Update on my TT causing distortion at higher volume

@michaellent I thought I responded and thanked you; but it appears not. So thank you. And thank you for the referral to Music Direct! And the cartridge SoundSmith.

+1   audphile1

I own a SoundSmith Voice cartridge. SoundsSmith moving iron (MI) stylus is Factory replacement only.

A reminder: matching the cartridge to the tonearm is imperative. Look to Music Direct for a great discount occasionally on sound Smith cartridges. I got $1000 off. 

Bent

Mofi UltraDeck. Hana ML. Sutherland KC Vibe MkII phono stage.
Pass Labs pre and amp. You can check my system if you click on details under my User ID.
I just recently stepped up from Hana EL to the ML model and the improvement was not subtle.

OP 👍

@audphile1 I will just have to get one.

You're probably right. Just for kicks, what is your setup? Pre, main amp, TT and preferred cartridge?

I just listened to Keith Jarrett on a 1990's recording and it sounded like I was walking through Heaven. 

And that was with the $100 cartridge.

@cinqcepages The E-Glo Petite has settings to accommodate pretty much any cartridge. You forgot to include Moving Iron type cartridge. Soundsmith is pretty popular now although I only heard one model and it wasn’t in my system.
Buying two mediocre cartridges, one MM and one MC, will get you neither here nor there. It’ll be fun until it’s not. 

CDPs nearly always require much more attenuation than phono, because their standard signal voltage output is nearly always at least 1V and more often 2V. And it’s the same regardless of the program material. Whereas phono voltage output is rarely as high as 1V and varies from one LP to another, depending upon how the recording was made and by whom.  And of course it also varies depending upon the cartridge driving the phono stage.

@lewm You had to ask. A logical question. But yes, it was plugged into the MM inputs.

My Musical Fidelity 5.5 CD player has a moderate volume into the pre-amp; my Cary Audio DAC is a higher volume into my pre-amp (I have to turn down the volume slightly). That phono was way higher through the phono stage into the pre-amp. I had to crank the volume way down.

On a side not: My Audia Flight 2 CD from Italy is a high volume output into the pre-amp. I will look at the specs on all of those devices just for kicks and see what the outputs are. I never much cared until now.

@ghdprentice At some point there are diminishing returns. I don't like the re-tipping of MC carts or having to send to the factory for a rebuilt one. But then how many hours do you get from one? 1000 hours? 2 albums a day a year and a half of life? 2000 hours = 3 years of life?

I like the stylus replacement of MM carts. Seems practical.

I have a hard time spending $2,000 and up on a limited life cart. And will my ears tell the difference? Yes, my ears might. I have played (piano and sax) and listened to music since grade school. can easily tell in tune and OOT. I can tell musical nuances. within reasonable balance - music has been my life.

Maybe I will graduate to a top end (in my league) cart in the near future.

What made me think you just might be running your MM into the MC inputs of your phono is your mentioning that the volume jumped way up when you first auditioned the MM cartridge, after having listened to your MC.  That suggested to me you might have connected the Ortofon to MC inputs.  Otherwise, the signal output from your phono stage, for an MM connected to the MM inputs vs for an MC of proper output connected to the MC inputs, ought to be about the same, in terms of the resulting SPL for a given setting of the attenuator on your linestage.

@lewm Very good advice. I am into the technical details on things I work on (Old Colt firearms) and my music. Math major and IT field most of my life. I like details and I like projects coming together.

@nekoaudio I am using the Pro-Ject Align it.

I took my time.

And I have a Stylus Force Gauge. I first got the tonearm to "float" then zeroed. Then dialed in the proper weight for the cartridge. Then I verified and made a minor adjustment after using the gauge.

I work on guns and am used to patient / take my time work. I know that shoddy work could have bad results. But I know how to have fun as well. So I am having fun.

Am I making practical sense? maybe not. But I am having fun. (I am slowly becoming crippled due to pinching nerves at the L5 / S1. So working on guns and working on my music is all I have now.) 

First, by owning and listening to one MC cartridge and one MM cartridge, you will not learn "the difference" between MM and MC. You will only learn the difference between the two particular cartridges.

Second, according to the internet, the E-glo has provision for both MM and MC types. Just be sure you have connected your Ortofon MM into the MM inputs. If so, then check the capacitance loading which is adjustable on your E-glo. You guesstimate total capacitance load by adding the capacitance of your phono cables to the inherent apacitance of the phono input and the added load capacitance at the phono stage (which is the adjustable parameter on your E=glo). If the total capacitance is much different from recommended for your cartridge, that too can cause distortion. Load resistance should be 47K ohms or higher.

@cinqcepages you're also doing at least basic calibration when you install the cartridge on your tonearm? Failure to calibrate may be why you find the 2M Red fatiguing since that's generally not the case for that cartridge. Which is why it can be a bit annoying to switch between cartridges frequently instead of just getting one really good one and sticking with it.

@ghdprentice I have "the bug" right now; then back to reality: I want an MM and a MC to see if I can tell the difference. Then I will feel a bit more educated. 

My original Legacy MC that came with the TT got trashed; somehow. which sent me down this road of diagnosing what happened. 

So during this adventure I decided to upgrade my phonostage from the Musical Fidelity M1 to the Eglo. So I will have a backup phono stage. So maybe I am being foolish but I am having fun. Right? That counts, right?

Since the SLP05 is a linestage, I have to wonder what you’re using for a phono stage. Could it be that you’re driving a high gain MC phono stage with an MM cartridge (the Ortofon Red)? This would inevitably overload such a phono stage and cause the objectionable distortion you describe. If not, then you just need a better cartridge, and that’s not hard to achieve, given your present starting point.

OP,

Just out of interest… multiple cartridges? Why? Cartridges get better with cost… they combine the positive attributes of different less expensive cartridges, while dramatically reducing surface noise and increasing dynamic impact. of course increasing your investment in the TT as well has to be a part of early upgrades.

Anyway, you might consider a single cartridge until you can upgrade the whole rig. I the range of your TT jumps of 2x or 3x will net really substantial improvements in sound.

I am in the market for multiple cartridges. so thank you @audphile1 and @jasonbourne52 ​​​​@noromance 

Hana EL or SL. If you can go higher in budget go for Hana ML. Either cartridge set up correctly will improve your listening experience with the ML taking it to new heights. I recommend getting a good protractor such as Dr. Feichert new generation.

Grado Sonata ($300).

Nagaoka MP300