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Grain/Distortion heard on Inner 1/4 of LP

I've been adjusting this and that with my new Clearaudio Emotion/Virtuoso setup, and I thought I had things tuned in pretty well, but now all the albums I listen to exhibit pretty bad distortion when listening to the inner 1/4 of an LP. Up until that point, everything sounds clean and superb. I've meticulously realigned my cart several times and adjusted overhang to the point where I don't think it could be any better when using the naked eye. I also raised my VTA to assist in dynamic and bass response.

I was told to solve this problem I need to adjust my VTF, but I've been messing around with that too and can't seem to get the distortion to go away. I've played with anti-skate as well, but the distortion is coming evenly from both channels, so I don't believe that is the issue.

Have any of you experienced this problem? Is this a cartridge alignment issue, VTA, VTF, etc.? What have you guys done to resolve this?

Thanks
jwglista
ducatirider
111 posts
 
do you know the pivot to spindle distance of your tonearm? search for conrad hoffman alignment template generator. it's a custom program that will print out a protractor for your specific geometry. the guy is a genius.
sme10
19 posts
 
My TT did the same, I spent so much time and money on Alignment tools.. didn't help. It turned it was a problem with my cartridge and arm combo, try another cartridge if you can.

Good luck!
jwglista OP
206 posts
 
Ducatirider: No I do not have that stat, but it should be available somewhere? It's a Clearaudio Emotion with Satisfy tonearm. I will have to search for that info.
sme10
19 posts
 
If the cartridge is aligned correctly, then it is correct. There are different systems but, so are there on record cutting machines...

If you have done this then the fault must lay else where, the complience of the cartridge must match with the arm. As the record nears the end, any discrepency will result in distortion, if you play a record with large transients you will hear it more as the cantilever struggles.
I really urge you to check this.
jwglista OP
206 posts
 
I would assume that a Clearaudio Virtuoso was made to match with a Clearaudio Satisfy tonearm. When I received the table, the tail end of the tonearm was low, but I raised the VTA to make it parallel. Maybe that's one of the issues. Although I did notice an improvement in sound when I adjusted the VTA.

I've printed several charts from the Conrad Hoffman alignment program, but I'm not even sure which one to use. There are standards for DIN, IEC, and "Typical". It will be interesting to see which of these alignment charts closely matches the chart that was provided by Clearaudio. Any suggestions on which one should be used?
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