2. analog
  3. 190496-74445

Find the Problem

My analog front end isn’t as developed as my digital end, but I am just curious as to what members here would identify as the source of my issue, as I don’t wish to spend time and resources chasing after it.

  To begin with, the analog source resides in a second system in my basement.  I won’t waste space detailing why.  Speakers are floorstanders with sub.  Silver line Panatellas with a Paradigm sub, specifically.  Amplification is 5.1 AVR by Anthem playing in 2 channel when I play analog.

  Turntable is a newish (2 year old) Technics SL 1200 Direct Drive with an Ortofon 2M Blue moving magnet cartridge.  Phono preamp is a Cambridge Audio that does moving magnet only.

  The problem, which I’ve only recently noticed, is a hardening at extreme peaks, particularly in the treble.  Specifically, flutes and high strings during orchestral climaxes.  Otherwise I am very pleased with the sound.

  This problem isn’t present with my digital sources (Pioneer Universal player, television, even Apple TV playing old compressed iTunes files) .

  I suspect it’s either the cartridge or the preamp.  I realize this is a modest analog setup in comparison to what many have, but hey it can be fun to tweak a modest bit of kit

mahler123
jlbkmb1958
28 posts
 

How many hours do you have on the stylus?  Have you used a test record to verify your setup?

mahler123 OP
3,322 posts
 

The digital sources in the system that has the turntable, my basement system, do not show this problem.  I believe that narrows the issue down to the turntable, arm, cartridge/stylus, phono pre amp, or perhaps the LPs.

  I have hardly listened to the analog system for the last 2 months, primarily because we were out of town caring for my mother in law who was in hospice at home.  I don’t recall noticing the problem previously.

  Regarding the cartridge alignment, why would that only cause an issue during the loudest passages?  I had purchased the table from Music Direct in Chicago and had them mount the cartridge.  I don’t have the tools to do an alignment and it’s been half a century since I’ve done this, and frankly I don’t trust my eyesight to much at this point to detect a minor misalignment.  I have another dealer 20 miles away who will check it if I bring it in, and I might do that, but as a last resort.

  The record that really made me notice this (Jascha Horenstein/London Symphony Orchestra in Mahler Third Symphony) hasn’t gotten the deluxe cleaning treatment.  I have my LPs cleaned by a local guy with an Ultrasound machine who gives a bulk discount.  I am waiting to take possession of some LPs that my in laws possessed and have him do the lot so that might take several weeks.  I’ll spin some other cleaner LPs in the interim 

dougthebiker
210 posts
 

I went through the problem of harshness on sopranos and forceful brass recently and discovered the problem was dirty power.

I had a 30-year old power conditioner on the line and thought I had no problems caused by power.  Then I borrowed a modern power conditioner from my dealer and was pleasantly surprised to find the harshness went away.  I actually tried three different new power conditioners before I found the one that totally eliminated the harshness.

mahler123 OP
3,322 posts
 

Interesting.  I played a few albums today that I have had cleaned with Ultrasound, all with lots of treble and orchestral climaxes.  No problems.

inna
7,296 posts
 

Dirty power, dirty records, dirty stylus. Something is dirty, or all of those.

I personally used to have this from time to time, the cause was dirty power.

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