I just lost all of the upper mid-to-high frequencies!

Johnny Vinyl · Aug 1, 2010

I spent a solid hour on Friday night setting up my equipment rack, making sure everything was level, yadda, yadda, yadda and then enjoyed some vinyl playback for several hours. It was wonderful. Same thing last night....it was wonderful.

After my time here and elsewhere this morning I decided that another listening session was just the thing I needed, so I took out some vinyl and proceeded to get setup and comfortable in my new room. Well, it didn't quite work out that way and I'm at a complete loss as to why.

I cued up my fave album (Ricky lee Jones) and all I heard was distortion at the mid-to-high frequency range. I cued up several other LP's and I noticed the same thing. So I thought that the best thing to do was verify all of my settings on the TT. I've spent the last 3 hours (if not more) trying to dial in on the problem to no avail. I'm completely at a loss other than thinking my cartridge (Grado Reference Platinum) is pooched.

The strange thing is that the lower to mid frequencies sound fine, it's the upper mid to high frequencies that are completely unbearable. HELP!!!!!!!!!

John

PS~ I'm pissed about this, because I can't afford to lay out the kind of cash I need for a new cartridge.

Steve Williams · Aug 1, 2010

You cleaned the cartridge, right

Johnny Vinyl · Aug 1, 2010

of course and the vinyl as well.....

mep · Aug 1, 2010

John-What is your amp and preamp or integrated or receiver what ever? Do you have any sources to listen to besides LP to see if the problem disappears or do you know that it is only coming from the table? Is the distortion coming from both channels or just one?

RBFC · Aug 1, 2010

Also, do your speakers have "jumper bars" to connect the pairs of binding posts for single-wire applications? I'm not sure if your speakers have bi-wire posts, but be sure that the jumper is in place or that all the bi-wires are hooked up. One might have worked loose.

Lee

Steve Williams · Aug 1, 2010

RBFC said:
Also, do your speakers have "jumper bars" to connect the pairs of binding posts for single-wire applications? I'm not sure if your speakers have bi-wire posts, but be sure that the jumper is in place or that all the bi-wires are hooked up. One might have worked loose.

Lee

But its unlikely 2 would have come loose.

RBFC · Aug 1, 2010

Steve Williams said:
But its unlikely 2 would have come loose.

I find when I move my speakers, the same one connection on each side loosens if I move them enough. I understand it's a long shot, but thought it worth the moment it took to look it over.

Lee

Johnny Vinyl · Aug 2, 2010

My apologies for the late response guys. All cabling, connections and jumpers are in place. In fact, I check this almost weekly...just a habit I got into a while back. Now I have a really strange question which may or may not be related, but does HUMIDITY have anything to do with this. It has been a long hot summer (thankfully) and I keep my windows open most of the time. Could the variation in intemperature (literally from at night and during the day) have an effect on the performance of the cartridge/styli?

John

JackD201 · Aug 2, 2010

Could you describe the distortions in greater detail John? Does it sound all mushed up?

Over in the tropics we usually track a bit lighter in VTF, sometimes a lot lighter when we're in the high 90s, with some cartridges because the rubber damping is just that wee bit softer. Try easing up on the VTF to the lower end of the tracking range recommended by Grado and let me know what happens. In fact go as light as you can without mistracking.

es347 · Aug 2, 2010

John72953 said:
I spent a solid hour on Friday night setting up my equipment rack, making sure everything was level, yadda, yadda, yadda and then enjoyed some vinyl playback for several hours. It was wonderful. Same thing last night....it was wonderful.

After my time here and elsewhere this morning I decided that another listening session was just the thing I needed, so I took out some vinyl and proceeded to get setup and comfortable in my new room. Well, it didn't quite work out that way and I'm at a complete loss as to why.

I cued up my fave album (Ricky lee Jones) and all I heard was distortion at the mid-to-high frequency range. I cued up several other LP's and I noticed the same thing. So I thought that the best thing to do was verify all of my settings on the TT. I've spent the last 3 hours (if not more) trying to dial in on the problem to no avail. I'm completely at a loss other than thinking my cartridge (Grado Reference Platinum) is pooched.

The strange thing is that the lower to mid frequencies sound fine, it's the upper mid to high frequencies that are completely unbearable. HELP!!!!!!!!!

John

PS~ I'm pissed about this, because I can't afford to lay out the kind of cash I need for a new cartridge.

John.....you didn't, by chance, just turn 50?

Johnny Vinyl · Aug 2, 2010

JackD201 said:
Could you describe the distortions in greater detail John? Does it sound all mushed up?

Over in the tropics we usually track a bit lighter in VTF, sometimes a lot lighter when we're in the high 90s, with some cartridges because the rubber damping is just that wee bit softer. Try easing up on the VTF to the lower end of the tracking range recommended by Grado and let me know what happens. In fact go as light as you can without mistracking.

I'm going to get back to you shortly on this as I want to have another look and listen. I was thinking that it isn't mistracking, because the low-end sounds fine....(throws hands up in the air).

EDIT: The Grado site only lists tracking weight of 1.5grams...no other references.

es347 said:
John.....you didn't, by chance, just turn 50?

Unfortunately I just turned 57 a few days ago!

John

Gregadd · Aug 2, 2010

The process of elimnation works best. Most of us don't have a spare cart. lying around. I assume this only happens in phono mode. Any way to test he cart in another system?

Johnny Vinyl · Aug 2, 2010

JackD201 said:
Could you describe the distortions in greater detail John? Does it sound all mushed up?

Over in the tropics we usually track a bit lighter in VTF, sometimes a lot lighter when we're in the high 90s, with some cartridges because the rubber damping is just that wee bit softer. Try easing up on the VTF to the lower end of the tracking range recommended by Grado and let me know what happens. In fact go as light as you can without mistracking.

No other cartridge about....I shouldn't have sold the other Grado Ref Platinum, because that at least would have told me something about the cartridge or the styli. BTW..Grado wants $200 for a re-tip.

I've reset everything starting from top to bottom. I've set the VTF at the recommended 1.5g and the anti-skate at the same level. Time to go and check it out!

John

amirm · Aug 2, 2010

Why not do a suggested and hook up a DVD/CD player and test out the rest of the chain to be sure? It doesn't sound like an AMP problem or speaker but you can focus your energy in the right place and know to be right

.

Johnny Vinyl · Aug 2, 2010

amirm said:
Why not do a suggested and hook up a DVD/CD player and test out the rest of the chain to be sure? It doesn't sound like an AMP problem or speaker but you can focus your energy in the right place and know to be right .

I did Amir. I have an LG BDP hooked up that does duty as a temporary CDP...no problems.

I'm at the final stages and I may have some good news to report. I just need to do some real fine tuning first.

John

amirm · Aug 2, 2010

Sorry John. I am glad I guess right though and it wasn't the rest of your system

.

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I just lost all of the upper mid-to-high frequencies!

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