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Can't Fix My Sibilance (Two Year Struggle!!!)

BrocLuno said:
I dunno if CSN is that sort of a record, but it may depend on the actual pressing too ...

If you still have that Pioneer PC-35 cartridge (?), I'd get a new needle for it and lash it up on a spare headshell. You'd then have a conical PC) and an elliptical (AT) and you could swap as needed. Sometimes conicals sound better on old vinyl. Sometimes ellipticals...

But one thing at a time :)

One thing, did I notice that the Pyle999 has a headphone port?
Click to expand...
No, it doesn't... That would be... Interesting... To say the least...
 
Vertical height?
Pre-amp.
Loading the cart?
I'm leaning to Pre-amp 1st, and even possibility of tone arm bearings being dirty.
Also, try a different cart. Perhaps something is weird on YOUR stylus.
 
If you are talking about an original 1970 era CSN Album, the reording IS a little sibilanc-y as they didn't use any noise reduction but did record at 15 IPS.
I just opened my last (original) copy about 6 years ago, and even with a Stanton 681ee on a damped SME 3009 it still sounded a little off.
Is it JUST CSN or are you having problems with other LP's?
do you have any 45's you can test with. The higher velocity would magnify the issue if it was mistracking.
 
FONSguy said:
If you are talking about an original 1970 era CSN Album, the reording IS a little sibilanc-y as they didn't use any noise reduction but did record at 15 IPS.
I just opened my last (original) copy about 6 years ago, and even with a Stanton 681ee on a damped SME 3009 it still sounded a little off.
Is it JUST CSN or are you having problems with other LP's?
do you have any 45's you can test with. The higher velocity would magnify the issue if it was mistracking.
Click to expand...
No, there's plenty of others that do it... Too many to name, even brand new 180g albums...
 
FONSguy said:
If you are talking about an original 1970 era CSN Album, the reording IS a little sibilanc-y as they didn't use any noise reduction but did record at 15 IPS.
I just opened my last (original) copy about 6 years ago, and even with a Stanton 681ee on a damped SME 3009 it still sounded a little off.
Is it JUST CSN or are you having problems with other LP's?
do you have any 45's you can test with. The higher velocity would magnify the issue if it was mistracking.
Click to expand...
YES!!! FINALLY SOMEONE ADDRESSES THIS!!! I keep forgetting to mention, my 45's distort heavily, and they've done this for awhile... I didn't know if it was the table, or my alignment... Is there a good way to do it with a 45? (I have hundreds inherited from my grandparents, old 50's, 60's, 70's, and even some 80's! They loved 45's...)
 
It may sound a little ridiculous, but I once got rid of sibillance by changing the speakers cables for...well...thinner ones.:rolleyes:
 
Forgive the next few responses... I have some time, finally, to go through the motions and try some of these suggestions...

First off... I tried turning the weight up to 3.5 instead of 2.5 to see if it erased the problem... I tried it on the first cut of Deja Vu as well... I'm going to give a few other records a shot real quick... Whilst I do this, are there any very well-recorded rock albums? I may have them, I have a bit of everything... Mostly the classics, at least I'm working on getting the classics...
 
hotrodman21 said:
Forgive the next few responses... I have some time, finally, to go through the motions and try some of these suggestions...

First off... I tried turning the weight up to 3.5 instead of 2.5 to see if it erased the problem... I tried it on the first cut of Deja Vu as well... I
Click to expand...

But you did not say what happened? Was there any change?
 
Spinning Deja Vu now...I wouldn't call it a sibilant record. Not a lot of vocal "s" sounds in Carry On, though. You know the cymbals in the bridge are doubled with a tambourine, right?

How does "Helpless" or "Woodstck" sound?

As a general rule, I wouldn't use a Neil Young record to troubleshoot system distortion 'cause Neil likes the grungy guitar sound!
 
hotrodman21 said:
YES!!! FINALLY SOMEONE ADDRESSES THIS!!! I keep forgetting to mention, my 45's distort heavily, and they've done this for awhile... I didn't know if it was the table, or my alignment... Is there a good way to do it with a 45? (I have hundreds inherited from my grandparents, old 50's, 60's, 70's, and even some 80's! They loved 45's...)
Click to expand...

No, it´s the other way around. A higher velocity will have a positive effect on mistracking; depending on a smaller groove angle. If 45s are mistracking more there are other reasons for this.
 
45's are cut with a WIDER groove than LP's. If the tracking force is off (light) the sibilance will increase. Is the stylus' diamond damaged?
 
BrocLuno said:
But you did not say what happened? Was there any change?
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It did not, the reason I failed to say what happened, is I figured I would give others a try...
I do have Love Over Gold... It's in great shape... So, I can give it a shot when I get home... Love that album, Telegraph Road gives me chills each time...
 
DustyOldPile said:
I'd try a different preamp. I've never experienced anything good from Pyle.
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This is very true. Phono preamps (and line stages) with low overload capability can sound like the cartridge is mistracking or very sibilant when it really isn't. It's the subsonics that do it because the preamp doesn't have a good enough cut-off filter as well as poor design. It overloads the circuitry of the preamp causing it to oscillate like mad, giving it the screeches and spits.
 
On the cheap, the Behringer phono preamps seem to work well. They're not outstanding, but they're not terrible, either. I have that USB-powered one that also has a switchable line-level input and headphone jack with volume that I use on my test bench for setting tables up. They have a standard, non-USB model for $25 on Amazon. Unlike Pyle, Behringer is known for making extremely good equipment for very little money. If you're on a tight budget, Behringer PP4400's your uncle, and is probably better than most pre's that are built in to receivers.
 
Not sure I saw this suggested but here's something you can try: plug the turntable directly into a line input of the Sony. Turn the treble all the way down and the bass all the way up, crank the volume and listen.

It won't sound "good". It won't be loud enough, it won't have much (if any) bass, and the highs will be really zingy (even with the treble turned all the way down) but listen past that and see if the mistracking/sibilance is there. Don't mistake the overall emphasized highs for sibilance, just listen to see if it still "pops" out like it does through the Pyle preamp. That might shed more light on where the problem is.
 
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