Just added full LP playback


We’ll

I've just added a new LP playback to my system.   It sounds very nice, but...........

re: Pro-ject Classic, Hana SL , Musical Surroundings Phonomona II+
My digital is Chord Qutest with Roon as comparison 

so,  I’m finding the playback being somewhat sibilant and bass shy , as compared to digital 
yes, I’m only about 25-30 hrs of break-in and working on adding albums to add 

what would be the suggested steps for remediation of the SQ 

Jeff
frozentundra

Showing 4 responses by mijostyn

Audioguy, I am thrilled that you are happy with your system but Jeff is not happy with his and I am doing my best to help him out. You obviously do not need it and I am not trying to help you in any way shape or form. You are the one who interpolated yourself into this discussion but since you are here you might consider getting yourself a set of these screws. They are really sharp looking and who knows, someday you might get yourself a Koetsu and really need them.
Frozentundra, this should be an easy fix. The Hana's have certain characteristics that you need to understand to get them to operate at their best. First is that they are not the best trackers. Rated at 70um, this is not terrible but not great. Tracking will improve as the cartridge loosens up a bit. I would run this cartridge at 2.1 or 2.2 grams. Next is these are very stiff cartridges. Compliance is rated at 10 X 10 (-6) cm/dyne. Your arm is too light for this cartridge which is killing your bass and adding to your tracking problems. Fortunately the fix is easy. Soundsmith sells a set of cartridge screws of various masses. https://sound-smith.com/accessories/ez-mount-cartridge-screws
Start with the lightest ones and work your way up. The best way to do this is to get at test record with a resonance track on it. You want to get down as close to 8 Hz as you can without going under. The more weight you add the lower the resonance frequency will go. Don't forget to watch your VTF. I would shoot for 2.1 gms. If the sibilance stops stay there. At 100 hours the tracking will be as good as it is going to get and it should be good enough to cruise through all but the silliest groove velocities. 
Changing VTA will effect your high frequency performance more so with fine line styli like the shibata you have. If you raise or lower the tonearm too far in either direction you will roll off the high end as the stylus will no longer fit into the highest frequency modulations. It will just ride over the top of them and this is in either direction but going up too far can get very dangerous with the really sharp profiles like the Gyger S and Replicant 100. These can dig right into the vinyl like a chisel if you raise the back of the arm too far. For someone without a USB microscope (you can see and measure the SRA) best is always to keep the arm perfectly parallel to the record. By all means add a record and see if you can hear a difference. In the old days with changers we use to stack 10 records!
I always set mine with a USB microscope to 92 degrees and forget about it. 

Mike 
Audioguy85, buy a Hi Fi news test record and run the resonance test tracks. You will find the warble starting above 12 Hz. You have to stop making assumptions and learn to measure the performance of your system on your own. The OP complains of lack luster bass. No review that I have read says this of the Hana. The Hana being a typical Japanese MC cartridge was designed for their favorite heavy tonearms. The OPs arm will run best with cartridges in and around 15 X 10 (-6) cm/dyne like Ortofons and Lyras. Jeff, the screws are not expensive. If you get them please tell us what you discover in using them. It would help this discussion in a major way. This is where the truth is :)
Paulgardner, yes, you might benefit from some additional weight. You can get the afore mentioned Soundsmith screws an play around empirically or spend a little more and get a test record to get an idea where you are. I prefer having a test record. I don't like guessing. I have subwoofers that run perfectly flat down to 18 Hz and have found with a number of cartridges that running your tonearm resonance frequency down at 8 Hz produces the best bass performance, as good as high resolution digital.
It is important to remember that between 8 and 16 Hz is an entire octave!
Jeff, MC cartridges do not care about capacitance. That is a MM problem. But, it is always a good idea to use high quality cable with good connections. For turntables it is always best to keep the cable as short as possible. Kimber Kable makes excellent products. I use their speaker wire exclusively (but , what a royal PITA to terminate). 
I would set your tonearm so that the head shell mounting surface is perfectly parallel to the record surface. I use 180 gm records for this. With a well manufactured cartridge at the recommended VTF this should put the stylus rack angle at 92 degrees. As with tonearm resonance if you really want to know for sure what is going on you need the right tool to measure it. In this case a relatively inexpensive USB microscope and a plexiglass protractor will do the trick. 
Properly suspended and isolated turntables outperform fixed turntables in every way including bass. You can make any fixed turntable better just by placing it on a good isolation base. Good ones are very expensive so IMHO it is always best to start off with a good suspended table.  
Don't forget those screws!