Strangest Phono Sound I Ever Heard


First of all, Happy TG.  Yesterday, the strangest thing happened with my TT.  I have a Basis 2001 with a Transfiguration Orpheus, running to a Linn Linto.  I've had this setup for well over 7 years without any problems, although I did change the cart once.  So the other day I put on a record and I get this strange sound in the right speaker, almost like mistracking and it started happening consistently.  I checked all the connections and they were noiseless.  I even changed the input on my integrated amp, which works perfectly with my digital.  So I figure maybe the cartridge is messed up so I change the cartridge and when I am doing the alignment, I notice an excessive amount of anti-skate, even though I have it set to minimum.  So I take the counterweight off the anti-skate and it seems better.  I install the new cart and It is making the same mistracking sound in the right channel. Plus, I am getting a sound that sounds like a motorcycle speeding up and slowing down in the right speaker.  It is definitely not a 60-cycle hum.  It sounds like a recording of a motorcycle varying in speed.  I shook all the connections and nothing was loose.  The weirdest thing I've ever heard out of an audio system.  Any ideas?  Again, have a good holiday.  

chayro

Showing 2 responses by lewm

Why worry about the tonearm? If I am following correctly, you’ve proven the problem resides with your preamp.

Check the tonearm leads where they pass near the pivot. You may have drag there. Also check that the arm wand is not fouling the cue device.