2. analog
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Graham Phantom II + Dynavector XV1's need help

Hi all, i have a Dynavector mounted on a Graham Phantom II. Turntable is Sota Cosmos IV.
I have set the overhang and zenith using a custom made MintLP.
VTF is set at 2.1g
VTA is set slightly above parallel at the arm's base.
Anti-skate weigh is set a bit less than midway on the shaft.
Azimuth is set with the mirror technique and it appears to be correct.
Test Record used is Cardas Frequency & Burn in record.

The Problem:

The stereo image is "tilted" to the right playing somewhat louder in the right channel. When playing a CD or FM Tuner, the image is perfectly centered.
I have tweaked azimuth, tilting a bit more to the left and to the right but to no avail.

On side 2 of that record when George speaks "greeting from the left channel then right channel then both channels", it is obvious that he comes out louder in the right channel.

Also, on side 1 there are 1KHz test tones in left, right and both channels.
When i play the test tone in the left channel and turn the balance control all the way to the right, i can hear the tone in the right channel and vice versa. Can this be described as a bad case of cross talk? Should/can the opposite channel be completely silent? I have done this test in stereo and mono (mono switch on the phono pre-amp).
Aside from a digital volt/ohm meter, i do not have electronic devices (re: O-scope, Wally tools) to adjust azimuth.

Any feedback appreciated.

smoffatt
jaytea
78 posts
 
Oh boy!

Are your phonostage, preamp and amp SS or Tube?

I have encountered this before (search my post here and on audioasylum) and it took me a great deal of time (and money) to solve it, but it could be as simple as replacing a tube in my preamp.

If your CD and Tuner play without imbalance, it's MORE LIKELY the analog source is the culprit BUT dont rule out the Preamp.

First, try to isolate the component that causes the problem: Test the source by switching your tonearm cable (L and R) at the input of the phonostage to see if the problem switches channel. If it does, then we'll go from there. If not, put back the tonearm cable in the right position and then switch the cable from the preamp to the amp.

If your phonostage or preamp are using tubes, try to switch the tubes around OR replace them.

My preamp uses tubes and the CD and other sources were playing great, only the analog chain causeed this problem. I tried everything and failed, then one day I decided to replace the tubes and everything worked correctly

You might say if the CD /Tuner work OK with the preamp and If the turntable & phonostage are problem free, then they should work fine too..but in my case, it DID NOT. Dont ask me why...I just dont know..but I replaced the tube and it worked! Weird huh?
goatwuss
877 posts
 
Hi,

I had the same problem recently. It was a bad tube in my phono stage.

What phono stage are you using? Does it have tubes?
sbrown
148 posts
 
If I remember correctly, the inner groove is the right channel. So, tilting the arm to the left may have exasperated the problem.

Likewise, play with anti-skate. Anti-skate correction is somewhat equivalent to brain surgery with a dull butter knife - itÂ’s not an exact science. I have always found that less is better in this department.
jaytea
78 posts
 
Sbrown: I'm pretty sure that the inner groove corresponds to the L channel, not the other way around.

Tilting the arm left and right adjusts Azimuth and this is used to optimize Channel Crosstalk, NOT channel imbalance which Smoffatt is experiencing.

In this situation, Anti-skating will only have minimal effect on channel imbalance.

Adjusting Azimuth and Anti-Skating wont cure this problem. Unless we can isolate the source (cartridge, tonearm cable, phonostage, phonostage interconnect or preamp) and go from there, tweaking cartridge setup wont go far in term of resolving this issue.
mikelavigne
2,199 posts
 
reversing the cartridge leads will either confirm or eliminate whether it's a cartridge/arm issue or not.

from there you either examine the rest of the signal path or consider the various cartridge and arm issues that have been mentioned.

messing around with arm set-up issues prior to confirming that the channel imbalance is actually in the cartridge is likely to be very frustrating in the long run.

first things first. isolate the problem. don't assume. reversing the cartridge leads and then putting them back should not affect set-up; it quick and simple.
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