Expensive vinyl rig - still not performing ;-


Hi Folks:
I purchased a vinyl rig about four months ago comprising a Teres 135 turntable kit, an Origin Live Silver tonearm and a Shelter 501MkII Low Output MC Cartridge. I'm using a Supratek Syrah phono stage section.

I'm confident that each of the componets is very respectable and should work well with each other, but something is not working right - the sound is at a lower par compared to my CD player (YBA CD1a). The soundstage is weaker, less airy, there is some apparent sibilence with vocals, and complex passages tend to be rended in a somewhat muddled fashion. Overall, I'm confident that something is wrong. In the absense of my ability to make comparisons with other components to try and identify the weak point, I'm kind of at a loss. I've tried changing vta, tracking force etc but such tweaking is not the issue really. Overall, I'd be really keen to lend my table to a vinyl nut with some good components to compare it to and so identify what's wrong, or have someone come to my house and maybe determine the issue. I'm having my Shelter repaired/touched up due to another issue, but upon it's return, I'm keen to pursue any suggestions any of you may have. (I'm in Los Altos, Ca, in Silicon Valley). I kind of took the plunge from CD into the vinyl realm with nothing but faith that I would see the light (and it's still dark so far, alas) Thanks in advance for any suggestions you have!!!!
outlier
Call Brian at the Analog Room in San Jose and see if he can fix your turntable problem. Maybe you could bring it in and have him adjust it etc., maybe even connect it to one of his systems, get it right, then bring it home to enjoy. Good luck.
I've spoken to Brian and while he knows some of the folks who designed the Teres, he isn't large on them. likely, though, he can help if it is a setup issue.
You haven't mentioned if you assembled this yourself, or had a dealer put it together. If the latter, I'd be all over his case.

It totally sounds like a setup/alignment prob, or a bum cart. Shelter carts are - to me - the new kid on the block, and the current buzz. IOW, I've never heard of them before until here. Which doesn't really mean too much, since any cart can go south, but you may have trouble finding a dealer experienced in setting them up.

I'd recomend Elliot at the Tweak Shop in Santa Rosa, but he doesn't handle any of those products...
The Analogue Room is probably your best bet... Especially if you shop for vinyl there. And if you do not, you should go there and pick up some excellent new (or used) vinyl. It is not cheap there, but hey, it's San Jose where only the air is cheap... And you pay for that with having to look at a city that is one very large suburb that has more population than San Fransisco but with one hundreth the character (of San Fran).

KF
1.is your turntable PERFECTLY leveled?
2.did you check if the armboard with platter on the one plane?
3.is your platter rotates free?
4.is your turntable coupled to the heavy and rigid stand?