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Killing sibilance distortion - VPI & Jubilee

Hello,

Along with what others have posted in the recent past, I also have a long running case of nasty distortion on sibilants with my vinyl playback. It is worse in the inner grooves.

To build on some other recent threads about this topic, I ordered a MFSL that is supposed to be a good test for mistracking. I have made a recording clip of my playback playing some of the last track on Side 2.

I have the recording on this link:

Playback Recording

If you take a look at that, we can all be on the same page with what exactly is going on.

The setup is a VPI Scoutmaster table, JMW9 sig arm, Ortofon Jubilee cartridge. The table is leveled on a Salamander Archetype rack. VTA is set with the arm parallel. VTF is set to 2.4g. Alignment is setup with the MINT arc protractor, 10x magnification. The VPI mechanical Anti-Skate is being used, with the lighter rubber washers. Azimuth is level by means of the "VPI straw trick" (a straw in a groove on the headshell).

Is there anyone that can point me in the right direction to fix that sibilance distortion you're hearing on the recording?

I've tried quite a few things, including different cartridges, and VTF, VTA and antiskate settings, but the sibilance is always there.

Here are some photos of my setup:

Cartridge Closeup

Aligning with the MINT

Thanks for reading
by Goatwuss
goatwuss
zhenya
2 posts
 
Narrod, as you've been one of the more active members in this thread I'm sure that you've listened to all of his recordings. Is your last response to indicate that they sound ok to your ears? Because to mine all but the last clip with the AT cartridge (and that one only barely) sound anything but 'hi-fi' or audiophile grade, and makes me think that if that's what's in store for me as I climb the upgrade ladder, I'll stay right where I am thank you very much. I agree with your general premise that everyone has their own preferences and we are all sensitive to different problem points in recorded playback, but I heartily agree with Goatwuss that this is a problem I wouldn't be willing to live with. It'd be interesting to hear the same recording from other member's setups for comparison. I don't own the recording, and am currently a couple thousand miles from my setup, but it'd be great if anyone else could post a comparison.
narrod
1,064 posts
 
I have. My point is, even with a perfect setup, some listeners are very sensitive to the distortions in vinyl playback and that he may never get it where it needs to be. I've never had a properly set up front end with sibilance or distortion that wasn't related to the recording. It may be there but I don't hear it.
zhenya
2 posts
 
To me that sure doesn't sound like run of the mill sibilance - it sounds like some pretty serious distortion that Goatwuss has every right to want to be rid of. I don't agree that he is just sensitive to sibilance and may never find satisfaction with vinyl playback. Something is wrong with his setup or his copy of that record. The only records I have that sound nearly that bad are damaged ones, and they don't get played more than once. If we can't agree that distortion of this level is objectionable (and suggest that members look to digital if they find it as such), why are we wasting our time discussing, ad nauseum, tiny differences orders of magnitude smaller than this?
narrod
1,064 posts
 
Zhenya, it was just a thought and nothing more based on his comment that the P5 sound really good on the sibilants. I inferred he was still hearing them. Maybe not. It's not worth debating.
tobes's avatar
tobes
436 posts
 
Zhenya,
I think we can all agree that the amount of sibilance emphasis/distortion is not normal.
While I don't own that particular AKAUS record - I do own the other Mo-Fi 3 LP live set (mastered using the same system) and Kraus' sibilants are nothing like those recordings when played via the Ortofon Jubilee (in the Phantom).
One of the hallmarks of the Jubilee's sound is it's clean tracking and un-accentuated treble.
Since all 3 cartridges exhibit the same problem to varying degrees, it's hard to escape the conclusion that the JMW arm has some tendency to HF tracking instability. Is there any damping adjustment with this arm?
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