Thanks! I started posting these videos because I finally found a place where I could talk about exactly what I wanted to. I worked in radio and TV for a long time and people were always telling me what I could and couldn't say. I really don't pay much attention to negative feedback but I just wanted to put my opinion out there. :)
Why would anyone hate on Joe Collins? He explains everything in detail which if your like me is what you want to hear, not the basic stuff you can read online. Keep up the good work Joe
One of the most enjoyable and informative talks I have heard. It's hard to find someone that tells the truth regardless if it might not set well with, lets say some of the 10%. Great job!
Thanks! As long as they are cut properly you'll not notice much difference in quality as the side plays. If something is amiss though it will show up on the inner grooves. :)
I have an issue with a distortion on my records and this video really open my eyes for the problem and make me think about it. Thank you! It was really helpful.
Yes. They also used to cut radio transcriptions center-out for that and other reasons. It was easier to cut that way because the 'chip' from the cutting stylus tends to fall toward the center... Now they use vacuum hoses to suck it up before it can cause a problem so it does not matter anymore.
I know some early records such as the old pathe's actually had the groove spiraling outwards instead of inwards so they started at the middle and ended at the edge. And that was because of how a lot of music was at the time, it stated quiet and ended loud, so it just made more sense to do it that way since there's less surface noise near the middle, but less distortion torwards the edge.
I only found your videos this year but I think they're excellent! You're knowledgeable and easy to follow. Unsure why people feel the need to post negative comments! More audio/vinyl videos please! 🙂
I thoroughly enjoyed this video Joe and have subscribed to your channel. I'm a recording, mixing and mastering engineer with several decades experience and qualifications in radio trades. Everything you've said here, I thoroughly agree with. My first job was in a commercial AM radio station in the mid 1980s. One of my most recent "residencies" if you will, was as house mastering engineer for Red Manor Records. I did the mastering for all the vinyl releases and many of the digital releases. We even trade marked "Quiet Vinyl" for our LP releases. I made sure my masters were going to present the cutting engineer with something they could cut at a lower RMS level and maintain dynamics and sound quality on as many systems as possible whether high end or entry level. We've received very positive feedback from listeners for our releases. I have been outspoken for many years about the loudness wars and am friends with Bob Katz and Ian Shepherd who have also been very outspoken about this. I love dynamic material that isn't brick wall limited, hyper compressed and even deliberately clipped. That is indeed, as you mention, one of the primary reasons I've gotten back into records. The masters used for many of the albums I love are simply FAR better than the loudness wars nonsense of the last few decades. Sure, there are exceptions but as a general rule, this applies to much of the music I listen to.
Thanks. I am working in radio again these days and I have been redoing the digital music library for the station. It's been on-line for 27 years! Anyway, I get wav files from Nashville for new songs and they crush just about everything! Ugh. Nothing can be done but our Omnia processing can actually "unclip" audio so you don't really notice it on the air. LOL Keep up the good work. ;)
@@EzeeLinux it's somewhat ironic that those crushed masters usually sound worse on air than more dynamic ones. Station processing, at least when I was involved, used RMS detectors in the leveling amplifiers and the material would be at the same RMS level as more dynamic mixes but lacked punch.
I also enjoy the information in your videos, especially because of your work history, and have enjoyed hearing of your personal updates. You're real, keep up the great videos!
Although I noticed the inner groove distortion since the mid 1980's, but I learned more from your video. You explained it in detailed including something I didn't know.
Get you hands on a book called "From Tin Foil To Stereo" and you'll find out just how aware T. Edison was of this problem. It's the main reason he stayed with cylinders until 1930. I don't think people re talking about this sort of thing because not many know about it or understand the physical working of how phonographs record sound. When I was in radio engineering classes, they blew through this stuff so fast I didn't get it then. I'm finding it hard wrapping my head around it now. :)
I have a couple of tapes like that... As for cutting modern albums to record, all they have to do is knock back the level of the last song on a side by three dB or so or just record at a sensible level to begin with. Most new masters are being cut at +3 instead of what is considered 0 VU for LP's anyway.
I was looking to hear Sgt. Pepper's inner groove "backwards" ;instead I found some interesting info from Joe Collins about groove distortion. THANK YOU SO MUCH! And about ranting, I looove ranting! Keep up the good work and keep us informed!
Outstanding lecture! I have found that a .02 x .07 mil elliptical is a good compromise, gentle on the groove walls, yet close enough in shape to the cutting stylus to faithfully track the inner groove area. The nuts & bolts of IGD is actually "pinch effect". This happens at the stylus tries to sweep across groove modulations where they become physically narrower. The stylus is forced upward, causing distortion artifacts which are not recorded on the record. Conicals have toughest time with this.
JC - fantastic video. I wish more would speak about this kind of thing. I am a Vinyl and 78rpm collector. I also save phonograph cylinders - now...i'm not saying we should all go and get our wax cylinders out here :) but the concept of that technology at that time - consistent surface contact and linear tracking + diamond stylus across the surface of the cylinder makes me think that back then, they knew about this inner groove distortion with the disc format. Like VHS and Betamax, the disc won..
AM Stereo sounded quite good. The reason why it didn't catch on like FM is the lack of receivers/tuners on the market that offered AM Stereo reproduction. Our local Top 40 station KFRC broadcasted in AM Stereo in the early 80's.
Yep. That sounds like bad wires in the arm. It may be somewhere in the open, though. A cold solder joint or something simple to fix like that. The only way to find out is to take the turntable apart and use a meter to find the bad place. :)
I really liked what you had to say in this video. I would also say that IGD on used vinyl is also a problem due to LP's being played incorrectly in the past, where the sibilance and tracking errors have been permanently etched onto the vinyl by means of improper setup of what these discs were originally played on. It might be worth arguing for a better stylus to bypass that kind of wear and damage, as you can also get $1 bin records to perform too. VS $100 cart on $20-$30 "new" pressings.
There are records that aren't pressed well... I am referring to records that are intentionally cut hot and not just a defective pressing here. They don't ignore the curve at all... They simply cut the high end with more velocity than the average stylus can track. I'm not sure what you mean by SQ?
your point is a most valid one , IMO the specific pressings you refer to do deserve to be out there for those that desire them but any sensible engineer will do both a standardized and high quality cut and charge a premium for the 'audiophile pressing'. thanks for posting the vids , they are most enjoyable and appreciated ;-)
Hey Joe. Long time viewer here. I want to ask you something that has been driving me nuts for a while. I have an AT-LP120-USB turntable and four different carts. Reading your comments below, and other forums and such, it seems to be very important that the distance between the stylus tip and the rubber ring that joins to the tone arm needs to be 52mm, since this tone arm is based on the Technics, which I have read also. When I align it that way, and use a protractor, my cart is not properly aligned according to the protractor. I have a Stanton L720E, Grado Gold, AT95E (my least favourite) and some other old AT with a yellow stylus, no model number. Anyway, the only way I can get them all to align is to have them at the very back of the headshell mounts, that gives me the 52mm, and them turn them slightly inward so that they align with the protractors. I don't understand how the 52mm distance would be more important then having the carts tracking properly along the grooves. In fact, if I move them forward even more, I have to turn them even more. This is true with both of my turntables, all three headshels with all four carts. When I bought the AT-LP120, the cart that came with it, AT95E, was pre-mounted and the instructions said that it was pre-aligned. Really? This thing was way off according to protractors, and I have three of those... they all show the same results. So, my carts are 52mm from the arm mount, and they are turned in ever so slightly so that the track properly. Your thoughts? A video perhaps? Cheers!
You're overthinking this and your carts are NOT properly aligned for that arm. I tend to trust the engineers who designed these arms and don't try to reinvent the wheel. If you measure 52 MM from the rubber washer on the headshell plug to the stylus tip and make sure the cart is straight in the headshell, you are properly aligned for that arm. This gives you a modified Stevenson alignment scheme which is engineered into the arm geometry. Your protractors will NOT line up and it will look like it's wrong but it is right. The null points just don't match the protractor. Remember that any alignment method with a pivoting arm is a compromise. The Stevenson method takes into account changing linear velocities form the outer to the inner grooves and averages potential tracking error in such a way that you get the best over all sound from the begging to the end of a side. I've trad it other ways and none of them were any better than the recommended setup procedure. :)
Very cool video! I understand that some records are meant to be played with more expensive styli, but are the engineers cutting these unplayable vinyls increasing the volume, or disregarding the RIAA curve? Also, can it be the other way around where the record was simply not cut properly? I got an album that was very staticky at high notes and clicked a lot, but side B was fine. Is this a good example of what you talked about? Also, how is SQ affected on the inner and outer edges of the LP?
All true but if enough of these really hot masters are put on the market and lots of folks buy them and are disappointed with the sound than it has a huge negative impact. Everybody loses then because it hurts the image of vinyl and will eventually result in slumping sales. That will make getting that super hot record harder because the industry will lose interest and quit pressing them. Compromise is what I'm calling for here..
Thanks Joe,I have now learn't something about how vinyl is recorded,and don't feel so bad,about the small amount of sibilance I was trying to get rid of,in my Sada album.
Yes it's important but it usually does not result in harsh sibilance. Check your tracking force settings. Sounds to me like it's too light. How old is the stylus? If it's worn badly you can get that sort of sound, too... :)
Don't worry about people and their negative comments. There are approx. 7 1/2 billion people on the planet, you'll NEVER make everyone happy. Thanks so much for posting this informative video.
BTW this is the first video I've watched of yours and I'm very impressed! I've always wondered about whether the inside of a record was lower fidelity than the outside.
Hey JC, i own a Akai AP-206c. I bought a AT95 cardridge to replace the factory one, because sometimes the right channel didnt have any sound. And now this is also the case with the new one! I've already replaced the RCA plugs but still sometimes have the problem. Can this be a problem with the inner wiring of the arm?
You don't need a protractor at all... Just measure the distance from the rubber washer on the headshell plug to the stylus. The cartridge should be straight in the headshell and the stylus should be 52 MM from that washer. Protractors are a waste of time with 'S' shaped arms. :)
I can't ever remember a time when there was as much snobbery in the audio world as there is today... Cutting a record only the elite can play is a great example but it also happens with digital, too. I have been brewing on this for a while but have only said something about now.
They used to do just that all the time... Have you noticed that there's a quieter ballad as the last track on a side on a lot of records? Nowadays I would guess it depends on how much input the mastering guy has on artistic decisions like that. I'm sure there are producers and artists that say they want it a certain way and that's that.
Thanks for the quick reply! I actually have a record cut like this. It sounds fine most parts (aside from the unpleasant highs which do not sound good on my already bright HD598s) but I do hear a fair amount of sibilance on high notes. I never really noticed that before, but it makes a lot of sense after your video. :) The record is Saturdays=Youth by M83 if you were wondering. (and you answered my last question in another comment, thanks!)
I have that one on SACD, but not vinyl. I went to the 30th anniversary edition press launch event here in NYC, where long time Pink Floyd engineer James Guthrie discussed the lengths he went to to avoid going via PCM for the SACD transfer. He manually synced up the 16 track analog sound effects tape with the master to eliminate the bounce down needed for the original 1973 mix. Over on Hoffman Forums opinions seem quite positive for the 2003 issue, but negative for a more recent 2011 EMI version.
I have a problem on some records where the “s” in any word sounds distorted. I have a good turntable and stylus and the stylus is properly aligned, tracking force and anti-skate are all set correctly. It’w weird because it may be one or more songs or even the entire side of an album, while the other songs or the other side of the album don’t have this problem. Usually I do buy the majority of my records used, but I am super careful to examine them before buying, unless it’s an online purchase. I make sure they are clean, though I still clean them and keep my stylus clean too. Make sure there are no visible scratches and make sure the vinyl isn’t warped in any way. It seems this problem, again of just some tracks of some albums, mainly shows up on RCA records and mainly on RCA albums by country music artists. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. Loved the video btw.
Same here... All the stations here broadcast analog along with the stream so I just listen to analog and forget it. I have no interest in digital radio.
Excellent vid. It goes in depth on an issue I have literally been dealing with for years. I specifically experience this with hip hop records (and it pains me because I love the genre so much). Because of all of the hard S’s and T’s that occur in a rap verse in addition to how their vocals were recorded in the 90s there are a lot of high frequencies inherent to the music. I have a nice turntable and needle too (clearaudio concept with a clearaudio maestro v2 needle) and I still experience sibilance on the inner groves. I was actually told my Maestro is a bit more unforgiving to flaws on the inner groves (it’s an awesome cartridge otherwise but I actually think it’s worse in regards to sibilance than my ortofon blue. The Maestro definitely picks up more detail, but more sibilance too). I got the alignment checked, and my most egregious sibilant hip hop record was played on an out of this world rig at a local record shop. Sibilance was still there. I’ve come to accept that inner grove distortion is a part of vinyl, some genres are more susceptible to it and some records are pressed better to avoid it (my copy of the roots “things fall apart” is a very well pressed hip hop record but even it has some sibilance). Next time I get a new cartridge I will be looking for something a little less aggressive than the maestro to hopefully help in this area but I expect to never eliminate it completely. Am I giving in to easily? Thanks again for the super informative vid.
Distortion seems to occur more and more with most new mainstream records due to the loudness war. But I have records from 2012 with sound fantastic because they actually took time to master it well. I think inner groove distortion has become more common since the early 2000's imo
Thank you once again !!! Since you have the same turntable as me, what protractor did you use to align your cartridge? I am getting so confused with all of the different ones available and different styles for download. Of course, i get worried that if I use the wrong one, i'm going to do damage to my tt or my records. can you please assist? Note - You honestly have no idea how happy it maes me that you are doing these videos AND have the same tt as me :)
Joe, I cannot thank you enough for making this video. I am (at the moment) pulling my hair out trying to figure out if my cartridge is out of line because of the sibilance I am experiencing (especially toward the end of the record) Do you think cartridge alignment is as important as everyone says it is?
WHAT AN UTTER VAULT OF KNOWLEDGE lol. It is like you were speaking directly to me about my homemade glass stylus lathe. All this time I wondered how I could get better highs from my embossing. Now I know. I do have the reverse RIAA curve as it should be, but must also slightly deviate due to cutter arm resonance (less 1dB @ 630 & +1dB @ 4.2K). I will try to keep it true to the original intent and integrity of the medium. LONG LIVE VINYL
I mostly collect original pressings and my stuff plays just fine... The two that I have that are like that in a big way are the 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller" and "Dark Side Of The Moon." Nothing I've ever played the "Thriiler" LP on will track it properly and others have told me the dame thing. However, there's A LOT of folks who are coming across this problem and I get messages from them all the time. You'll also see a lot about it on the audio forums. :)
Sibilance on 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller" is totally unacceptable. If I remember correctly it exists all across the record, not only at IG. It is there from the first spin of unused copy of course. It's unlistenable with AT 95 E. They are pushing it so far these days that even awesome trackers like AT 440MLa have a hard time.
AMEN JOE!!! Ever since I got into the art and science of the vinyl lp technology I've always thought there should be a standard of which vinyl lp's are cut at, no less and no more. With me I can't afford those audiophile type of turntables, cartridges, and styli!!!
I'm not sure what records you're talking about Joe. I honestly haven't run into too many tracking problems for many years, and I have set up and used everything from budget priced cartridges and turntables all the way up to the most exotic stuff imaginable. Sure, there's always a handful of silly untrackable records like the infamous Telarc 1812 Overture, but in my experience they are the exception. If end of side distortion is a problem, perhaps consider using Stevenson cartridge alignment.
Joe, one more question: Just wondering what you think of the AT-440MLa... is it worth the money? I am trying to decrease the amount of Inner Groove Distortion I get on many of my records. Thanks again for all you do :)
OK, Anti-skate should be the same as tracking force. Anything else is wrong. Use a ruler to make sure the stylus is 52 MM from the backside of the rubber washer on the headshell. Just lay it down next to the ruler and eyeball it until it looks right... That will ensure proper alignment for that arm. The AT95E tracks best at 2 grams and has a .4 by .7 mil stylus. It tracks well but it will mistrack some high modulation records. You might consider an Ortofon 2M Red for that table. I LOVE mine.
I haven't heard either of those reissues, I'll see if I can check them out. I do have originals of all the MJ albums, and Dangerous is a particularly dynamic cut. Dark Side is of course an all time classic, and I have original US, UK, Japanese and MoFi pressings. Never heard the recent job though.
The way a record is mastered should depend somewhat on the expected buyer. How many $60 2x45 rpm 200G audiophile reissues are played with a cartridge that costs less than the record? Still, some affordable cartridges like the Shure M97xE can track pretty much anything if they're set up correctly. The catch is that proper setup is critical, and especially with better tracking stylus profiles things like overhang, VTA, azimuth, and zenith need to be spot on. This often involves specialized tools.
Very interesting video, I have learned some useful info from this and many of your other videos. I too take issue with people trying to cram a quart into a pint pot. In a similar vein, digital radio in the UK has gone downhill quality wise because they are cramming more and more stations into the multiplexes and lowering the bitrate accordingly. We now have music stations here working at 48k or less in MONO! Played on half decent gear it sounds ghastly. Apparently this is the future... Yuk.
Thank you for your reply. It is actually a brand new turntable. It is an Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB Direct-Drive. I got it 3 weeks ago. It came with an AT95E. TF is set to 2 1/2 , Anti Skate is half of the weight on tone arm (per some users in the vinylengine[com] . I really dont have much of a sibilance issue, but, records lose quality the closer they get to the middle of the record. It's been driving me a little crazy here. Would a better quality cartridge/stylus help this?
If it isn't too much to ask, I have an album on Imgur. I am so afraid of not setting this up the right way. It has various shots of my cartridge ON the protractor (including how I have the protractor mounted on the spindle). Would you be able to give it a look? Edit - Ok. so much for that. TH-cam wont allow links :/
Hi Joe thanks so much for what you do. Thanks for calling out what I see on a lot of message boards as audio snobbery. If vinyl is going to continue to grow as a medium, which I think benefits all lovers of vinyls it does seem there would be more thought into support for mid level audio again. I saw where Project is planning to come out with an even cheaper turntable that they want to sell at Target stores they are calling it the Crosley killer?
Wonderful video! And I 100% agree with everything you have said. it reminds me a lot of the reasoning behind RCA's dynagroove records of the 1960s that were designed to play around the common console stereos at the time and the uproar that it caused... And about how it was a backwards slide in audio advancement. In my way of thinking what RCA was trying to accomplish at the time was to make records that were playable by the unit so everyone could enjoy them. do I think dynagroove should come back no of course not because we have technology today that we didn't have back then. And you are exactly right just because a person doesn't have the means to support a multi $1,000 home entertainment system does not mean that they had don't have the right to enjoy what artists put out. everyone has that right to enjoyment. your thoughts greatly appreciated and thank you.
Thanks, will take a look at it soon, i've also ruled out the headshell (as someone suggested). Thanks for the videos btw! Really got me hooked on vinyl again, haha :)
Great video! I'm curious if their can be a second master cut using the output of from the higher gain master copy ( in direct to disc recordings), then sell one as 'highest end' and the other as 6 mil? Seems like that might open a can of worms though in regards to who would and wouldn't offer both versions. Not to mention possible inflated pricing. cont.> I love 1930's 78's as well as old vinyl and prefer my records to reproduce at the average level of small orchestra even though I listen to lots of pipe organ records. The marriage between a good cut and the harmonic overtones of acoustic instruments ( and some amplified) is greater evidenced in a well mastered record. What is to be gained by more gain, but the need for a stylus that can track it. I'm not so sure the lines between one having a 'better' musical performance even exist. If so can it be heard at headphone or preamp level? Isn't it funny though that CD's finally bit it because their supposed ability to reproduce dynamic range based on performance was ignored? It's as if they inched upward looking for a better sound, but passed the better sound right up! Apparently the best sound of digital isn't good enough. Some of us always knew that, huh? Using digital to clean up early recordings, if done properly really can bring out some good sounds, but if you listen often the noise disappears anyway:)
Joe Collins Oh', well I guess I could live with a high quality audio file because I can't afford that kind of audioPhile. Maybe they are short run because hardly anyone else can either.
Hello. You seem to be very knowledgeable about vinyl records. I wanted to ask a question. I am a newcomer to the vinyl universe and im having some sort of distortion. However I dont know what it is. I have a technics slbd20 with an audio technica at92e (p mount cartridge). During the first outer song and the last inner song of each side, it tracks perfectly. However when I play the tracks between I get this distortion on the left channel. It is as someone is constantly pulling the tonearem in and out. it effects both channels by 'cutting in and out' of the song. Is this inner groove distortion, or something else? Please respond. Thank you.
Sounds like something is definitely wrong there. It would seem to me that the bearings in the tone arm are bad or the anti-skate mechanism is really out of whack. Either way, the best solution is a new turntable. Try to find an SL-Q300 on eBay. Stay away from the belt drive models, though. They were not as well made. :)
Joe Collins Hello. Joe Collins. I just fixed the problem. Looked like my table holding the turntable was slightly, slightly slanted. :) Put it back up to level and the sound is fixed! Guess that shows that anything can be fixed if you look closely. Thanks anyways. Like your videos. Keep it up.
I have really bad inner groove distortion on my van halen record, during the last two songs on each side. I have an lp120, i have played around with anti skate, arm height, counterweight, realignment, and nothing seems to work. I then played ‘rocks’ bu aerosmith, and i was able to lessen it a bit, but it was still bad on the loud sections of ‘combination’ and ‘home tonight’. Could a higher quality stylus be a solution?
Hi, Joe! Thanks a lot for such an in depth reviews. I am using rega rp3-24 with ortofon MC turbo3 through some nice boose speakers. However, I really can't believe that even AC/DC mastering engineer would be such a dumb person who wouldn't take into account these inner groove issues. For the record I haven't been able to listen to original pressings on my system but recently published Back to Black and Highway to Hell to my mind sounds terrible in the middle. And the sound (syllable) issues for both records are absolutely identical. How can such a number one one albums sound so dreadful? I was starting to think maybe something went wrong with my system but then i listen to recenty digitally remastered Dark Side and it sounds brilliant. I mean - the difference is so enormous. and probably there is no way of knowing what quality the master will be before buying a record.. Would it be connected with anti-aliasing may be?
Something is not right there. An Ortofon Turbo 3 is one hell of a good tracker and even if the record was a bit overmodulated you shouldn't be hearing sibilance from such a fine cart. It sounds like you have an alignment issue of some sort and it doesn't have to be very far off with the Ortofon's FIne Line stylus to cause problems like this. Are you sure it didn't get damaged somehow? A chipped stylus or bent cantilever can ruin the sound and tear up any records you play... I'd take it to someone who can look at the stylus under a microscope and check that the diamond is OK and get them to realign it when they put it back on, too. You put a lot of money into that system and you're not getting what you paid for at all. Please keep me posted! :)
Joe Collins I've had two MC turbo 3 cartridges and I have to say the mentioned ACDC albums sounded dreadful on both cartridges. Secondly mostly all others tonns of albums in inner grooves sound absolutely normal. So I doubt that something's wrong with my cartridge. Now, could leveling be a porblem? becasue I leveled the turntable only "based on my eye". Regardng the alignment of the cartridge, well..I have aligned it myself based on stencil provided by rega. And anti-alising is set to 2 grams, they way it shoud be for my 2g cartridge. So this is a bit mistery to me. I'd like to listen to thee albums on some other hi-end system..
Hi Joe great videos mate! I recently ran into quite a head scratcher. first off my setup is a technics SL 1210 Mk2 turntable, with an AT120E cartridge. Amp is a vintage marantz 2230. a week ago out of the blue after 4-5 years of no issues at all I started hearing very sudden fuzzy distortion when listening to my LP's. I thought it might be the cartridge that needed replacing, so I replaced the AT120E with a replacement cartridge but same happened. The strangest of all is I would literally spin 2 records without issues all is great, glorious sound, when I put on the 3rd record almost immediately It rears it's ugly head... I have the tonearm balanced, correct VTF & anti skate, played through speakers as well as headphones, same problem. I am starting to fear it might be the amp?? the part that gets to me most is that it only happens after 2 records played flawlessly! any suggestions Joe? Much appreciated
Iv noticed with modern sound systems and recordings they are super bright. Not natural at all. All you hear is. Boom and tizzz. It’s almost like these recording engineers follow what they were told via a book and not using there ears. I like listening to a lot of vintage recordings and you ca tell a lot more art and effort was put into the recordings so they sounded pleasing
Reply to rrangana11 - His comparison is exactly correct. He states the IPS (inches per second) while playing tapes (both reel-to-reel and cassettes) increases as play time continues. In this example he is reversing the ips to decrease during play time to compare to a vinyl record play time and ips. If you measured the record in ips the number decreases on the inner grooves. It is the same with tape, the speed is not constant, the ips increases with play time. To Joe Collins - This is the first video I have seen of yours and I enjoyed it. Thank you.
I just would like to say I have a Numark TTX 1 it's just recently put a order phone 2m red needle and stylus and I must have it perfect cuz I have no outer or inner distortion and I've played just about every kind of album there is 80g 180g 45. I'm just gonna say it did take a good bit of time to get it right though!! just thought I would add to the conversation and when it comes to setting up a turntable you have to be long-winded and in death on what you're saying so I would rather you have an hour video then a partial video that explains absolutely nothing!!!! so thanks for the time
Thanks! I started posting these videos because I finally found a place where I could talk about exactly what I wanted to. I worked in radio and TV for a long time and people were always telling me what I could and couldn't say. I really don't pay much attention to negative feedback but I just wanted to put my opinion out there. :)
Why would anyone hate on Joe Collins? He explains everything in detail which if your like me is what you want to hear, not the basic stuff you can read online. Keep up the good work Joe
Thanks.. ":)
could be too complicated
Agreed!
Don't change a thing, your videos are great, and I appreciate your updates. Just keep going! Another great tutorial!
Dust off the haters. This is an excellent and well paced explanation of what is occurring in both recording and playing a record.
One of the most enjoyable and informative talks I have heard. It's hard to find someone that tells the truth regardless if it might not set well with, lets say some of the 10%. Great job!
Thanks! As long as they are cut properly you'll not notice much difference in quality as the side plays. If something is amiss though it will show up on the inner grooves. :)
I have an issue with a distortion on my records and this video really open my eyes for the problem and make me think about it. Thank you! It was really helpful.
withing the first 1:25 of your video, I knew i would truly enjoy watching your videos. thanks!
Yes. They also used to cut radio transcriptions center-out for that and other reasons. It was easier to cut that way because the 'chip' from the cutting stylus tends to fall toward the center... Now they use vacuum hoses to suck it up before it can cause a problem so it does not matter anymore.
your probably the only guy i could listen to ramble on in a drunken state. cheers!
I know some early records such as the old pathe's actually had the groove spiraling outwards instead of inwards so they started at the middle and ended at the edge. And that was because of how a lot of music was at the time, it stated quiet and ended loud, so it just made more sense to do it that way since there's less surface noise near the middle, but less distortion torwards the edge.
So many haters on youtube, stay true dude! Great vids!
practise what yi preach
I only found your videos this year but I think they're excellent! You're knowledgeable and easy to follow. Unsure why people feel the need to post negative comments! More audio/vinyl videos please! 🙂
I thoroughly enjoyed this video Joe and have subscribed to your channel.
I'm a recording, mixing and mastering engineer with several decades experience and qualifications in radio trades. Everything you've said here, I thoroughly agree with. My first job was in a commercial AM radio station in the mid 1980s.
One of my most recent "residencies" if you will, was as house mastering engineer for Red Manor Records. I did the mastering for all the vinyl releases and many of the digital releases. We even trade marked "Quiet Vinyl" for our LP releases. I made sure my masters were going to present the cutting engineer with something they could cut at a lower RMS level and maintain dynamics and sound quality on as many systems as possible whether high end or entry level. We've received very positive feedback from listeners for our releases.
I have been outspoken for many years about the loudness wars and am friends with Bob Katz and Ian Shepherd who have also been very outspoken about this. I love dynamic material that isn't brick wall limited, hyper compressed and even deliberately clipped. That is indeed, as you mention, one of the primary reasons I've gotten back into records. The masters used for many of the albums I love are simply FAR better than the loudness wars nonsense of the last few decades. Sure, there are exceptions but as a general rule, this applies to much of the music I listen to.
Thanks. I am working in radio again these days and I have been redoing the digital music library for the station. It's been on-line for 27 years! Anyway, I get wav files from Nashville for new songs and they crush just about everything! Ugh. Nothing can be done but our Omnia processing can actually "unclip" audio so you don't really notice it on the air. LOL Keep up the good work. ;)
@@EzeeLinux it's somewhat ironic that those crushed masters usually sound worse on air than more dynamic ones. Station processing, at least when I was involved, used RMS detectors in the leveling amplifiers and the material would be at the same RMS level as more dynamic mixes but lacked punch.
I also enjoy the information in your videos, especially because of your work history, and have enjoyed hearing of your personal updates. You're real, keep up the great videos!
Although I noticed the inner groove distortion since the mid 1980's, but I learned more from your video. You explained it in detailed including something I didn't know.
Thanks. I think the time has come to start talking about this issue.
Get you hands on a book called "From Tin Foil To Stereo" and you'll find out just how aware T. Edison was of this problem. It's the main reason he stayed with cylinders until 1930. I don't think people re talking about this sort of thing because not many know about it or understand the physical working of how phonographs record sound. When I was in radio engineering classes, they blew through this stuff so fast I didn't get it then. I'm finding it hard wrapping my head around it now. :)
Joe's explanation is right on target. In short, a lot of adjustments and compensations have to made to get an acceptable sound from a vinyl record.
I have a couple of tapes like that... As for cutting modern albums to record, all they have to do is knock back the level of the last song on a side by three dB or so or just record at a sensible level to begin with. Most new masters are being cut at +3 instead of what is considered 0 VU for LP's anyway.
I was looking to hear Sgt. Pepper's inner groove "backwards" ;instead I found some interesting info from Joe Collins about groove distortion. THANK YOU SO MUCH! And about ranting, I looove ranting! Keep up the good work and keep us informed!
Thanks! :)
Outstanding lecture! I have found that a .02 x .07 mil elliptical is a good compromise, gentle on the groove walls, yet close enough in shape to the cutting stylus to faithfully track the inner groove area. The nuts & bolts of IGD is actually "pinch effect". This happens at the stylus tries to sweep across groove modulations where they become physically narrower. The stylus is forced upward, causing distortion artifacts which are not recorded on the record. Conicals have toughest time with this.
JC - fantastic video. I wish more would speak about this kind of thing. I am a Vinyl and 78rpm collector. I also save phonograph cylinders - now...i'm not saying we should all go and get our wax cylinders out here :) but the concept of that technology at that time - consistent surface contact and linear tracking + diamond stylus across the surface of the cylinder makes me think that back then, they knew about this inner groove distortion with the disc format. Like VHS and Betamax, the disc won..
Thank you Joe. I learned more here than anywhere else. Great work. Sorry I came to it so late.
The 440mla is a great sounding cart... If you can afford it and you're mainly playing LP's than I'd say go for it.
AM Stereo sounded quite good. The reason why it didn't catch on like FM is the lack of receivers/tuners on the market that offered AM Stereo reproduction. Our local Top 40 station KFRC broadcasted in AM Stereo in the early 80's.
Yep. That sounds like bad wires in the arm. It may be somewhere in the open, though. A cold solder joint or something simple to fix like that. The only way to find out is to take the turntable apart and use a meter to find the bad place. :)
I really liked what you had to say in this video. I would also say that IGD on used vinyl is also a problem due to LP's being played incorrectly in the past, where the sibilance and tracking errors have been permanently etched onto the vinyl by means of improper setup of what these discs were originally played on. It might be worth arguing for a better stylus to bypass that kind of wear and damage, as you can also get $1 bin records to perform too. VS $100 cart on $20-$30 "new" pressings.
There are records that aren't pressed well... I am referring to records that are intentionally cut hot and not just a defective pressing here. They don't ignore the curve at all... They simply cut the high end with more velocity than the average stylus can track. I'm not sure what you mean by SQ?
your point is a most valid one , IMO the specific pressings you refer to do deserve to be out there for those that desire them but any sensible engineer will do both a standardized and high quality cut and charge a premium for the 'audiophile pressing'. thanks for posting the vids , they are most enjoyable and appreciated ;-)
Hey Joe. Long time viewer here. I want to ask you something that has been driving me nuts for a while. I have an AT-LP120-USB turntable and four different carts. Reading your comments below, and other forums and such, it seems to be very important that the distance between the stylus tip and the rubber ring that joins to the tone arm needs to be 52mm, since this tone arm is based on the Technics, which I have read also. When I align it that way, and use a protractor, my cart is not properly aligned according to the protractor. I have a Stanton L720E, Grado Gold, AT95E (my least favourite) and some other old AT with a yellow stylus, no model number. Anyway, the only way I can get them all to align is to have them at the very back of the headshell mounts, that gives me the 52mm, and them turn them slightly inward so that they align with the protractors. I don't understand how the 52mm distance would be more important then having the carts tracking properly along the grooves. In fact, if I move them forward even more, I have to turn them even more. This is true with both of my turntables, all three headshels with all four carts. When I bought the AT-LP120, the cart that came with it, AT95E, was pre-mounted and the instructions said that it was pre-aligned. Really? This thing was way off according to protractors, and I have three of those... they all show the same results. So, my carts are 52mm from the arm mount, and they are turned in ever so slightly so that the track properly. Your thoughts? A video perhaps? Cheers!
You're overthinking this and your carts are NOT properly aligned for that arm. I tend to trust the engineers who designed these arms and don't try to reinvent the wheel. If you measure 52 MM from the rubber washer on the headshell plug to the stylus tip and make sure the cart is straight in the headshell, you are properly aligned for that arm. This gives you a modified Stevenson alignment scheme which is engineered into the arm geometry. Your protractors will NOT line up and it will look like it's wrong but it is right. The null points just don't match the protractor. Remember that any alignment method with a pivoting arm is a compromise. The Stevenson method takes into account changing linear velocities form the outer to the inner grooves and averages potential tracking error in such a way that you get the best over all sound from the begging to the end of a side. I've trad it other ways and none of them were any better than the recommended setup procedure. :)
Joe Collins Ok, thanks Joe.
Very cool video! I understand that some records are meant to be played with more expensive styli, but are the engineers cutting these unplayable vinyls increasing the volume, or disregarding the RIAA curve? Also, can it be the other way around where the record was simply not cut properly? I got an album that was very staticky at high notes and clicked a lot, but side B was fine. Is this a good example of what you talked about? Also, how is SQ affected on the inner and outer edges of the LP?
Great video & info! Very helpful & informative for someone new to vinyl like me.
All true but if enough of these really hot masters are put on the market and lots of folks buy them and are disappointed with the sound than it has a huge negative impact. Everybody loses then because it hurts the image of vinyl and will eventually result in slumping sales. That will make getting that super hot record harder because the industry will lose interest and quit pressing them. Compromise is what I'm calling for here..
Thanks Joe,I have now learn't something about how vinyl is recorded,and don't feel so bad,about the small amount of sibilance I was trying to get rid of,in my Sada album.
I'm glad you found it helpful
Yes it's important but it usually does not result in harsh sibilance. Check your tracking force settings. Sounds to me like it's too light. How old is the stylus? If it's worn badly you can get that sort of sound, too... :)
Don't worry about people and their negative comments. There are approx. 7 1/2 billion people on the planet, you'll NEVER make everyone happy. Thanks so much for posting this informative video.
BTW this is the first video I've watched of yours and I'm very impressed! I've always wondered about whether the inside of a record was lower fidelity than the outside.
Hey JC, i own a Akai AP-206c. I bought a AT95 cardridge to replace the factory one, because sometimes the right channel didnt have any sound. And now this is also the case with the new one! I've already replaced the RCA plugs but still sometimes have the problem. Can this be a problem with the inner wiring of the arm?
You don't need a protractor at all... Just measure the distance from the rubber washer on the headshell plug to the stylus. The cartridge should be straight in the headshell and the stylus should be 52 MM from that washer. Protractors are a waste of time with 'S' shaped arms. :)
I can't ever remember a time when there was as much snobbery in the audio world as there is today... Cutting a record only the elite can play is a great example but it also happens with digital, too. I have been brewing on this for a while but have only said something about now.
They used to do just that all the time... Have you noticed that there's a quieter ballad as the last track on a side on a lot of records? Nowadays I would guess it depends on how much input the mastering guy has on artistic decisions like that. I'm sure there are producers and artists that say they want it a certain way and that's that.
Not as doable with AC/DC or other metal music
A really good and informative presentation, thank you.
It's a good analogy when you get on the other side of the glass. We heard awesome sound in the studio and it came out like crap on the street.
Thanks for the quick reply! I actually have a record cut like this. It sounds fine most parts (aside from the unpleasant highs which do not sound good on my already bright HD598s) but I do hear a fair amount of sibilance on high notes. I never really noticed that before, but it makes a lot of sense after your video. :) The record is Saturdays=Youth by M83 if you were wondering. (and you answered my last question in another comment, thanks!)
Good for Pro-Ject! I have to say, though. The Pro-Ject Carbon is the best thing on the market right now for the money.
I have that one on SACD, but not vinyl. I went to the 30th anniversary edition press launch event here in NYC, where long time Pink Floyd engineer James Guthrie discussed the lengths he went to to avoid going via PCM for the SACD transfer. He manually synced up the 16 track analog sound effects tape with the master to eliminate the bounce down needed for the original 1973 mix. Over on Hoffman Forums opinions seem quite positive for the 2003 issue, but negative for a more recent 2011 EMI version.
I have a problem on some records where the “s” in any word sounds distorted. I have a good turntable and stylus and the stylus is properly aligned, tracking force and anti-skate are all set correctly. It’w weird because it may be one or more songs or even the entire side of an album, while the other songs or the other side of the album don’t have this problem. Usually I do buy the majority of my records used, but I am super careful to examine them before buying, unless it’s an online purchase. I make sure they are clean, though I still clean them and keep my stylus clean too. Make sure there are no visible scratches and make sure the vinyl isn’t warped in any way. It seems this problem, again of just some tracks of some albums, mainly shows up on RCA records and mainly on RCA albums by country music artists. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. Loved the video btw.
Same here... All the stations here broadcast analog along with the stream so I just listen to analog and forget it. I have no interest in digital radio.
Excellent vid. It goes in depth on an issue I have literally been dealing with for years.
I specifically experience this with hip hop records (and it pains me because I love the genre so much). Because of all of the hard S’s and T’s that occur in a rap verse in addition to how their vocals were recorded in the 90s there are a lot of high frequencies inherent to the music.
I have a nice turntable and needle too (clearaudio concept with a clearaudio maestro v2 needle) and I still experience sibilance on the inner groves. I was actually told my Maestro is a bit more unforgiving to flaws on the inner groves (it’s an awesome cartridge otherwise but I actually think it’s worse in regards to sibilance than my ortofon blue. The Maestro definitely picks up more detail, but more sibilance too).
I got the alignment checked, and my most egregious sibilant hip hop record was played on an out of this world rig at a local record shop. Sibilance was still there.
I’ve come to accept that inner grove distortion is a part of vinyl, some genres are more susceptible to it and some records are pressed better to avoid it (my copy of the roots “things fall apart” is a very well pressed hip hop record but even it has some sibilance).
Next time I get a new cartridge I will be looking for something a little less aggressive than the maestro to hopefully help in this area but I expect to never eliminate it completely. Am I giving in to easily?
Thanks again for the super informative vid.
Distortion seems to occur more and more with most new mainstream records due to the loudness war. But I have records from 2012 with sound fantastic because they actually took time to master it well. I think inner groove distortion has become more common since the early 2000's imo
Thank you once again !!! Since you have the same turntable as me, what protractor did you use to align your cartridge? I am getting so confused with all of the different ones available and different styles for download. Of course, i get worried that if I use the wrong one, i'm going to do damage to my tt or my records. can you please assist?
Note - You honestly have no idea how happy it maes me that you are doing these videos AND have the same tt as me :)
Joe, I cannot thank you enough for making this video. I am (at the moment) pulling my hair out trying to figure out if my cartridge is out of line because of the sibilance I am experiencing (especially toward the end of the record)
Do you think cartridge alignment is as important as everyone says it is?
WHAT AN UTTER VAULT OF KNOWLEDGE lol. It is like you were speaking directly to me about my homemade glass stylus lathe. All this time I wondered how I could get better highs from my embossing. Now I know. I do have the reverse RIAA curve as it should be, but must also slightly deviate due to cutter arm resonance (less 1dB @ 630 & +1dB @ 4.2K). I will try to keep it true to the original intent and integrity of the medium. LONG LIVE VINYL
I mostly collect original pressings and my stuff plays just fine... The two that I have that are like that in a big way are the 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller" and "Dark Side Of The Moon." Nothing I've ever played the "Thriiler" LP on will track it properly and others have told me the dame thing. However, there's A LOT of folks who are coming across this problem and I get messages from them all the time. You'll also see a lot about it on the audio forums. :)
Sibilance on 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller" is totally unacceptable. If I remember correctly it exists all across the record, not only at IG. It is there from the first spin of unused copy of course. It's unlistenable with AT 95 E. They are pushing it so far these days that even awesome trackers like AT 440MLa have a hard time.
AMEN JOE!!! Ever since I got into the art and science of the vinyl lp technology I've always thought there should be a standard of which vinyl lp's are cut at, no less and no more. With me I can't afford those audiophile type of turntables, cartridges, and styli!!!
I'm not sure what records you're talking about Joe. I honestly haven't run into too many tracking problems for many years, and I have set up and used everything from budget priced cartridges and turntables all the way up to the most exotic stuff imaginable.
Sure, there's always a handful of silly untrackable records like the infamous Telarc 1812 Overture, but in my experience they are the exception.
If end of side distortion is a problem, perhaps consider using Stevenson cartridge alignment.
Joe, one more question: Just wondering what you think of the AT-440MLa... is it worth the money?
I am trying to decrease the amount of Inner Groove Distortion I get on many of my records.
Thanks again for all you do :)
Joe, first time watching one of your videos. Thank You! Good info here, nicely explained as if I was hanging out learning with a buddy.
OK, Anti-skate should be the same as tracking force. Anything else is wrong. Use a ruler to make sure the stylus is 52 MM from the backside of the rubber washer on the headshell. Just lay it down next to the ruler and eyeball it until it looks right... That will ensure proper alignment for that arm. The AT95E tracks best at 2 grams and has a .4 by .7 mil stylus. It tracks well but it will mistrack some high modulation records. You might consider an Ortofon 2M Red for that table. I LOVE mine.
I haven't heard either of those reissues, I'll see if I can check them out. I do have originals of all the MJ albums, and Dangerous is a particularly dynamic cut. Dark Side is of course an all time classic, and I have original US, UK, Japanese and MoFi pressings. Never heard the recent job though.
Thanks.
The way a record is mastered should depend somewhat on the expected buyer. How many $60 2x45 rpm 200G audiophile reissues are played with a cartridge that costs less than the record? Still, some affordable cartridges like the Shure M97xE can track pretty much anything if they're set up correctly.
The catch is that proper setup is critical, and especially with better tracking stylus profiles things like overhang, VTA, azimuth, and zenith need to be spot on. This often involves specialized tools.
Very interesting video, I have learned some useful info from this and many of your other videos. I too take issue with people trying to cram a quart into a pint pot. In a similar vein, digital radio in the UK has gone downhill quality wise because they are cramming more and more stations into the multiplexes and lowering the bitrate accordingly. We now have music stations here working at 48k or less in MONO! Played on half decent gear it sounds ghastly. Apparently this is the future... Yuk.
Thank you for your reply. It is actually a brand new turntable. It is an Audio-Technica AT-LP120-USB Direct-Drive. I got it 3 weeks ago. It came with an AT95E. TF is set to 2 1/2 , Anti Skate is half of the weight on tone arm (per some users in the vinylengine[com] . I really dont have much of a sibilance issue, but, records lose quality the closer they get to the middle of the record. It's been driving me a little crazy here. Would a better quality cartridge/stylus help this?
If it isn't too much to ask, I have an album on Imgur. I am so afraid of not setting this up the right way. It has various shots of my cartridge ON the protractor (including how I have the protractor mounted on the spindle).
Would you be able to give it a look?
Edit - Ok. so much for that. TH-cam wont allow links :/
Hi Joe thanks so much for what you do. Thanks for calling out what I see on a lot of message boards as audio snobbery. If vinyl is going to continue to grow as a medium, which I think benefits all lovers of vinyls it does seem there would be more thought into support for mid level audio again. I saw where Project is planning to come out with an even cheaper turntable that they want to sell at Target stores they are calling it the Crosley killer?
Hey Joe. I feel that you're doing a fine job on your videos. :)
Thanks!
Wonderful video! And I 100% agree with everything you have said. it reminds me a lot of the reasoning behind RCA's dynagroove records of the 1960s that were designed to play around the common console stereos at the time and the uproar that it caused... And about how it was a backwards slide in audio advancement. In my way of thinking what RCA was trying to accomplish at the time was to make records that were playable by the unit so everyone could enjoy them. do I think dynagroove should come back no of course not because we have technology today that we didn't have back then. And you are exactly right just because a person doesn't have the means to support a multi $1,000 home entertainment system does not mean that they had don't have the right to enjoy what artists put out. everyone has that right to enjoyment. your thoughts greatly appreciated and thank you.
Great rant! But more importantly, great insight. Oh, and sibilance is a great word for mic checking, sssibilance hehe! Cheers!
Thanks, will take a look at it soon, i've also ruled out the headshell (as someone suggested). Thanks for the videos btw! Really got me hooked on vinyl again, haha :)
"The AMAZING AM 610, KFRC!" Awesome station! :)
I see the 8 down votes were the people you were talking to at the start of the video.
Very good, and technically correct.
You are a great teacher. Thank you.
:)
Great teacher ! basics concept for all people! :) Thx for make one one better (whit vinyl)
Great video! I'm curious if their can be a second master cut using the output of from the higher gain master copy ( in direct to disc recordings), then sell one as 'highest end' and the other as 6 mil? Seems like that might open a can of worms though in regards to who would and wouldn't offer both versions. Not to mention possible inflated pricing. cont.>
I love 1930's 78's as well as old vinyl and prefer my records to reproduce at the average level of small orchestra even though I listen to lots of pipe organ records. The marriage between a good cut and the harmonic overtones of acoustic instruments ( and some amplified) is greater evidenced in a well mastered record. What is to be gained by more gain, but the need for a stylus that can track it. I'm not so sure the lines between one having a 'better' musical performance even exist. If so can it be heard at headphone or preamp level?
Isn't it funny though that CD's finally bit it because their supposed ability to reproduce dynamic range based on performance was ignored? It's as if they inched upward looking for a better sound, but passed the better sound right up! Apparently the best sound of digital isn't good enough. Some of us always knew that, huh?
Using digital to clean up early recordings, if done properly really can bring out some good sounds, but if you listen often the noise disappears anyway:)
Most short run high end audiophile pressings are cut to play with a high complience cartridge. They command a pretty penny, too. :)
Joe Collins Oh', well I guess I could live with a high quality audio file because I can't afford that kind of audioPhile. Maybe they are short run because hardly anyone else can either.
Your knowledge is awesome. Thank you.
It's the 2003 "Dark Side." The original sounds just fine.
Hello. You seem to be very knowledgeable about vinyl records. I wanted to ask a question. I am a newcomer to the vinyl universe and im having some sort of distortion. However I dont know what it is. I have a technics slbd20 with an audio technica at92e (p mount cartridge). During the first outer song and the last inner song of each side, it tracks perfectly. However when I play the tracks between I get this distortion on the left channel. It is as someone is constantly pulling the tonearem in and out. it effects both channels by 'cutting in and out' of the song. Is this inner groove distortion, or something else? Please respond. Thank you.
Sounds like something is definitely wrong there. It would seem to me that the bearings in the tone arm are bad or the anti-skate mechanism is really out of whack. Either way, the best solution is a new turntable. Try to find an SL-Q300 on eBay. Stay away from the belt drive models, though. They were not as well made. :)
Joe Collins Hello. Joe Collins. I just fixed the problem. Looked like my table holding the turntable was slightly, slightly slanted. :) Put it back up to level and the sound is fixed! Guess that shows that anything can be fixed if you look closely. Thanks anyways. Like your videos. Keep it up.
I have really bad inner groove distortion on my van halen record, during the last two songs on each side. I have an lp120, i have played around with anti skate, arm height, counterweight, realignment, and nothing seems to work. I then played ‘rocks’ bu aerosmith, and i was able to lessen it a bit, but it was still bad on the loud sections of ‘combination’ and ‘home tonight’. Could a higher quality stylus be a solution?
Are there any good cartridges out there that are easy to align?
ortofon pro s concorde
reenso With om30 stylus!
At least they're now introducing loudness limiters for radio & tv. I would imagine it'll eventually end the loudness war.
Nothing worse than compressed TV sound, everybody else seems to play their TVs too loud, on the other hand vinyl played @100dB is enjoyable to me
Hi, Joe! Thanks a lot for such an in depth reviews. I am using rega rp3-24 with ortofon MC turbo3 through some nice boose speakers. However, I really can't believe that even AC/DC mastering engineer would be such a dumb person who wouldn't take into account these inner groove issues. For the record I haven't been able to listen to original pressings on my system but recently published Back to Black and Highway to Hell to my mind sounds terrible in the middle. And the sound (syllable) issues for both records are absolutely identical. How can such a number one one albums sound so dreadful? I was starting to think maybe something went wrong with my system but then i listen to recenty digitally remastered Dark Side and it sounds brilliant. I mean - the difference is so enormous. and probably there is no way of knowing what quality the master will be before buying a record.. Would it be connected with anti-aliasing may be?
Something is not right there. An Ortofon Turbo 3 is one hell of a good tracker and even if the record was a bit overmodulated you shouldn't be hearing sibilance from such a fine cart. It sounds like you have an alignment issue of some sort and it doesn't have to be very far off with the Ortofon's FIne Line stylus to cause problems like this. Are you sure it didn't get damaged somehow? A chipped stylus or bent cantilever can ruin the sound and tear up any records you play... I'd take it to someone who can look at the stylus under a microscope and check that the diamond is OK and get them to realign it when they put it back on, too. You put a lot of money into that system and you're not getting what you paid for at all. Please keep me posted! :)
Joe Collins I've had two MC turbo 3 cartridges and I have to say the mentioned ACDC albums sounded dreadful on both cartridges. Secondly mostly all others tonns of albums in inner grooves sound absolutely normal. So I doubt that something's wrong with my cartridge. Now, could leveling be a porblem? becasue I leveled the turntable only "based on my eye". Regardng the alignment of the cartridge, well..I have aligned it myself based on stencil provided by rega. And anti-alising is set to 2 grams, they way it shoud be for my 2g cartridge. So this is a bit mistery to me. I'd like to listen to thee albums on some other hi-end system..
I don't get igd on my setup if you do something is not setup right
I have a 2m blue will it stand up to arrogant mastering engineers
Hi Joe great videos mate! I recently ran into quite a head scratcher. first off my setup is a technics SL 1210 Mk2 turntable, with an AT120E cartridge. Amp is a vintage marantz 2230. a week ago out of the blue after 4-5 years of no issues at all I started hearing very sudden fuzzy distortion when listening to my LP's. I thought it might be the cartridge that needed replacing, so I replaced the AT120E with a replacement cartridge but same happened. The strangest of all is I would literally spin 2 records without issues all is great, glorious sound, when I put on the 3rd record almost immediately It rears it's ugly head... I have the tonearm balanced, correct VTF & anti skate, played through speakers as well as headphones, same problem. I am starting to fear it might be the amp?? the part that gets to me most is that it only happens after 2 records played flawlessly! any suggestions Joe? Much appreciated
thanks for a vid, I enjoyed and subscribed
I certainly hope so... :)
thanks for explaining that.
thanks. very helpful
Thank you right on
great videos,Keep it up.
Iv noticed with modern sound systems and recordings they are super bright. Not natural at all. All you hear is. Boom and tizzz. It’s almost like these recording engineers follow what they were told via a book and not using there ears. I like listening to a lot of vintage recordings and you ca tell a lot more art and effort was put into the recordings so they sounded pleasing
Your comparison to a tape recorder is incorrect...In a tape recorder the speed is always constant ( in this video at 3:15) it does not change.
He's just saying supposing it did get slower, it would be a similar effect, less quality.
Reply to rrangana11 - His comparison is exactly correct. He states the IPS (inches per second) while playing tapes (both reel-to-reel and cassettes) increases as play time continues. In this example he is reversing the ips to decrease during play time to compare to a vinyl record play time and ips. If you measured the record in ips the number decreases on the inner grooves. It is the same with tape, the speed is not constant, the ips increases with play time.
To Joe Collins - This is the first video I have seen of yours and I enjoyed it. Thank you.
I just would like to say I have a Numark TTX 1 it's just recently put a order phone 2m red needle and stylus and I must have it perfect cuz I have no outer or inner distortion and I've played just about every kind of album there is 80g 180g 45. I'm just gonna say it did take a good bit of time to get it right though!! just thought I would add to the conversation and when it comes to setting up a turntable you have to be long-winded and in death on what you're saying so I would rather you have an hour video then a partial video that explains absolutely nothing!!!! so thanks for the time
Much better than pristine image and colorful background but no useful information. Thanks for sharing.
I just got a FG70 stylus (om40) and there is literally NO igd whatsoever.