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Strangest Phono Sound I Ever Heard

First of all, Happy TG.  Yesterday, the strangest thing happened with my TT.  I have a Basis 2001 with a Transfiguration Orpheus, running to a Linn Linto.  I've had this setup for well over 7 years without any problems, although I did change the cart once.  So the other day I put on a record and I get this strange sound in the right speaker, almost like mistracking and it started happening consistently.  I checked all the connections and they were noiseless.  I even changed the input on my integrated amp, which works perfectly with my digital.  So I figure maybe the cartridge is messed up so I change the cartridge and when I am doing the alignment, I notice an excessive amount of anti-skate, even though I have it set to minimum.  So I take the counterweight off the anti-skate and it seems better.  I install the new cart and It is making the same mistracking sound in the right channel. Plus, I am getting a sound that sounds like a motorcycle speeding up and slowing down in the right speaker.  It is definitely not a 60-cycle hum.  It sounds like a recording of a motorcycle varying in speed.  I shook all the connections and nothing was loose.  The weirdest thing I've ever heard out of an audio system.  Any ideas?  Again, have a good holiday.  

chayro
apogeum
34 posts
 

Sounds like some kind of oscillation.  Have you tried what happens if you switch left and right input of the Linto? Is the oscillation in the left speaker if you do this? If that's the case  I would first check the power supply of the Linn Linto.

As the digital source works fine with the rest of your system I would bet that the problem must be found in the phono stage. If something is wrong with the anti-skating it could actually amplify some problem that was already latent in the phono stage but hasn't shown up before.

 

chayro OP
2,984 posts
 

@apogeum - Good catch.  I reversed the tt leads and the same sound stayed right.  So it has to be the Linto I think. As for the anti-skate, I checked the tonearm leads and the cue and I didn't see anything.  I ordered a cheap $129 Pro-Ject MM/MC phono stage from Amazon just to totally eliminate the Linto while I see if it can be repaired or it's not worth it.  It's a very decent phono stage on the used market. 

4krowme's avatar
4krowme
542 posts
 

I agree about the phono pre and motorboating. Haven't heard that term in many years, but it fits the description. Hope you get it repaired since you like the result's when things are right.

wturkey's avatar
wturkey
768 posts
 

Warped record? Suspension on the verge of collapse?

axpert's avatar
axpert
124 posts
 

You might try this. BASIS is a top tier company founded and run but one of the best engineers in the business. Why don't you try contacting them and lay your issue out to them in full. 

If nothing else, they may have a suggestion that will help set you in the right direction to discover and cure the problem, or they may possibly know the source of the ailment.

I think I'd start there rather talking to a bunch of totally disassociated people.

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