Help! My turntable is distorting on sibilance and high frequencies

Cafe Society
1

The turntable is a standard Technics 1200 mk2 (or m3d, I can’t remember - it’s the regular 1200 with the pitch reset button next to the slider). The cartridge is a standard shure square-style cartridge with a little headshell around it - not one of those long pointed ones like the ortofons or whatever. This is running into a basic rolls phono preamp like this one and the output of that is running into a home stereo receiver.

I’m getting a terribe “shhhh”-style distortion and fuzzing of sibilants; any s-sound in sung vocals, any cymbals, high frequencies, etc. So if someone sings “simle,” I’m hearing “schhmile.” Sounds awful. Is happening on old records and brand new just-taken-out-of-the-wrapper records equally.

Do I need to replace the actual stylus, or is this a cartridge issue? I generally keep my records brushed and the stylus free of crap, but I haven’t changed the actual stylus in this cartridge for about five years or so. Is that likely to be the issue?

What sort of other issue could it be - the cartridge as a whole? Some of my mechanical settings? I was thinking about switching to one of those long ones like this one - not the model, just the style - anyway.

  1. Help with problem.

  2. Suggest a good cartridge in that “long finger” style for basic home listening on average equipment (non-audiophile).

2

Turntable? What’s that?

3

You can try cleaning the contacts.

4

I’m thinking its the needle. Back in the day I had a turntable (and a buggy whip and an ear trumpet), and the needle does wear out and start cutting grooves in your vinyl and sounding like crapola.

5

Unless you’ve only played it very infrequently 5 years is well past a normal (even high quality) needle’s useful life if used regularly.

6

Yeah, I’m going to just try replacing the stylus. I’m looking to make an eventual lifestyle change with the whole cartridge, though. Can anyone recommend a good replacement cartridge for regular home listening?

7

I used to work in radio back when turntables still had an option for 78rpm. Of course, radio went semi-digital in the 80’s with CDs and the ClearChannel ate the world. My vinyls are stored in the basement and I haven’t had a turntable for… oh 20 years now, but when I did, and as long as we still had turntables (Technics 1200 BTW) Ortofon was the way to go.

8

I haven’t unpacked my vinyl in about 12 years. I see there are now USB turntables - maybe I’ll rent one and convert my disks to digital.

9

Seconded by a jukebox repairman.