Making my record player sound better
 

My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

I'm quite happy taking things apart and making mechanical adjustments,
but I haven't done much messing about with record players.

Daniele

Making my record player sound better
 

D.M. Procida wrote:
My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

I'm quite happy taking things apart and making mechanical adjustments,
but I haven't done much messing about with record players.

Daniele


Valve amplification and/or phono stage usually cures most ills with
vinyl replay kit, but what cartridge are you using?

Making my record player sound better
 

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:43:05 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Newly set-up system or a gradually-increasing problem? You may just
be hearing one of the reasons we now use digital playback :-)

Making my record player sound better
 

Keith G wrote:

My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy.

Valve amplification and/or phono stage usually cures most ills with
vinyl replay kit, but what cartridge are you using?

It's a Linn K5.

I hadn't thought it would be an amplification problem, but more likely
to do with the mechanical set-up.

Daniele

Making my record player sound better
 

In article
,
D.M. Procida wrote:
My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

FWIW The Linn sourced carts I had experience of many years ago tended to
mistrack badly, particulary with HF on inner grooves. So a change of
cartridge may help.

Alternatively it may be misaligned or the stylus worn (since you don't say
how old the stylus is).

To check you could buy something like the 'Ultimate Analogue' test LP and
see what you get.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Yes, it could be wear of the discs. Can't say.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

cf above.

Slainte,

Jim

--
Please use the address on the audiomisc page if you wish to email me.
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Armstrong Audio http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/Armstrong/armstrong.html
Audio Misc http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/index.html

Making my record player sound better
 

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:43:05 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Because nearly all of my vinyl records are second-hand, it's hard to
know whether the records are worn or the player isn't playing them well.

Are there some basic adjustments I should check, or would I be better
taking it to a hi-fi shop and asking them to check it's set it up
properly?

I'm quite happy taking things apart and making mechanical adjustments,
but I haven't done much messing about with record players.

Daniele

I think you really need to find out whether it is the discs or the
machine before you get the hammer and spanners out. Do you have any
friends with a record player? If so, take the worst offenders over and
listen.

Unfortunately records that have been played on a machine that can't
reproduce high velocities have bee wrecked by them - the peaks have
been machined off. That can give rise to what you hear.

d

Making my record player sound better
 

Laurence Payne wrote:

My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.

Newly set-up system or a gradually-increasing problem? You may just
be hearing one of the reasons we now use digital playback :-)

I've recently set it up after a year or so packed away for building
work. But I didn't do any adjustments.

I have noticed this glassiness before, but now I want to do something
about it.

Daniele

Making my record player sound better
 

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:19:40 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

I've recently set it up after a year or so packed away for building
work. But I didn't do any adjustments.

I have noticed this glassiness before, but now I want to do something
about it.

Try to pin down whether it IS happening nearer the centre of the disc.
Could be cartridge alignment (don't tell me a Linn owner isn't
equipped to adjust this? :-) Could be worn stylus, worn records.

Have you been listening to a nasty cheap digital system while your
"good" equipment was packed away? Could just be something else....

Making my record player sound better
 

D.M. Procida wrote:
Laurence Payne wrote:

My record player sounds pretty good, on the whole (it's a Linn Basik
with Linn arm and cartridge that I got about 17 or 18 years ago).

However, on some records, it can sound a bit glassy. I don't know if
that's the right word. In louder passages - especially towards the end
of a side, I *think* - sustained notes seem to have a brittle edge to
them.
Newly set-up system or a gradually-increasing problem? You may just
be hearing one of the reasons we now use digital playback :-)

I've recently set it up after a year or so packed away for building
work. But I didn't do any adjustments.

I have noticed this glassiness before, but now I want to do something
about it.

Daniele

Try adding some capacitance to the cartridge load.
It may be that the cable and amplifier load doesn't provide enough for
the cartridge.

If you have a pair of F-F phono couplers you could easily add another
interconnect;
a metre or so would add 50-100pF and you could hear if it makes a
difference.

--
Eiron.

Making my record player sound better
 

On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:46:21 +0000, Eiron wrote:

Try adding some capacitance to the cartridge load.
It may be that the cable and amplifier load doesn't provide enough for
the cartridge.

If you have a pair of F-F phono couplers you could easily add another
interconnect;
a metre or so would add 50-100pF and you could hear if it makes a
difference.

It's on "some records" possible more so on the inner tracks. Will
cartridge loading really affect mistracking?