Crackling distortion

Well I thought I had everything sorted, but now I think the crackling distortion might just be the record, not the TT. Last night I put on a record (brother where art thou soundtrack) and the first side was fine, but as soon as I flipped to the second side I started getting the distortion at the end of emphasized vocals. So I got out my old middling pioneer TT that I rescued from the garbage and refurbished. It has a green Grado cart that I threw on it when I fixed it. I hooked it up to my Onkyo receiver in my "man cave" and what do you know, same distortions from the same moments in the song were heard.

The only thing that disturbs me is that I heard this similar etched vocal distortion (emphasized vocals not soft vocals) on "tea for the tillerman" lp but that was on the last track on a side which makes me think its end of lp distortion, though it seems more sever than maybe it should. Its a brand new album. How bad does the end of lp distortion usually sound? I can't imagine it would be so bad as to be hearing screechy etched vocals. I played around with TF to no avail, and I triple checked my overhang with the VPI jig so I'm good there. It might be the album, but I'll need to try it on the pioneer TT to be sure.

LL, if you eliminated the electronics it's either the TT set-up, or the speakers which I assume are fine. I have some familiarity with DV and I would be pretty surprised that your low output cartridge is overloading your receiver's phono input section. As stated that leaves the TT.

I would try reducing the VTF to the low side of the recommended range. I think my HO calls for VTF of 1.8 to 2.2 grams. Try 1.8 grams and report back.

From what you've said, azimuth and alignment should be ok. Unless VTA is way, way off I'd be surprised that is the source of the problem.

So try the other TT. Kinda doubt that the VPI is the source of the problem. If everything else checks out after trying your old TT and reducing VTF, I would try another carty in the TT. It's very unlikely but possible that the carty is defective.

I tried from 1.8 to 2.2g. It didn't change anything on the particular album that had the distortion. Interestingly most other albums are fine. No distortion at all. So I'm beginning to think it my just be the album. I'm going to tri it on the pioneer to see if the sound replicates.

Because of the geometry of the JWM uni-pivot arm, the VTF increases as the cartridge height goes up, everything else being equal. Similarly the VTF goes does as the cartridge height decreases. With the Shure stylus gauge, it works on balance and has a range of motion. Within that range of motion your arm is actually changing VTF. it is very difficult to get an accurate reading with that gauge and the JWM tonearm. Suggest you get a digital gauge which has a non moving platform and then measure your vertical tracking force at exactly the same level as your record.

Ok. I got my dig force guage in. Now I'm even more confused on how to deal with setting the force and dealing with anti skate. I know your suppose to take off AS when setting force. However no matter where I place the metal pigtail off the TA it changes the AS between .2 and .3 g. I can't find a place to set it when it's unplugged that acts "neutral" to the tone arm. The only place that seems like it would be truly neutral is directly above where it plugs into the tone arm with alll the slack of the wire removed and the pigtail hovering in the air - and the wire can't be pulling up or pushing down on the tone arm bc that would change the force reading. Same is true for setting azimuth. The best I can figure is to twist the wire in such a way as to impart as close to zero AS while its plugged in, make all the other adjustments the put the twist in the wire to set anti skate.

Is there a better way?