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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
oakiris OP
206 posts
 
Well, it has been a while. Mofimadness came down this weekend and did some trouble shooting to see what the cause of the poor sound was. He said from the beginning that the only way a mistake in set up could cause the sound we were hearing was if I had installed the cartridge sideways. lol He thought it was probably a bad tube, but....

Well, the problem was the stylus. At first he thought the tip was gone and then he realized it was upside down (almost like installing the cartridge sideways I suppose!) Somehow I had managed to mishandle the cartridge and the cantilever twisted, or, possibly, the suspension had dried out while the system sat idle for years, allowing the cantilever to twist... Dunno, but it is trashed!

I had looked at the stylus and thought it looked odd but figured I either didn't know what I was looking for or my loupe just wasn't good enough. Sigh. Now I know what to look for!

The good news is that the phono stage is fine and all of the tubes tested near new, and it is likely that, once the cartridge is replaced, I won't have any problems with set up.

My tonearm is a Moerch DP-6 with the blue dot precision 12" arm tube. This is an extra heavy arm tube and requires a low compliance cartridge like the ZYX. The tonearm thus limits the cartridge choices.

At some point I am hoping to be able to get the ZYX repaired, but, due to a major lack of money, and the dearth of low compliance cartridges in the price range I can afford, I will be buying a Denon DL-103 cartridge to replace the ZYX R100H. I have a feeling I will be happy with this!

Thanks again to everyone that has offered me help here - and you were basically right from the get-go, Acresverde - the stylus was broken!

Holly
lak's avatar
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lak
4,681 posts
 
I'm glad you finally got the mystery solved :-)
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I am glad that you finally get some resolution to the problem, even though it wasn't good news. I can't say that I am surprised to hear that it was the cartridge, but it's still sad news. Thanks Mofi for your help!

On the bright side, the Denon DL-103 is an excellent cartridge, especially considering the price. It sounds like it should mate well with your arm too. Let us know how you like it once you get it set up.

Cheers,
John
oakiris OP
206 posts
 
I, too, am very happy that the source of the problem has been found, though I am very sorry that it was apparently due to me being careless with the cartridge/stylus at some point. Talk about being fumble-fingered..... :-(

I am indeed very thankful for Mofimadness and his willingness to help me - and he said he would come back if I run into problems setting up my new cartridge, too All praise to him! I am hoping I won't have problems with the setup and that I can invite him down for a fun listening session instead. We'll see!

I have read a lot of reviews of and posts about the Denon 103; it has some downsides but overall is considered a well-built and musical cartridge. I really think I will like it and this time around I plan to keep all of the components in my system until I really know what it sounds like and know what I would like to change - if anything - instead of foolishly running after 'the next best thing.' Maybe I can even get everything properly burned in!

Holly
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
5,008 posts
 
Holly...it was my pleasure to come down to Denver and help
out. Sorry we couldn't get you up and running in that
single trip.

To further update everyone, we swapped out all the cables,
(except the tone arm DIN to RCA cable, but we did remove and
reinstall it to make and break the connection a couple of
times). We also swapped out the phono stage with another
one. I tested all the tubes which were all at or above new
level. We trouble shot it all the way back to the
beginning, like you really need to do.

The weird sound just didn't sound anything like a set up
problem. So after all of the above, I pulled out my loupe
and sure enough the stylus, (diamond tip) was almost 180%
twisted. It was on top of the cantilever instead of the
bottom!

I first used the loupe to see the cartridge in action and
noticed very small shavings of vinyl coming off the record,
that's what made me take the arm wand off and look very
closely at the cartridge. I told Holly I hoped the LP
wasn't to damaged. We really only played it for a few
seconds each time.

She has a wonderful system with some really nice gear. I
told her we all should fine her for not using it for quite a
few years. She might lose her "Audiophile" club
card :-)

Overall a very pleasant adventure. I love talking audio and
music with fellow followers.
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