Off-center records would cause pitch distortion, possibly dectable on sustained tones... but not "distortion in one channel." So you have two problems... a bad record, and some other problem with the turntable setup (maybe improper alignment or anti-skating force). Could even be a worn stylus or bent cantilever. I'd definitely experiment with the anti-skating setting and check the cartridge alignment and tracking force. You can probably eyeball the cantilever to see if it looks centered.
A lot of times I play off-center records and can't even tell except by looking at the arm move. But if it's very severe like you've noted it may be audible. Do you notice distortion on loud passages on other records?
A lot of times I play off-center records and can't even tell except by looking at the arm move. But if it's very severe like you've noted it may be audible. Do you notice distortion on loud passages on other records?