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Soundstage gone

Hi guys,
I was really happy with the sound I had from my system until I decided to upgrade my turntable to MC stage. What I had: Linn LP12 with Lingo 3, Akito tonearm and Adikt MM cartridge. The amp is MA2275, speakers B&W 802. Recently I upgraded TT with Radical power supply, Urika MC internal phono stage, Ekos tonearm and Kandid cartridge. My amp has only MM phono stage, so tried to plug the cords from the table into other available inputs: CD2, tuner or DVD. The sound was amazing but the soundstage almost gone. I was shocked. There is no more splitting sounds between speakers and all the records plays as mono. Is there a way to fix that? Forgot to mention: I have a dedicated power line and my cables AQ Hurricane, AQ Oak.

lviv
clearthinker's avatar
clearthinker
1,582 posts
 
Yeah.  The mono issue is definitely incorrect connections at the cartridge or two wires/connectors touching.

If you are in full-time mono that will explain the loss of soundstage!!!
If it persists after you get stereo back, it is likely then down do inaccurate cartridge alignment in the arm.

Yeah why not just take it back to the dealer to correct.  When done, go in for a test listen in his shop.
testpilot
933 posts
 
When you use another source does the soundstage reappear?  Do you have access to a pair of headphones?
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Iviv, did you check the cartridge connections? I have also seen tonearm leads miss identified with the wrong colors on the female plugs. So, if it looks like the right color plugs are on the right pins you might want to check continuity with a meter.
itsjustme
681 posts
 
My usual comments: this is too extreme to have anything to do with most audiophile "tweeking around the edges" suggestions.  Either a) something is broken in the cart, b) it is set up (alignment) incorrectly, c) the wires are somehow wrong (this would do it!!!) or similar.
Start with the basics.  The image is very dependent on the alignment since the stero signal must be decoded from two orthogonal squiggly grooves. If your cartridge is not truly perpendicular - poof.  If the VTA is off it is reading/smearing two different "time stamps".  Etc. 

G
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Forget about what you heard at the store. That is always a poor listening situation. All you know for sure at the store was both channels were working. The problem was there also, you just did not notice it. 
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