dear @mglik  : "  I think the culprit is worn vinyl.
I do have a lot of used records. Guess I will flag the worst ones.
I think the greatly increased performance of my new Atma MP-1 just picks up and amplifies the wear issues. "

That could be true if your before phono stage was a " terrible " poor design to cover those kind of distortions.
Do you own or can put your hands in other cartridge just to make tests?
I asked before which phono stage was using and I would like to ask again. Could you share/disclose that phono stage?

Thank's in advance,
R.

Dear @mglik  : Other than the alignment issue, that's is critical including that the Triplanar been mounted at the rigth distance from the TT spindle, your cartridge is alow compliance design and could be not very good tracker and its resonance frequency with your tonearm is around 12hz that could disturb a little the quality sound we are listening with. Your tonearm comes with a silicon damping tray that I don't know if you are using it: do you?

Now, how many playing  hours has your cartridge from new and which with which protractor made it its alignment set up?
Talking of the cartridge ( any ) what you are experienced looks like could be a cartridge suspension problem.

Btw, which phono stage was using before this " trouble "?

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.