Help with distortion on tt

[moodydan]

I've got a Technics SL-1200MK2 with Shure M97xE. I've set the stylus force and anti-skating as required, but I'm getting distortion - it sounds like the records I'm playing are slightly warped, but I know for a fact that they are not.

The only thing I know of that I have yet to do is use the alignment protractor for the cartridge, but I'm hoping you with the same turntable may have some advice and/or suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

[soundofsulfur]

Try making a video so we can hear the sound as well as a close up of how you have everything set.

[soundofsulfur]

This video sounds boring as shit, but if you're having pitch issues this can help narrow down the problem.

[deadreckoning]

i am not an expert but, i had recently had trouble installing a new Shure M97xE in my Technics SL-d205 so i will pass along the suggestions i received.

Are your speakers too close to the turntable? The magnets in the speakers can throw a field, which can interfere with the cart.

If it's not a new cart it may be shot. my old one was and it sounded like i was playing the record underwater.

Is the turntable properly grounded?

Stylus dirty? Did you bump it around installing it?

How are the wire connections to the headshell? How are the connections from the headshell to tonearm?

hope this helps.

FYI: I picked up a Technics overhang gauge (sets it to 52mm) off ebay for a few bucks. It was worth it. I had trouble messing with the protractor that came with the cart. However, if you have a set of calipers those would probably work too.

I had issues with the tracking force, namely i didn't re-zero out the arm after installing the new cart. The new Shure was way more heavy than my old Audio-technica.

[moodydan]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll check out the video and see what I can improve. I'll also try spacing the speakers out a bit further. Hopefully it's something fairly easy to fix!

[bearchuck]

Can you explain the distortion a bit more? I know that's not easy, but when you say that it sounds like your records are warped, to me that indicates more of a wow + flutter issue ... like there's a problem with your deck keeping a steady speed.

Actually, do you know how to use the strobe light? Let us know if you're having a pitch issue as Soundofsulfer mentioned.

To me distortion will make your records sound ... I don't know ... fuzzy or slightly garbled? It's tough to explain but I'd know it if I heard it. Distortion can stem from a number of problems: incorrect cartridge alignment / overhang, dirty records / stylus or improper tracking force and anti-skate, just to name a few. Seems like you've considered that last part, but yeah ... try the protractor and make sure you don't need to adjust the cart.

I doubt it's the cart itself. If cared for properly, it's really unusual for a cartridge to just go bad. Now the stylus, that's another story. Does it look clean / intact? How about the cantilever? Is it bent?

Probably wouldn't hurt to check the tone arm / cartridge connections.

If there was an issue with the TT being too close to the speakers, the problem would probably be more in the feedback / hum category.

Seems like people are steering you in the right direction, but look into the speed thing as well.

[moodydan]

The cartridge/stylus are brand new out of the box and have not been bumped or dropped, or damaged in any other way (unless defective out of the box).

Distortion may be a bad word. When I increase the pitch it helps a little, but then the music doesn't sound right, either. Here's the best description I think I can give; if you listen to Boomboxes and Dictionaries from Gaslight Anthem (the record I'm using to work it all out) the guitar bends a little to make it sound twangy or whatever you want to call it, but with my current set up, it does not stop. The singing part doesn't seem to be affected too much, but the music seems as if it's wobbly or bending.

Those may be horrible adjectives, but that's about the best I can throw out there. I'll print out the protractor today and try that, I was just hoping there was something a little easier than that. If the deck is not keeping a steady speed, what's the fix?

The strobe light should cause 3 of the dots to appear solid when the pitch is set to 0, correct?

[bearchuck]

First things first - is the Gaslight Anthem record the only one you've used to diagnose the problem? If so, then you definitely give some other records a spin and see if the problem persists. If you have already tested it with others and the issue is consistent throughout, just ignore this paragraph.

It's hard to really understand what you're describing without actually hearing it, but it seems to me that pitch is probably the issue. If your platter is spinning at a steady 33 1/3 rpms, the third row of dots should appear stationary as if they're not moving at all. Start with the pitch control at zero and adjust up or down to achieve this affect. When the dots are stationary, you've got it where it should be. At the end of the day, you should be paying attention to the dots ... not the pitch slider. Just because you have it at zero doesn't mean you're at the correct speed.

Check out that vid that soundofsulfur posted. You can see how it all works there.

If you can't get it to where the dots are not moving, then yeah ... definitely a problem. As for fixes, that's another story and I'm not enough of an expert to help you. Possibly a good case of deoxit in the pots or maybe even a recap? You should probably take it to someone who knows what they're doing.

Try googling "SL-1200 speed issue" or "pitch issue." Lots of results and you should be able to learn a little more about possible fixes.

If it's not a speed problem, I'm honestly stumped as to where you should go next.