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Not Enjoying My Turntable

I purchased a u-turn orbit plus six months back to get into the experience of vinyl and collecting again. So far I have enjoyed the process of album buying and the tactile experience of vinyl. However, I just am not happy with the sound. Generally I have always enjoyed playing music with the treble turned up. Maybe because of some hearing loss I don't know. Also, I have had some problems with the turntable. The needle skips and to me the sound is muffled.

I am sure I could fix some of these problems with a equalizer and some troubleshooting with the turntable but am I just chasing the dragon here? In short am I doing something wrong.
brimel1974
edgewear
543 posts
 
@elizabeth 
Can't you read? The OP says he's not happy with the sound and he's wondering if an equalizer or troubleshooting with the turntable might fix his problems. I've merely suggested that fiddling with a $300 turntable is not going to bring him any closer to that dragon. He'll need a bigger boat......

uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
While $300 is not a lot for a vinyl setup, it does sound like there is something seriously wrong in the set up whether it be mechanical ( vta, vtf, azimuth etc) or electrical ( loading, mismatch etc).

What I think Elizabeth was driving at was the possibility that the OP maybe able to improve what they have with some judicious set up moves.

Of course it is still only going to be as good a sound as a $300 rig can hope to produce but there maybe enough to improve that the OP will be at least content.
minorl
1,018 posts
 

After "upgrading" my Sota Star Vacuum turntable with SME IV arm to a Triangle Art Maestro turntable with Zeus Cartridge, after the initial setup the needle skipped quite often and the turntable was set up using all the high tech gear by the manufacturer himself.

The cause cause was..... wait for it.... the location and isolation wasn't right.

My Sota was a suspension design and where it was placed, it didn't skip with the low frequency energy transmitting from the speakers.

However, the Maestro on the other hand was a suspension less design and although it weighs 80 pounds, I had to move it and put it on a well isolated rack and lo and behold, no more skipping.

Wasn't dirt on the needle.

First test is to walk heavily and see if it translate onto the album.  Or turn the music down and see if it skips then. 

I am now a believer in proper turntable setup, location and isolation.

enjoy

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