jritchie1980

Audiologist
Longtime Audio Tinker-er just got back into vinyl love my setup for the most part BUT:

Marvin Gaye and Willie Nelson vocals are fatiguing and "tinny" maybe not tinney but def fatiguing. Like nails on a chalk board. If a chalk board was really sweet sounding most of the time.
Tends to only happen during powerful passages. Upper Mids of each singers range. The part that makes them them

Here is the rig:

Technics SL-D2 w/ ADC XLM IMPROVED MK II cart (w/ QLM stylus) or Shure M44G cart ($30 w/ ADC cart)
Carver tfm-35 amp (paid $40 had to re solder one rear channel terminal)
Pioneer Elite vsx-82txs receiver (pure direct mode to carver) paid $150 w advent center and def Audio sat's

Speakers Available:
Acoustic Research SAT 660 (the REAL ones not white truck) w/ passive sub (current setup) paid $15/pr
Paradigm Titan's (original) paid $15/pr
Paradigm 5SeMkII's (I have 5 paid $15-35ea)
Polk Satallites ($15/pr)
Definitive Audio Pro Cinema100 mkII (bundled w Pioneer & advent $150 total)
Definitive Audio sub (paid $30)

Audio Technica M50 headphones
Shure 215 earphones

When I listen through the M50's I have the same problem so I think it may be my cart/stylus setup. Although I have thought also it could be a recap needed on carver or speakers. And I've thought it is used records. And I've thought.....

What can I do to diagnose this issue?

Carts are aligned. cables/speaker wires are good. Classical music/Nine Inch Nails/Everything Else sounds pretty awesome. Shure has some siblance on inner grooves and is less detailed than ADC so I like using the ADC better (although hip hop and anything w/ a strong bass line sounds good w Shure). My gut tells me if I get a better needle for it (ADC) I MIGHT get rid of the problem. But I am a cheap ass/bargain hunter so I want to eliminate EVERY other problem 1st before I go and spend more than I did on the rest of my setup on a needle. Plus a good needle for that cart is ~100 and I kinda want to experiment w MC next so I don't really want to blow that cart $$ on a needle when it sounds good on 98% of music.

Please help me if you have ever had a similar issue/have an opinion/want to spitball

Any/All comments and suggestions appreciated!!!!

PS I went back and added price paid to demonstrate how much I HUNT for audio bargains.I believe in the Billy Joel idiom "Don't waste your money on a new set of speakers, you get more mileage from a used set of speakers" it's basically gospel to me
 
If it's sounding tinny I've found it's normally the cartridge/stylus.
I've been swapping cartridges ,l have two turntables set up.
The last few days Ive swapped out one that l thought sounded ok with shibata stylus and put in a Shure V15 lll and :banana: and on the other turntable a Shure M91 and :banana:problem solved
 
These would probably be ok for your turntable but I'm no expert.
I've just read a thread where a guy put an Ortofon om5 and other references to Shure cartridges Shure M92.
Another thing to check if your cartridge is set up correctly
 
Thanks again for your response. I do need to get an additional mat to raise the Hieght of the Tonearm. Maybe this will help. I will try this soon as I don't currently have the disposable income for another cart or a $100+ stylus for the ADC

Does anyone know of a decent quality stylus for the XLM improved mkii that is in the $30-50 range?
 
I have a feeling that your tiredness is speaker related. Try looking for smoother sounding speakers. Dynaco A25,
pioneer BS22, AR4x, Dayton Air, have fun!
 
UPDATE: If anyone else is having this problem- it ended up being SUUUUPER easy to fix... my albums all needed a deep cleaning!!! Well- not Suuper easy, but simple and inexpensive.

I followed the edging paint brush, home brew cleaning solution, and microfiber towel + vacuum method.

1- spray down a side of record w solution
2- use edging brush to work solution thru grooves in both directions
3- use attachment for vacuum 1/2 wrapped with a micro-fiber towel to vacuum solution off (vacuum in both directions, one full rotation)
4- dip record in distilled water bath
5- repeat #3 w water
Repeat for other side.

I'm AMAZED at the results! Especially estate sale/hand me down albums, went from tolerable to enjoyable on a few!! Pretty awesome.
 
I was going to suggest that maybe it was not the equipment, but the engineering in the studio. Who would have thought it would be cleaning.
 
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