What is distortion due to?

If the noise occurs on both channels then antiskating and bad pressings are unlikely to be involved. Those problems tend to create one-channel noises.

Distorted musical peaks could indicate an overload, but this should never happen with a Blackbird feeding an A308's MM inputs unless the MF has gone bad somehow (pretty unlikely).

A buzz or static-like burst in synch with a musical peak usually indicates stylus mistracking. The solution includes keeping your records clean, keeping your stylus clean and increasing downforce.

Sumiko's recommended VTF for the Blackbird is not 2.0g. It's a range from 1.8 to 2.2. There is no reason to believe that "exactly" 2.0g is optimal for any particular Blackbird, especially one that's new. New cartridges often require more downforce until the suspension breaks in. Every cartridge is unique and many perform best in the top half of their recommended VTF range even after break-in.

VTF cannot be optimized by using a scale. It must be fine tuned by listening. Eliminating obvious mistracking is the first and most important step, since this kind of behavior will permanently damage every record on which it occurs.

I'll disconnect one channel at a time to see for sure if it is one channel only.

Yes, it is the highly modulated passages, very loud and high frequency..like human voice (soprano), violin, or upper piano range.

What is the best way to do the "twist" on the wire? Please explain how you can see whether you have it the right way. You know VPI really hasn't embraced anti-skating, although their signature arm does have a mechanism. Maybe I need to upgrade.

Sounds like mistracking to me and has nothing to do with anti-skating. Increase the VTF (with AS dissabled)and note if distortion reduces. Upgrading the arm isn't going to solve mistracking problems.
Bob P.

OK, I can verify that it is only the right channel that distorts. I checked and did not have a twist in the wire. I increased my VTF to 2.2g, using a digital guage placed on top of the platter. Still the buzz was there. I then put a single counterclockwise twist in the tonearm wire and no help. I then tried screwing with the azimuth, rechecking the VTF after each adjustment. Then I undid the twist and tried different azimuth settings. I tried two twists and it was really bad! It got worse, then better, but never fully gone. Could I have a bad stylus? Was I right in checking and trying different azimuth adjustments? I have checked the routine alignment and overhang with the jig given by VPI. As far as my 51 year old eyes can see, its OK.

Is it possible the cantilever is tilted. It always seemed tilted toward the spindle just a little when I looked at it, so I had originally adjusted the azimuth to try to get the stylus/cantilever perpendicular to the groove, again by eye. I am new to analog so I don't have the experience to know what to listen for. But the channels seemed balanced and frankly I love the sound on most discs. Its just the distortion on some things that is killing it. HELP.

Should I get and try a new cart? I need my analog, cause it beats the hell out of CDs.