Is LP distortion the record or the cartridge?

I was having a similar problem in highly modulated passages, particularly female vocal harmonies and Pink Floyd crescendos.  I only noticed this after a significant turntable upgrade.  I kept thinking it must be cartridge alignment or a compliance issue.  Maybe bad pressings..  I got ocd about cleaning the needle, sometimes twice per side.

 I got a used integrated for an in home trial and realized after hours of listening to the albums that had given me trouble, I hadn’t thought maybe the needle had picked up some fuzz once.  Bought the amp and no distortion since.

although some here might tell you it can’t be the amp that might act that way, it can be.  My amp was from the 80s.

Lyra is a great match w Triplaner. i run a Delos on a Triplaner on a Brinkmann with a HRS base. i think you should have Lyra setup correctly....

btw that Lyra is super fantastic, some of the best sound i have heard

You can check again your cartridge alignment, whatever that would be and inspect the condition of your cartridge/cantilever/stylus. Complience matching would not have such severe effects.
Changing a cartridge would not remedy this if an alignment is not performed correctly.

G

Yes, the Atlas is a great cartridge. You either have a tracking problem or  a worn record problem. Miss-tracking can really chew up vinyl.
On a record you know has the problem try increasing the VTF to max and add a little antiskating. If it sails through without distortion then it is a tracking problem and the Atlas in a Tri Planar will fix it. If you hear the same distortion than you most likely have a worn record problem. Clipping phono stages can also do this but I have a hard time believing the Shalabi would do that. What phono stage are you using?

Cartridge alignment is paramount.


If the LPs are damaged, there won't be anything you can do.