Sporadic distortion driving me mad - please help!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Porkpie, Apr 23, 2017.

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  1. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    I've got a Pro-ject Debut Carbon II with the ortofon red stylus and a Marantz PM6002 amp and have got back into vinyl collecting in the past 18 months. Recently though I've had a lot of issues with distortion on both second hand and new vinyl. (I clean all my records before use with the Knosti.) I clean the stylus with both Dust Buster gel to remove stubbon dust and also with the Pro-ject stylus brush.

    The problem is a record will be playing fine and then suddenly - distortion. I'll clean the stylus and then it's fine. Or it's not. Sometimes I'll simply lift it of the record, return it to the section with distortion and it'll be gone. I took the TT into the dealer who checked the coutner weight digitally and the cartridge alignment so that's all fine and I've checked the TT is level with a carpenter's level.

    So does anyone have any diea what could be going on or how to sort it? It's driving me mad.
     
  2. rockin_since_58

    rockin_since_58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Simi Valley, CA
    Could one of the connections be loose at the cartridge???
     
  3. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    Whilst typing this it happened again so I just lifted the arm, returned it to the start of the track and it's fine. For now. It's got to be a tracking issue surely but having just had the counter weight checked a couple weeks ago is it possible it's changed??
     
  4. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    Don't know if I want to start messing around with that - perhaps another trip to the dealer :rolleyes:

    BTW - the stylus is only around 3 months old.
     
  5. Tim 2

    Tim 2 MORE MUSIC PLEASE

    Location:
    Alberta Canada
    You said " recently " did this problem start 3 months ago ?
     
    MaxxMaxx4 likes this.
  6. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    Haha, no (sadly) in the past month or so. But actually the reason I bought a new stylus was that the one I'd had for a year was also producing distortion on records (but I put that down to the fact it was second hand records from discogs so assumed they were just worn and gave the records to charity - it was just a couple records but on the last record I had an issue with there was a pop and then distortion, which was then audible on new vinyl so I assumed the stylus had been damaged by something on the record).
     
  7. Cliff

    Cliff Magic Carpet Man

    Location:
    Northern CA
    Have you checked VTF with a digital gauge? And make sure you have anti-skate set right via the instructions. When I had a Project, I believe they recommended the same/equal force in AS and VTF. Also, I recommend a wet cleaner like LAST Stylus cleaner. There are many other brands out there as well though. Just a little caked on black crud will drive you batty with intermittent distortion and you can't really see it unless you have a digital microscope.
     
  8. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    Thanks. What's VTF? The dealer checked the counter weight with a digital gauge and also showed me the stylus under the microscope (explaining that my gel wasn't cleaning it and that I should invest in a brush). I'll definitely look into a wet cleaner though as I'm guessing it's either dirt or an issue with the tracking
     
  9. Guildx500

    Guildx500 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Sounds like it could be dirt on your records that's building up on your stylus. Do you have some kind of record cleaning regimen?
     
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  10. jmczaja

    jmczaja Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Are you playing your records right after cleaning them without letting them properly dry out? A bit of moisture in the grooves will cause some nasty distortion!
     
  11. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    I wet clean them with my knosti then let them dry for several hours. Also, these are records I've played several without a problem since cleaning them that now have a problem and if, say, it's on the chorus, I'll lift the needle, return it to the start of the chorus and this time it plays fine.
     
  12. Manimal

    Manimal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern US
    Pull the stylus off and look at the needle closely for the dreaded tight clump of "stuff" that can't be seen from above during normal brushing. I had a problem once like this when I changed my cleaning regime, and it was with the Ortifon Red.
     
  13. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    How did you manage you clean it?
     
  14. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    Although with some albums my distortion issue can happen on the first track, I've noticed it is worse on the last tracks of a side (i.e. closest to the centre) which I've read can be a problem for distortion. However, once I lift and replace the need the same passage no longer has distortion. I spoke to my local dealer and he said he thinks it's a static issue but I'm not so sure as each record has been cleaned, stored in anti-static sleeves and it occurs on old and brand new vinyl. Could it be an issue with the turntable itself?
     
  15. Manimal

    Manimal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern US
    I little record cleaner sprayed on brush with the stylus in my hand. I have a spray bottle of record cleaner. Only time I've ever had to do it, but when it happened it caused me a lot of grief.
     
  16. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    UK
    So I finally took it back in to the dealer as distortion was present on every vinyl and it turns out the both the platter AND tone arm are not balance and are in fact angled towards each other at an off angle! The guys in the shop said they've never seen anything like it in 40 years of selling equipment, can't fix it and it's been returned to Pro-ject. What are the chances?? I just hope I haven't damaged records that I played in the meantime..
     
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