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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
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Holly, I wished I lived closer to Denver. Actually, LA would be better, it's too damn cold here in Philadelphia. LOL!!

Well I hate to say it, but since tubes and cartridges wear out, they will be your most likely causes of your problem. The only hope is that if you are lucky, it's just a alignment issue (VTF, VTA, Azimuth, etc.). Hopefully someone more local to you will be able to jump in here to help you out. I'm sure there are more Teres owners in the Coloroda area. You may try starting a new post titled "Looking for help from Analog gurus located near Denver". Denver's too long of a road trip for me, sorry. ;)

Good luck,
John
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,492 posts
 
..that's why it is imperative to decide on a component that is well established and has a reputation for wonderful customer service. I came to that conclusion years ago when I got burned with components that became lost in the marketplace.
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
sometimes styli can loose the diamond. check if it's there with loupe and light.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
5,135 posts
 
Oakiris...I live about an hour away (Northern Colorado) and happen to be a turntable (and tube) guru.

It would be my pleasure to drive down and help you get this fixed. I have all the tools (and a few drawers full of tubes) and some turntable bearing oil, so we should be able to get everything up and running for you.

Unfortunately, I probably wouldn't be able to get down there until after the holidays...sorry.

If you would like to take this offline, (well off of Audiogon anyway), please email me at mraudioguru@gmail.com and we can discuss it.
oakiris OP
206 posts
 
Well John, Colorado makes a lovely vacation spot; are you not ready to take a nice vacation? lol Yeah, a long road trip indeed, and it won't necessarily be warmer here, either.

If it is the cartridge, I wonder how a $50 or less cartridge would sound in this rig? Might be an improvement over the sound my much more expensive cartridge is giving me! I will check the cartridge and stylus again, plus do the whole set up again, and change out the phono stage if need be to see if any of that helps. If it is the cartridge, I will be listening to CD's for a long, long time. :-( Luckily, CD's sound great in this system, but, oh, I do want to be able to play records again.

Stringreen - I do know what you mean, but Teres Audio was highly recommended to me by folks right here on Audiogon when I asked for turntable recommendations, plus they were a local company (working out of Chris's home at the time) and I could actually audition the turntable and bug the owner with lots of questions! It seemed ideal at the time, and all was well for several years. Perhaps if I had kept up with my system, I would also still have a line of communication to Chris. I may try another email to them, just to see if I can rattle some cages and get a response.

Holly
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