Rega P3 (2016) w/ Exact - Mono Playback Question

[MetalDaze]

My current vinyl set up is:

Rega P3 (2016) with an Exact cartridge. Cork slip mat used with big ben weight. Otherwise the deck is stock. Run into a Rega Fono MM MKII.

Pre Amp: Parasound P5

Amp: Parasound A21+

(Currently connected) Speakers: Ohm i ; Rythmik L12 Subwoofer

The only weakness from this set up is the Exact cartridge. Which is high output and poorly shielded. Hence in my listening room where there is spurious EMI from all my equipment, old wiring in the building, high power lines running outside the window etc. I get the "Rega Hum". In the past, I've moved the deck and fono pre into another room in my apartment. Where a second system was. And all was dead quiet. Even with the volume maxed. I will be moving eventually so I'm not too concerned with the hum at higher volume for now.

I have a handful of mono records from the 60's which play but with some problems. The first of which is an original "Revolver" by The Beatles. The wax itself looked to be in good shape. Granting a VG to VG+ rating.

The second which I just picked up yesterday is "December's Children (And everyone's)" by The Rolling Stones. An original US red label mono pressing from 1965/66. Again VG+ to Ex visual grading.

Both records came from 2 different shops relatively local to me.

The Beatles record especially, tracks O.K. But all the upper register frequencies have a harsh glow of distortion around them. Especially the vocals. While the music is playing its relatively distortion free. Minus the usual surface noise etc that comes along with the medium - and an original LP from the era.

But once John or Paul start to sing, in comes the extreme "essing". I had thought it was acetate damage from being in the original sleeve all these years. Or perhaps groove damage - since this is one of the most popular bands ever, the LP has probably been played to literal death.

Both sides of The Beatles album play this way. It's relatively unlistenable. Even after washing with my spin clean.

On The Rolling Stones album, the first couple of tracks on side A have this character, but not as extreme. And thankfully, side B plays almost free of this nuisance.

I think off hand I only have 1 or 2 other LP's which are period mono. The Byrds "Turn Turn Turn" which is a white label promo. I can't remember the other.

So although I've considered it, I don't feel the ~5 albums I have out of ~100 warrant getting a mono cartridge.

So the question becomes: Does the upper frequency distortion I'm hearing seem like it is coming from a beat record? Or is it something more along the lines of stylus shape? Making it's way deeper into the groove where there isn't any actual sonic information, but just noise? And being such a high output cart- the noise gets amplified quite a bit.

I have been thinking about getting a second deck. Definitely a used vintage unit. Which has a tone arm better suited to interchange carts more easily than Rega 3 screw system.

If I went this way, I would use the Phono input on the P5 - probably with a MC Mono cart.

Any input is appreciated.

Cheers

 

[MetalDaze]

Follow up answer to my own question for anyone reading in the future:

I purchased a 2nd turntable. A Philips GA222. Fully functioning condition, gone through by the previous owner, new belt etc. My father has one of this still kicking, and I remember using it when I was younger.

I Fitted a new Nagaoka MP-110. Leveled the deck, balanced the arm, set the tracking force (1.85g), ditto anti-skate. Tweaked the 'pick up' and 'lower' position/arm height set screws.

I still don't have a mono cart, so I got a MOFI Studio Phono. It's more versatile than my Rega Fono MKII, with different impedance loading settings for a variety of carts, a subsonic filter and a MONO switch.

Re-Listening to the albums mentioned above with the switch engaged, it certainly made a noticeable difference. The Rolling Stones Album sounded great. It's evident the Beatles mono album has groove damage. But sounded more listenable using this set up.

I still think my Rega set up is the more capable contender (even w/ a bit higher W&F). But for daily driving - being fully automatic and hitting pretty high in the sound quality comparatively, makes it a keeper. I'd like to try an MP-200 on the Philips one day. That would probably start knocking the Rega off it's [isolation] pedestal.

Cheers

 

[Jeff449]

Some of the distortion on the Rega may be a misaligned cartridge or a worn stylus.
Often, groove damage is worse on one side of the groove than the other. Usually, it is the "inside" or left channel groove. Hitting the mono button can make it sound a little better if that is the case. Another fix for one-sided groove damage is using a y-cable to direct the better side into both channels, leaving the more damaged side unplugged.

 

[MetalDaze]

I had thought about this however the cartridge is only a year and a half old. Before quarantine I had much less time to spin records. So there is probably 300hrs or so on the Exact. It's pretty hard to misalign the Exact with the 3 point mounting system. On the Philips 222 I use the Hudson Hifi Allignment tool.

Misaligned carts are pretty easy to notice (in my system IME). I can hear the stylus dragging along the one groove wall in either speaker, of which the alignment is biased towards.

The Planar 3 with the Exact is actually quite tame with the distortion. They've done a good job of balancing it across the face of the record, while keeping IGD at some of it's lowest I've heard on some more difficult to track records. I've only had issues with MONO records on the Rega having "sizzle" on both channels in the midrange and vocals.

I think the greater effect comes from the MONO button, which sort of does what you mention with the L & R channels internally.
I learned that MONO LP's only have information in the horizontal plane. So anything being picked up and introduced by the stylus vertically - is pure noise. And the Exact has a 'vital nude' stylus which digs very deep. The exact opposite of what you'd want for mono playback.

 

[maxhifi]

It sounds to me like you're dealing with old worn records which were played on an old BSR or Garrard with a heavy tracking ceramic or crystal cartridge, and the Rega just picks up the groove damage.

Try some old mono classical records (easy to find in good shape cheaply) and see if they sound good or not. Keep in mind that the people interested in buying the beatles and stones in the mono era were also the most likely to have a cheap record player with a worn out stylus (I.e. kids and teens)

 

[MetalDaze]

It sounds to me like you're dealing with old worn records which were played on an old BSR or Garrard with a heavy tracking ceramic or crystal cartridge, and the Rega just picks up the groove damage.

Try some old mono classical records (easy to find in good shape cheaply) and see if they sound good or not. Keep in mind that the people interested in buying the beatles and stones in the mono era were also the most likely to have a cheap record player with a worn out stylus (I.e. kids and teens)

My thoughts exactly. Which seem to have been confirmed. I've had some luck with a couple older mono LP's I've picked up since.

My problem still remains in a form however - Most mono records of the correct period from the Rolling Stones or The Beatles etc. are the ones I'd be after. But inner groove damage is insidious & can really only be heard. Not a lot of places anymore have the headphones to hear a record before you buy since the damn virus. And online there's no chance at all.

A lot of sellers want top dollar for original mono LP's which they rate as VG+, but sound just god awful. More than likely from the exact scenario you've outlined above.

I've largely given up on the original mono LP's and have decided to pay a little more. Going through labels like Analogue Productions. I don't buy them very often but I still get the mono cut, usually a AAA LP and it's brand new. So no inner grove death.