Arrowheadrss, I could have been off a bit in my estimate of course. Maybe 5 or 10 percent. Also do not forget, I buy mostly used records as well, so that would increase the likelihood of buying worn records or records with worn grooves. You cannot tell 100 percent if a record you are buying is worn, as even some that look pretty good sometimes have some wear in areas. I disagree about bringing it to someone with a million dollar set up (exageration) as some suggest, as it is a set up I will never own. My turntables are all highly reviewed samples and 2 of the three cartridges are brand new and also highly regarded. The eroica is original to the mmf7 with no more than 100 hours, as it was in storage for years. The alignment parameters were all exhaustively checked and are as close as can be with human hands and eye. The fact that the effected records are all used would substantially increase the percentages of getting a worn record. Also from reading here, it seems there is an abundance of users that are having the same issues. They have listed in their posts countless record titles that have some sibalance. No one I know unfortunately is into audio as I am in my immediate circle. Most if not all audio stores have closed there doors in my immediate area. Sure there may be one maybe 100 miles away, but honestly it is not worth it to me to drive that far. Again, I have a very hard time believing that all three tables and cartridges producing the very same sibilance in the same areas of the pressings can point any where else but the pressing itself. Likewise, if all three are aligned that badly, then it would reason to say that far greater amounts of my collection , if not all of them would behave or play badly, which is not the case. Some play astonishingly. Lastly, the manufacturers of these tables and cartridges are not as rigid as some here as to how to install a cartridge on their particular arm. Some of them even provide a protractor with the table. I do not believe that any of them anticipate that the user is going to use or have to use a microscope to set it up. There is some give or take or tolerances present in the set up process. I do believe that people make much to big of a deal out of it, as long as it looks right with whatever it is you are choosing to align it with, then it should sound fine. I don't think these companies could stay in business if it were not the case. Too many dismiss the pressing as the cause, and some claim to have 100 percent rid themselves of the sibalance issue. I find that way too hard to believe personally.
I'm putting to rest worrying about sibilance
I just ran a test on three different turntables I own. I played various recordings, each of which exhibit sibilance to some degree, mostly female vocalists. The three tables are pro-ject the classic with the hana el, music hall mmf7 with factory mounted eroica h, and my brand new thorens td 240-2 with the ortofon om10 also factory installed. My dilemma began with constant worrying about the first table (the pro-ject) as I thought I was hearing a bit of sibilance only on certain records. So I played the very same records, mostly used from thrifts etc, on all three tables and adjusting volume or gain for each. Well, I found that all three table and cartridge combinations exhibit the sibilance in the same parts of songs on each recording. My findings are that what I perceive as higher sibilance on the hana can be contributed to its (imo) better high frequency response. In other words, the other tables and cartridges had the sibilance, but to a lesser prominence, but it WAS there. So my conclusion is that it Is just inherent in the lp medium to some degree, and more so with used records. I have farted around enough with the hana el and I am no longer going to fret over it. I would have a hard time believing that all three tables and cartridges are that badly aligned etc to all cause some sibilance here and there. All three were checked and seem to be dead on. The only table I personally installed cartridge on was the pro- ject (hana el) also, three preamps were tried during testing, my marantz pm14s1 built in, a musical fidelity lx lps, and a pro-ject tube box ds2. Lastly the hana el was adjusted when installed to align with the cartridge body and not the cantilever (just easier imo) using a proper protractor, and the vta was adjusted so that the hana is a bit ass down, as I think the hana sounds right like that. So there is my conclusion. I’ve been reading forum after forum about the sibilance issue somehave, but I think I feel better after doing what I did as described above, and refuse to drive my self nuts any longer!😁
Just to add, the listening was first performed on the other 2 tables, the mmf7 and thorens, again both have factory installed cartridges, also checked by me. In doing so I ruled out the hana inscribing the record grooves with the sibilance in the event its mis aligned, which it is not....
Just to add, the listening was first performed on the other 2 tables, the mmf7 and thorens, again both have factory installed cartridges, also checked by me. In doing so I ruled out the hana inscribing the record grooves with the sibilance in the event its mis aligned, which it is not....
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- 84 posts total
- 84 posts total