Sssss

RockinRandy

Active Member
Good evening friends,i received a new stylus to replace my old original ADC XLM-II and it sounds worse than the 30+ year old original and good lord the sssnake sound is unbearable! The bass is great as well as the majority of the frequency spectrum any words sang by whom ever with a word beginning with S sounds like a scratchy AM pocket radio .It's a generic 108-DEX .
Any suggestions on how to get that sssnake sssound under ssseige would be appreciated .Honestly I think it's just a pos
Thanks Randy
 
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I heard Voice of Music is out of the 4108-DET, but it still shows that it's available. Very much worth a try. The suspension on the new stylus may be softer or stiffer than the old stylus. Sometimes playing with the anti-skate can help.
 
What's the tracking force range? Set tracking force towards the top of that range.

Try adjusting the VTA (vertical tracking angle) of the tonearm. If your arm doesn't have adjustable VTA, try either a thinner or thicker platter mat. See if that makes a difference.
 
You may also want to consider a NOS from Musonic in the UK, it's a bit pricey but all original. I bought two before the price went up and have no issue with it.
 
ADC XLM-II
XLM-II is the name of an Integra integrated headshell-cartridge model. [EDIT] To be more precise, XLM-II is the name of the stylus originally meant for the curved-arm version of the Integra headshell-cartridge but which can be used in several standard-mount ADC bodies with excellent results.
9 (2)a.jpg
XLM Mk II is a different fettle of kish.
3552885846_9cf61f63f8_a.jpg
If you're certain you have the XLM-II, then the 4108-DET may work, but recently EVG stopped being able to get styli from their Japanese maker and switched to a Swiss maker. I have a handful of the EVG-Japan version and they're really good, but I have not tried the Swiss version, so unless someone speaks up who's tried it, you're blazing a new trail.
If what you have is actually the XLM Mk II, we need to go down a different path.
 
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What's the tracking force range? Set tracking force towards the top of that range.

Try adjusting the VTA (vertical tracking angle) of the tonearm. If your arm doesn't have adjustable VTA, try either a thinner or thicker platter mat. See if that makes a difference.
 
XLM-II is the name of an Integra integrated headshell-cartridge model.
View attachment 1382301
XLM Mk II is a different fettle of kish.
View attachment 1382306
If you're certain you have the XLM-II, the the 4108-DET may work, but recently EVG stopped being able to get styli from their Japanese maker and switched to a Swiss maker. I have a handful of the EVG-Japan version and they're really good, but I have not tried the Swiss version, so unless someone speaks up who's tried it, you're blazing a new trail.
If what you have is actually the XLM Mk II, we need to go down a different path.
 
What's the tracking force range? Set tracking force towards the top of that range.

Try adjusting the VTA (vertical tracking angle) of the tonearm. If your arm doesn't have adjustable VTA, try either a thinner or thicker platter mat. See if that makes a difference.
 
Set tracking to 2.5 and it sounds markedly better! I may go up to 3 as there is still a tiny bit of sssnake on Robert Plants lyricsss. Cymbals and tight tophats sound great now, even less popping but wasn't much to begin with as this album hasn't been played more than 5-6 times period.
 
My God it sounds like the 80s again :banana: Robert Plant "The Principal of the Moment" #Biglog wow sounds GREAT!!!
Thanks for the replies and info guys, I'm getting old but my hearing is still very good thankfully. I guess it's been 34 years since I've changed the stylus on this old Kenwood and am now glad I did. Again thanks so much guys!
 
My God it sounds like the 80s again :banana: Robert Plant "The Principal of the Moment" #Biglog wow sounds GREAT!!!
Thanks for the replies and info guys, I'm getting old but my hearing is still very good thankfully. I guess it's been 34 years since I've changed the stylus on this old Kenwood and am now glad I did. Again thanks so much guys!

Stylus can take up to 100hrs for complete break in, if you've raised the VTF it speeds up the process. Most likely you'll be able to lower the VTF gradually to the manufacturer recommended setting.
 
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