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Odd problem with TT setup...

I’ve got an SME 30/2 TT with the Gold V tonearm. Recently, I’ve noticed on a few albums with particularly punchy kick drum passages (The Police Zenyatta, Talking Heads Slippery People particularly) that on occasion I hear a distinct “pop” as if overdriven during these notes. But not every time in the song, nor on every song.. The odd thing is, it doesn’t matter what I change... my typical cart is an Atlas, but it has also done it with other carts, namely a Sumiko Blue #2 MM. Capacitance settings don’t change the problem, I’ve tried cable swaps on both ends, different phono stages, gain settings, loads etc. it happens in any channel on my Hegel regardless of volume, it happens if I run straight into my head phone amp with headphones. The ONLY constant here is the tonearm. All of the setup parameters are spot on, I’ve tried a variety of VTA settings, antiskate you name it. Is it possible the internal wiring of the tonearm can have a problem? Overall the sound is excellent, great soundstage, overall presentation etc. with the exception of this one issue. Any ideas?
geof3
geof3 OP
1,125 posts
 
@Raul it’s not the cart. I’ve now tried my Atlas, two Sumitomo MC’s (high output) and now, for kicks, I tried a demo Ortofon MM... all the same. My current PS is a Simaudio Moon 5.3LP, I’ve tried a 310, I’ve tried 3 Lehmann’s Cube, Cube SE and Decade, I’ve tried McIntosh’s newest PS. All the same. A variety of cables of all levels... I’m completely stumped.

@Millercarbon, the sound is that if an overdrive. It is definitely distortion of some sort. Both channels, primarily right, I’ve tried antiskate settings from zero to “3” on the V... no idea...
geof3 OP
1,125 posts
 
Ok, so one more step in this troubleshooting... I just snagged a demo TT and I’m going to see what happens. A thought by my local guy suggested a short perhaps in the tone arm. Update at 11...
mcmvmx
108 posts
 
A disc that was cut to hot , but still on the level where it is tracable but very close to where there could be mistraking , so it does it sometimes , sometimes it does'nt thus many cartridges you use it does it .
geof3 OP
1,125 posts
 
So, an update... yes, there is no doubt these particular albums are hot for sure. I “borrowed” a Rega P3 and plugged it into my system and played the offending albums/tunes... no extraneous pop. So, either the combo of cart/tone arm/whatever on my SME is very, very sensitive and is doing just as mentioned above and possibly mistracking those hot passages, or I have a problem with my tone arm. Here’s a thought... could there be something with my SME power source? A ground problem or some such? 
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Most likely its a resonance/vibration problem of some kind. Electrical faults- bad solder joint, frayed or damaged wire - usually results in cut-outs not pops. My first thought was slight bearing wear. Kick drum energy bounces the bearing and when it lands it generates the pop. But that would be more like a knock I would think. 

I can tell you how to test and prove its not internal wire, but you won't like it, way too complicated. To check the bearing/compliance/resonance idea place some small mass at the pivot point, adjust VTF, and play. To check compliance add a mass of a few grams like a penny or dime, stick on top of the cartridge with Blue-tack or tape. Anything temporary just to check the theory. Its unlikely, but so is everything else at this point, sad to say.
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