2. analog
  3. 1232902020

Vinyl sounds a bit thin and slightly strident.

The analog side of my system looks like this:
Benz Micro Ebony H Cartridge(Broken in). VTF around 1.9g.
No Headshell weight.
VPI Scout/JMW-9 Signature Arm(Wired w/Nordost Valhalla)
Cardas Neutral Ref Phono Balanced.
Audio Research PH-2 Balanced Phono Pre
Cardas Neutral Reference IC's
Audio Research LS-7 Preamp w/Electro-Harmonix Tubes from ARC
Cardas Hexlink 5C
Mark Levinson No.331
Purist Audio Design Aqueous Bi-wire
B&W Nautilus 803S
I recently purchased a used Sony 9000ES SACD player and noticed I could listen for extended periods of time and I just kept wanting to play music because it is a great sounding player and very engaging and realized that I'm having a hard time getting as involved with my vinyl rig and I've concluded that the big contributing factors are a lack of bass weight, mid-bass bloom and the top end is a bit strident.
Has anyone else had a problem such as this? And what device(s) should I tweak or change in order to alleviate these sonic characteristics? I suspect my overhang may be off and a contributing factor due to just using the stock VPI protractor. I want to get a Wally Tractor soon.
Any thoughts?
n803nut

Showing 2 responses by bob_bundus

bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
The variety & multitude of suggested corrections & mods seems fairly overwhelming; who knows it could be any, or a combination, of the above.
One area I haven't seen addressed nor do you mention, is what AC cables you're using. Since the CDP is satisfactory, you might experiment with upgrade AC cord on the phonostage alone. Or line conditioning. Perhaps even footers or an isolation shelf. All of these can change sonic signature to a lesser/greater extent, especially with tube componentry.
Some here would argue that cabling & cords can't possibly affect the sound of a component. However my own tuning experiences with changing AC cords (and to a lesser extent, line conditioning) have proven that a world of difference can certainly be realized.
Just another mystery to throw into the mix - sorry ;-)
bob_bundus
1,834 posts
 
Actually there is a simple method to modify for testing upgrade cords without butchering the back panel, and at nominal cost. If you like the results then that can be done later... If not then you can easily go back to stock. I have previously posted this many times; here it is again:

Start by getting a male-prong IEC (which you may end up installing later - or not) there's many sources for this.
Cut the stock cord within about 6" of the component. Strip the ends and solder on your IEC. Use heat shrink sleeving, or at very least electrical tape, to insulate the bare connections.
Get a loaner upgrade cord from a local audio shop; these are usually used often so they're already broken in. After installation, leave the component energized for awhile (days) so it can settle in properly. Now you're ready to evaluate. Next, try out a different cord for comparison sake. No two cords sound the same on any given component, & what works well on any particular piece may not perform at all on a different piece so you need to experiment.

Some cords are all-purpose; others and intended for source-components only, which applies to most anything except a power amp or the input side of a high current AC line-conditioner.

If you want to return to stock cord, then just strip both the ends and solder-splice together again (or use butt-crimp connectors). Again use heat shrink sleeving for a professional appearance. You can heat the sleeving with the soldering iron, or a hot hair dryer, or even a butane lighter if you're careful.
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