I'm putting to rest worrying about sibilance


I just ran a test on three different turntables I own. I played various recordings, each of which exhibit sibilance to some degree, mostly female vocalists. The three tables are pro-ject the classic with the hana el, music hall mmf7 with factory mounted eroica h, and my brand new thorens td 240-2 with the ortofon om10 also factory installed. My dilemma began with constant worrying about the first table (the pro-ject) as I thought I was hearing a bit of sibilance only on certain records. So I played the very same records, mostly used from thrifts etc, on all three tables and adjusting volume or gain for each. Well, I found that all three table and cartridge combinations exhibit the sibilance in the same parts of songs on each recording. My findings are that what I perceive as higher sibilance on the hana can be contributed to its (imo) better high frequency response. In other words, the other tables and cartridges had the sibilance, but to a lesser prominence, but it WAS there. So my conclusion is that it Is just inherent in the lp medium to some degree, and more so with used records. I have farted around enough with the hana el and I am no longer going to fret over it. I would have a hard time believing that all three tables and cartridges are that badly aligned etc to all cause some sibilance here and there. All three were checked and seem to be dead on. The only table I personally installed cartridge on was the pro- ject (hana el) also, three preamps were tried during testing, my marantz pm14s1 built in, a musical fidelity lx lps, and a pro-ject tube box ds2. Lastly the hana el was adjusted when installed to align with the cartridge body and not the cantilever (just easier imo) using a proper protractor, and the vta was adjusted so that the hana is a bit ass down, as I think the hana sounds right like that. So there is my conclusion. I’ve been reading forum after forum about the sibilance issue somehave, but I think I feel better after doing what I did as described above, and refuse to drive my self nuts any longer!😁
Just to add, the listening was first performed on the other 2 tables, the mmf7 and thorens, again both have factory installed cartridges, also checked by me. In doing so I ruled out the hana inscribing the record grooves with the sibilance in the event its mis aligned, which it is not....
128x128audioguy85
I keep trying to post here but my phone writings don’t seem to get through. Except this one:()
Ill try again. Sibilance is an issue in making records. Something I’ve been doing as a day job for the last 40 years. So though we try to ameliorate it in mastering, but like most things, it’s a trade off. It is more of a problem as the grooves get closer to the label. So hearing sibilance does not mean your system is set up incorrectly. 
Sibilance has two meanings people sometimes get crossed up. The one we've been talking about (or I have, anyway) is the spitty exaggerated sort that makes it sound like your record is dirty, the cartridge is mistracking, or you just got a bad pressing. 

But there's also the sibilance that is nothing more than the normal sssss ssssound the air makes moving between the teeth. The kind of sibilance that is a challenge for microphones and recording engineers. 

What I am saying, which is also the way I read the OP and noromance, is you can tweak and clean and align to your hearts content and still not eliminate all the annoying sibilance because once you do all that it still comes down to the pressing, some of which have it no matter what you do.

So when that is the case, relax. Nothing you can do then but go looking for a better copy.
So it appears that this is not a major issue at all. What you are experiencing is the limitations of your mid-fi components as they run into tracking and frequency response issues. Try your records at a high end dealer to get the final arbitration.
I think certain cartridge and stylus profiles are much more susceptible to be sibilant.  I used benz micro cartridges for years and they were all sibilant.  Since then Lyra and no sibilance.  I use Pickering MM and its not sibilant either.  I think as cartridges age with use, they can become more sibilant as well.