[Folsom]

I have an MMF-5 with a Grado Gold, feeding into a Bugle and then a Sharp SD-EX111.... Unfortunately right now the interconnects between the Bugle and the Sharp are crap but...

I am listening to some Creedence Clearwater Revival and all is magic except I get a loud harsh type sound every once in awhile. It seems to be associated with the sound that S makes... Any ideas? I have the counter weight set to as minimal as I can get the thing to stay on with as minimal anti-skate as possible too. Could it be that there is not enough weight on the needle?

[Toka]

The 'S' problem you have is called sibilance, and yes, improper tracking weight can cause this (so can improper alignment). Set the tracking force to the middle-upper range that it is designed for, and set the anti-skate to the same. If that doesn't help, double-check the alignment to make sure everything is as it should be...this includes tonearm balance, VTA, etc.

[TheChairGuy]

DOS,

Try everything you can to eradicate it, but Grado's are prone to that malady. 

They are finicky cartridges, all in all, but you probably will be able to work the s-s-s-s-s-sibilance issues out if you get all the geometries and weightings right.

I had no sibilance with my Grado Green...but I added the Longhorn stabilizer (helped tracking -  you may want to try it - ther eis an entire Topic devoted to it earlier on Vinyl Circle) and my arm is internally damped vertically and horizontally (helped greatly in mating any cartridge to tonearm)

Good luck 

[Russell Dawkins]

As I remember it, that type of distortion is called "shattering" and what causes it is the stylus being unable to stay in contact with the groove walls during, especially, sibilant sounds in the recording, which contain a lot of high frequency energy. This is partly to do with the inherent "trackablity" of the cartridge, partly the specific stylus shape (conical, eliptical) and condition, and most commonly not enough tracking weight.

Incidentally, as the stylus is thrown back and forth out of continuous contact with the groove walls, damage can result to the walls which undoes what you are probably trying to accomplish by tracking light in the first place.

[gooberdude]

I've had a Grado Gold a few years, sibilance was a problem until i made the Longhorn.  Kayne Wests ssss's would shoot all over the room, terribly annoying.   my alignment was spot on too   

the Longhorn will remove or greatly reduce sibilance - it seems to increase the accuracy of the the tracking. along w/no sibilance you'll experience more music.



is it safe to say the LH addresses a design flaw in the Prestige Series?   



i adhere the LH to the cartr face with paper-tak so its easily removable.  $5 and a 1/2 an hour project - simple if you have a dremel.

there's no more sibilance plus a bunch of other benefits. 



TCG - damping the coils is quite profound.  i'm only rocking one channel for a week or so, but the force and solidity of the sound is a whole lot more like my cd player.  not digi, still smooth and great, but more.   the bass lines are more forceful, i can hear more of each instrument.  so far so good.


GD

[TheChairGuy]

Funny, I didn't notice that damping the coils made a great big difference on the Green - it could be a table dependent tweek, tho.