Lyra Delos tracking abilities

The first thing that I would do is use an inexpensive USB microscope to see if there is any build up, or glazing, on the stylus that resists cleaning with conventional methods. If it is there, you can usually send it to one of the retippers for a cleaning at very nominal cost.

A bit more information, please. Who did the alignment, and has the tracking force been verified using a second guage? What tonearm are you using? Is this a problem on every record played, or only a sub set? When you say you clean the stylus after every side, is that with a brush, gel, Magic Eraser, or other means? And, most of all, good luck in finding a resolution to the problem.

That stylus is specifically designed to move into proper operating position

https://lyraanalog.com/delos.php

I suspect, if the stylus is not damaged or worn, it is not moving freely/into proper position, perhaps gunk accumulated down the cantilever, near the suspension.

Ray Leung just checked and cleaned several cartridges I bought used, and surprisingly, one was clogged up with tiny metal shavings.

Thinking about it, I realized, I had taken it down to my shop, put it upside down on the workbench which is covered with carpet tiles, to view it with my shop lamp with magnifying glass, and the carpet tiles, though brushed clean, must be full of tiny metal bits from drilling, filing, and the magnets in the cartridge sucked them in while I was busy looking at the stylus tip.

I'm going back to VAS tomorrow with the latest AT160ml I bought used, and a friend's Benz Micro with a shattered stylus tip, hopefully a new tip can be attached to the existing cantilever, and another friend is bringing a cartridge that is too new to sound the way it did recently

I feel quite lucky to live only 35 minutes from VAS.

OP has elected to continue his discussion on another site.

Hi everyone, thank you very much for your answers. I spent three hours last night restarting my alignement from scratch, spent the day at work and tonight at hospital which left me no possibility to answer on audiogon.

Jonathan Carr has asked me to send the cart back to Japan so we’ll see.

I do the alignment myself as the only guys in my area who could do it do not actually believe in precise alignment of the cart...

It is on an SME IV tonearm and I clean between every side, first with a thin brush and then with some Lyra SPT. I have heard the distortion on brand new records and also some mint records from the eighties. Didn’t bother try on 60s or 70s records which are too worn out anyway.

I’ll keep you posted!