Vinyl sound variance between outer and inner tracks

You mentioned that you hear this on every record you play - how many have you tried? And which titles and pressings has it been particularly bad on?

The reason I ask is that I’ve found a lot of rock from the 70s and 80s to be purposely cut with less high end at the last few minutes of each side - Yes’ Fragile and The Police’s Synchronicity are particularly bad for me, and I have highly regarded pressings of both of those. A while back, I spent a couple of days trying to adjust my TT setup using Synchronicity as a reference, only to find that it was hopeless. Other records, particularly modern audiophile pressings, played just fine.

 

Most of what I listen to on vinyl is from 60s -80s although I do have some newer ones. The odd thing is that I would expect some albums to have the issue at the end for the reason you stated, not the beginning. The ones I can recall noticing it most are on April Wine / Harder Faster, Simon and Garfunkel / 17 greatest hits, Led Zeppelin/ IV, Bruce Springsteen / Nebraska. But others as well.

 

Greatest hits are especially bad to test with because it uses varying sources of different quality. Preferably you want an album all recorded in one place and using a good source.

 

Can you highlight specific quality differences you are hearing? In my case what I (think I?) hear is weaker bass and a perceived lack of "fullness" to the sound in outer grooves.

 

That is exactly my experience . I couldn't describe it better

 

What about tracking force? How have you verified that?
Usually folks have more issues with the inner grooves.
Set up takes time and care no matter how long you have been doing this. I use magnifiers, various protractors, and all kinds of stuff that I've acquired over the decades, but none of it is a substitute for the sort of exactitude that comes with painstaking care in set up. BTW, good for you that you are learning to do this yourself.

 

Thanks
My tracking force is set at 2.0 gr. I use a scale to verify it.

 

Given what you've checked already, I would suggest checking three things:
1. That when you printed the arc protractor the measurement lines are accurate (the protractor is printing properly to scale) in both directions. If that's correct,
2. That the cantilever is lined up properly with the grids at the null points on the protractor - don't rely on the sides of the cart, but check the cantilever itself. This can be hard to see, particularly on the inner null point, and it may also result in the cart sitting at an angle compared to the headshell, depending on what alignment you're using (Baerwald/Lofgren A in particular seems to cause this, in my experience - by the way, which alignment are you using?). If that's correct,
3. That the stylus itself is in fact square in the end of the cantilever. It's possible you have a dud that's mounted at a slightly rotated angle (which would be odd for AT, but not impossible), and since the goal is to align the stylus, if that's off, the cantilever angle won't matter. This one would be hard to confirm, as you'd need a good magnifier to be able to see this - I have a 20x loupe and it's just barely powerful enough to make out the cuts at the tip of the stylus, so I'm not sure I could confirm the mounting on mine with this if I was pressed to do so.

 

You said it lacks punch before, want to elaborate?

Do you turn off your Amp every listening session? Do you @Diapason ?

 

Did you ensure your VTA was correct? Did you get the tone arm to float flat before adding setting the tracking force? Also, when playing records, is your tonearm maybe slightly tail end down, straight/even with the record or lastly slightly tail end up (with stylus end down slightly)?

Pic of it playing a record would be help. Closeup showing the cartridge on surface with entire arm showing.

 

He has checked all installations.

 

OP, I hope you solve your problem.

Wonder why so many left Vinyl? Geez!
Still love my LP's but do not miss turntable maintenance and setup.
Why did it seem so simple back in the 70's. John M.

 

I can read. Question is why you picked my post for this statement when 3 or 4 ones prior are asking similar, reasonable questions?

My question was very reasonable.

 

If you read it why did you ask?
My answer was very reasonable.

 

I would try the Loefgren alignment, which favors perfect alignment towards the outer rim of the record, and has the lowest distortion over the greatest surface area of the record.

I think it has to be either that or antiskate, if you're only noticing a problem consistently at the same portions of different records.

 

No it wasn't. And you dodged the question when you don't have a answer, as usual.

 

I dont see how this is it. Anti Skate doesnt affect sound much, mostly tracking. And its a lack of bass apparently, not a distortion issue.

 

Do I know you? What question?

 

You see, its easy to miss a post. Keep it off board. If you can read it why did you ask?

 

I do, because it has a valve input stage. But I can confirm that I have listened to a side, heard the effect, and then gone back to play the first track again, so I'm ruling out warm-up.

I'll need to delve into this again to persuade myself it's not all in my head. That's still a genuine possibility, especially since a realignment seemed to improve things for me, but the fact that 2 of us are independently telling the same story gives me pause.

There is one thing, though: I'm using Stevenson alignment and it may be I'm hearing exactly what I'm meant to hear. I always think of "distortion" as something additive, but I guess there's no reason why that should be the case. Maybe the distortion curve that comes with that choice manifests itself in this way? I'm reaching...

 

So it wasnt rhetorical. Usually only kindergartners ask such questions.
You see, yours was the latest, so instead of posting the same thing several times I just answered you.

 

I see.

I dont think alignment is it. If you look at graphs of their distortion curves its only between 1 to 2% between 2 null points on almost every alignment. And yes I would view it as addative, dont think Ive heard of a subtractive distortion before.

 

Yes to

Yes to the float and VTA.
I will take pictures shortly.
It was pretty dang close to level when I checked

 

I will say I had a sinilar problem before though.

Its some sort of bug with my amp where if I plug it into my PC it immediately cuts the bass. Not sure why but I can do it on command.
Do you have anything plugged into your amp other than the Stereo components?

 

Ok, that sounds like you got it right. Do you use a record mat? If so, remove it and try another record.