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Kleos Sibilance

Hello Folks,

I posted this in a Delos thread but I thought I'd better start it's own thread.

I have a new Kleos in a JMW 9 Signature on a Scoutmaster. I am getting sibilance on vocals beyond what I have heard with either a Shelter 501 II or a VPI Ortofon on the same table. My dealer put the Kleos on the wand I had the VPI cart on. I have gone to 1.8g and did not solve it and I have checked the alignment. I brought the rear of the arm down as well. It may be less pronounced but it is still there. Otherwise the Kleos is quite nice. It has 3 or 4 hours on it now. I do not hear misstracking on high level passages, just sibilance and sometimes some grunge on male vocals. It is not on all vocals but it is fairly common.
robob
robob's avatar
robob OP
205 posts
 
"I thought you were clear that you did not hear mistracking on high pitched tracks, just sibilants & grunge on male vocals. This was the only reason concerning a better matched wiring loom in your system."

There are many types of tracking/tracing problems. The inability to reproduce clean sibilants is one of them.

As a further stop gap I am going to add more weight to the headshell. And returning the Kleos is unacceptable. Not sure he would take it back and I think the Kleos is quite wonderful. The last U2 is playing now and it is in another league with the Kleos, still not great but much better.

"As you ask for a new idea, I would like to point something better : Denon DP80/SME 312S"

Thanks for that. I will look at the Denon. I used to sell their stuff, even the high end stuff. My dealer does have Denon HT products.

Glad y'all are keeping it going. It makes the annoyance a bit easier to take.
tobes's avatar
tobes
436 posts
 
FWIW, Fremer reviews the Kleos in the January S'phile - he used it with an Avid Diva II/ SME 309. He certainly didn't experience any sibilance issues - quite the opposite in fact.
Some comments from that review:
"It's performance fresh out the box is better than a fully broken-in Helikon..."
"...cleanly rendered sibilants and shimmering high frequency transients with no hint of edge..."
"..an airy, extended top end that was decidedly not bright or etchy."

To test whether it is a cartridge/arm mismatch, perhaps you could find a friend - or friendly dealer - with an SME or similar and listen before making any decision.
robob's avatar
robob OP
205 posts
 
"...cleanly rendered sibilants and shimmering high frequency transients with no hint of edge..."

Yep, glad you brought that up, read it twice. Should have that passage memorized!

Dgarretson had said add weight to the headshell which I did. He then said more. So now I have 3g on it. Even more dampened than with just the .9g . Highs are crisper, particularly noticeable on symbols. The vocals on Captain and Me appear to have mostly cleared up. That LP was showing the most gravel in the some of the vocals. Still getting sibilance on RAM. Bass definition seems to have improved even further. Will try Norah next.
robob's avatar
robob OP
205 posts
 
Sibilance still there on multiple LP's including Featuring Norah Jones. It is improved. The sound is really good otherwise. A bit less slam but everything is more controlled and crisper. Maybe a little HiFi sounding occasionally but very little. Just heard really nice cymbal hits that sounded real so that is definitely better. Norah gives a good try to Court and Spark but Ms. Mitchell owns that. At the risk of sounding like a broken LP, piano is so wonderful through the Kleos.

Pretty sure I cannot live with a blob of Blu-tack on the headshell!

So Dgarretson gets the prize, whatever that may not be, for recommending the weigh on the headshell trick.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
I wonder if fremer had a lamp over the table to keep the cartridge warm per vpihw.

LOL

What a boatload of crap.

And from the designer no less.

UFB

Maybe used cars is a more appropriate gig.
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