40 years of fitting cartridges to a variety of arms, I'm feeling stumped


Sibilance and distortion on the last track.
 
I have had no problem with setting-up numerous Ortofons, 2 Dynavectors, Yamaha MC-1S, Goldring 1042, Sumiko EVOIII BPS/Blackbird, Denon DL-304/DL-301MKII/DL-103R, Nagaoka MP-500/MP300. But this.....this Soundsmith ’The Voice’ - it’s beating me up.

I have tried what seems to be every conventional and unconventional means to getting it just right on the VTF, Overhang, Alignment, Azimuth, VTA and anti-skating. I haven’t given-up. There has to be a way - unless I either have the wrong arms (SME 309 and Audiomods Series 6) or I lose what skills I had in the eye-hand co-ordination dept.

I have read every word of Peter Ledermann’s instructions on the USB key and watched the videos. Still struggling.
I shall persevrere.
Any pearls of wisdom are welcome.

regamortis

My only guess, given your skills, is anti-skating. 

How do you set it? Anything seem different with this cartridge?

You could try using inner grooves to set it, then play, problems on last track persist? That will tell you something.

Also, given your skills, I agree, send it back to them, have them check it out.

I'm using a Soundsmith cartridge on a 309, and did run into an issue that affected the last track or two on a side (though it was mistracking rather than sibilance and distortion). I was having to lower the arm to get it level to a point where the arm was touching against the arm lift, even when it was lowered. The SME manuals say their arm lifts are adjustable with a tiny Allen key inserted in the tiny hole in the middle of the rubber cap on the arm lift, but I cannot find such a hole on any of my SME arms. I shaved off the ridge on the rubber and all is well.

Looks like The Voice is sored by COVID19 and in need of some medical attention.

 

I think it would be good idea to contact Peter Ledermann himself, the man in the know.