Why does my system sound so shrill and distorted?


My system has been sounding very shrill and in some situations it will have a little distortion in the higher dynamic range with vocals and horns. I have used the feickert protractor to align my cartridge and have tried all three of the different geometries with not much change. Any ideas?

My set up,

Wilson Benesch Full Circle turntable with ACT TWO tonearm 9gm effective mass

Grado Reference Platinum cartridge 20cu compliance, I have a Sound Smith Carmen on the way.

Grado PH-1 Phono pre, Musical Fidelity M1 phono pre on the way

Manley Stingray II, pretty much always run in triode mode

Sonus Faber Liuto Monitors

cables are all Cardas Quadlink's

Thanks,
Thomas
ohnofiasco

Showing 1 response by jkorten

Where are you located? If in NYC - we can arrange you come over to my place with a favorite record, I go to yours. Can compare and contrast. Sometimes it is not related to tonearm etc. But instead something completely different. Like you don't have a VPI brick near your wall outlet. Or a phasing problem from a mis-wired cartridge. Let me know if you are in the area.

Also you need a good cartridge protractor to set it up correctly, along with VTA of course. The latter being one of the most important influences on sound I know of.

Jerry