2. analog
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Turntable, where is my bass???

Hi, I've noticed a clearly diminished low frequency output with my analog gear lately but cannot put it in precise timely relation with a particular event since I have mainly been playing newly acquired records during the last few weeks or very old ones that I hadn't heard for years. But now, the familiar records surprised me with a lack of "something" (there was actually one recent change of IC)

The chain of the signal is Transfiguration Spirit III cart -> Well Tempered Reference arm with original wiring sitting on Well Tempered Reference table -> Synergistic Research Tricon analog IC -> Tidal Preos pre-amp.

Possible culprits I can think of:
1 (the one I hope it to be) The SR Tricon is only a few weeks old; before that the dealer had lent me a broken-in demo cable that I was allowed to keep several weeks until my newly ordered one arrived. So could this be a questin of break-in?
2 Could the arm somehow have "deregulated" itself, e.g. in respect of VTA?
3 Resistive load is fixed at 120 Ohm; could I just be growing aware that is the wrong value? Does anyone know the preferred value for the Spirit III ? (I can't experiment changing it myself, but the Tidal guys could fix another value if can tell them which one)

Does someone know of other possible causes that are perhaps subtle first and then just "snap"? It can't be my hearing since I don't notice any change in the digital department.

Thanks for your insight.
Karel
karelfd

Showing 3 responses by karelfd

karelfd OP
476 posts
 
No change with CD or DVD noticeable. Very minor furniture moves in the past weeks (no change in listening position or overall geometry), but if that were the cause, I would have expected a change with the other sources as well. I never had headphones in this system, so I can't be completely sure about what is "normal" bass there but thanks for mentioning it, I'll try to test that as well.

I'll throw in another unlikely suggestion (one never knows ...) Could my Well Tempered be telling me I need to check/change bearing fluid or arm damping fluid or something of that kind?
karelfd OP
476 posts
 
Valuable suggestion, thanks. I haven't got the previous Tricon anymore, I gave that back when the new IC arrived; I have no other dedicated phono IC anymore, but I will experiment a bit with one or the other IC
karelfd OP
476 posts
 
Thanks to everyone. I actually bought ithe new IC directly from the SR distributor for the Benelux - in Germany it is not even distributed - who is an extremely helpful guy, but since the Tricon is so novel, I'll talk to SR first, see what they think about the Tricon's burn-in period.

If that is not the cause, looks like I'm going to have to roll up my sleeves (sigh, probably started this thread, to have all you good people encourage me)
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