[starkiller]

So, have a B&O RX2 with Soundsmith SMMC3 cart that I got around May'ish.  For about 5-6 months played nothing but classical with no opera though.  Decided to switch things up a bit and played some rock and jazz stuff.  Noticed a fair amount of sibilance so rebalanced the arm and then tried different weight settings but so far nothing has worked. Still getting the sibilance.  Some lp's are worse then others.

Thoughts?

[bacobits1]

May be settings I doubt it.
There just are a lot of crap recorded albums out there vinyl and CD. Last week I was playing an early Grover Washington and Tom Scott albums had to pull it immediately. These are in perfect condition too. Other albums by these people are excellent. You wonder
what the producers were listening to behind the console? Nature of the beast is all. Ain't gonna do much about it. Ever listen to Moody Blues on Vinyl? What were they doing?
Now, don't laugh, I have a "Swing and Sway" by Sammy Kay from the 50's mono that sounds excellent.

Put on something you know sounds good and all is well till the next time.
No too encouraging I know.

[starkiller]

Yeah I know, have over 4,000 lp's I have to listen to and its about half and half as far as classical and rock-jazz etc....I do have a level out in the garage so I will check out the table and see what's what...thanks for your reply!

[rollo]

  Can you adjust the VTA ?


charles

[starkiller]

Nope, no VTA adjustment on this B&O...

[bacobits1]

The SMMC3 is a B&O replacement by Soundsmith so assuming the VTA should be correct in that arm/table hence no VTA adjustments. That's why I said I doubted settings.

[starkiller]

Table is level so that's not it either.  Ordered an original supposedly very good condition MMC3 from a trusted audio dealer so once I get that I will see whats what.  If the sibilance goes away then will send the SMMC3 back to SoundSmith so they can check it out....

[ear4audio]

My acid test for sibilant mis-tracking was James Taylor's Fire and Rain; the distortion sounded like rubbing sandpaper together.  For me it was a cartridge problem.  High compliance cartridges in a mid-to-high mass tone arm were the worst.  It's mis-tracking in the high-frequency range that's causing the sibilance and only cartridges with low effective stylus mass can track those frequencies without distortion.  Nude mounted stylus tips, tapered or reduced mass cantilevers mounted on a low-to-mid mass tone arm tracked the best.   I suppose that translates to the high price cartridges that track at low tracking forces.   

[J-Pak]

Just curious if you got this solved? I've owned two Sound-Smith cartridges and am very familiar with the third (older Paua) in a friend's system. In my experience they are the least sibilant cartridges of the dozen I've owned. Just a guess this is because they are such amazing trackers.

[orthobiz]

My acid test for sibilant mis-tracking was James Taylor's Fire and Rain; the distortion sounded like rubbing sandpaper together.

Based on your post, I checked this out with my new-to-me Dual 701 Shure V-15 Type III rig. No sibilance at all BUT I have a green label pressing, Robert Ludwig IIRC, and the cover does not have the wording "Contains the Hit Fire and Rain." So, maybe you have a later pressing?

Anyway, my 70's records sound awesome on this 70's turntable! Carly Simon No Secrets was next...maybe some Chicago II tonight!

Paul

[ear4audio]

I believe this is James Taylor's debut album for Warner Bros:"James Taylor - sweet baby james".    Sunny Skies, Fire and Rain and Blossom are songs that are a good test for sibilance distortion.  Shure's Audio Obstacle test record (Era III) has a sibilance test but, to my ears, the distortion is not as bad as the songs on the James Taylor album. 

[orthobiz]

Yes, I meant to say JT Fire and Rain...but pressings can matter for overall sound quality. But if you have a pressing with sibilance, guess it will make a good test either way.

Interestingly, when I was in high school, college, etc. I knew NOTHING about labels and dead wax and pressings and releases and imports. Crazy!

Paul