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More turntable set up problems

I have an older Teres Audio turntable, purchased in 2005. It is a basically a model 160 with some upgrades, such as a birch plywood platter, a Teres VTA adapter and a hardwood reflex clamp. The tonearm is a Moerch DP-6 Precision red dot with a 12"armtube, and the cartridge is a Zyx R100-02H. I had everything set up in 2005 and everything was still working fine when I stopped listening to it a few years ago. Just this month I decided it was time to start listening to my two channel system again - I really do regret having neglected it for so long, but you can't change the past!

The turntable is level, the VTA appears to be correct, I have aligned the cartridge with the use of a Turntable Basics protractor( the only tool I have for this) and the tracking force is set within the range suggested by Zyx. With the rather crude measuring devices I have (rulers/straight edges) the overhang seems about right - it is supposed to be 13.3 mm, but I have nothing that will measure .3 of a millimeter. Anyway, I don't know how accurate my eyes are but I think I have things set up as close to where they should be given my tool and eyesight limitations. But.....

The sound coming out of my speakers is awful.....lots and lots of distortion, sounds like a transistor radio turned all the way up, if you know what I mean (if you are old enough to have been around transistor radios, lol,) hissy and garbled, really rough.

I have tried adjusting the anti-skating on the tonearm. The Moerch DP-6 has a lever for this, not a wheel, so I can't actually dial it in, but moving the lever made no discernable difference, the system still sounded like you-know-what. I also played with the VTA, just in case, but again, this made no difference.

I am probably going to start all over again and recheck every alignment, etc., but if anyone can give me some tips as to what area I should definitely focus upon - azimuth perhaps? - given the distortion problem my system is experiencing, I would much appreciate it.

By the way, I have a DAC and CD-player in my 2-channel system as well; CD's sound wonderful, so that SHOULD eliminate the possibilities that the DAC or tube power amp are causing the problems. Of course, there is a tube phono-stage/step up in the mix as well, but I really don't think that is the source of the problem - I really think I have done something wrong with the cartridge alignment....

Holly
oakiris
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,999 posts
 
You could have a bad tube(s) in your phono stage. If you haven't used the rig in a while, the cartridge might have dried out, (the rubber elasticizer that holds the cantilever in) which will impede the movement. Make sure you clean the stylus well.

I would also clean the spindle off and reinstall fresh oil to the bearing.

Good luck and let us know what you finally find out.
acresverde
398 posts
 
I'm not tryimg to sound absurd here but is your stylus broken off?
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Mofimadness is right, if you haven't used it in quite a while the cartridge's suspension may have dried out. This happened to a ZYX cartridge that I owned for a few years, and I don't know that you can do anything about that.

However, I would also follow the rest of his advice, check the tubes in your phono stage, clean the stylus and make sure it is still there, re-check all alignment guidelines, and lubricate your turntables bearing and motor. Make sure everything is still properly grounded too. Good luck.
lak's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
lak
4,676 posts
 
Yes, I agree with all the above comments.
Just remember it's all easier said then done :-)
I know from experience!
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