Sub-Sonic issues from TT?

CH46E

I have a Audio-Technica AT-LP120X with AT-VM95E cartridge. Completely as it came from the factory. Only 2 months old or so. They other day I cleaned up some of the albums that were given to me. Steve Winwood BITHL is what I started with and I noticed the woofers banging away. At moderate volume (like in the video) you can see the amount they are moving. I tried two other albums including a new Evenesce LP and the issues is still there. The IFI phono has a sub sonic filter. It seems to help some, as you will be able to see in the video. Around the 30 second mark, I pause the recording and turn the filter on. I also took a video to show that the records don't appear to be warped.

I double checked and recalibrate the anti skate and weight on the needle. I put 2.5g as stated by the manufacturer.

Should I be doing something different? The table is level and away from the music. Different room entirely actually. Lid is up.
Or is this nothing to be concerned about?

https://youtu.be/b9gLPuuEYkc

https://youtu.be/Cawv55Kpbek

CH46E

Oh, I'm not 100% sure..... this is a MM cartridge right? I've had my phono set to MM.

msg

That's weird! That looks like a lot of extra activity.
Side note - that sounds pretty good for phone video, wow!

Yes, the stock cart on the AT-LP120 is MM.

Curious to see how this works out.

CH46E

Maybe I should try reducing weight half a gram. I thought increasing .5 gr but Drew said I should maybe reduce a .5 gr.

I'll try that tomorrow.

msg

I'm starting to read this.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/crazy-speaker-pulsating-with-turntable.867413/

Even though your TT is in a separate room, what is the sound like there? Is it echoey, or reflective, or a place for sound to amplify or anything like that? Any way to cause feedback? It seems like this phenomena works a bit like feedback, even without anything playing. Does yours only do it with music playing?

CH46E

Only with music and gets worse with volume. Sound level in that room is very low.

jdjohn

You don't have the tt's internal phono pre-amp on as well, do you? How's your tt stand?

msg

So, does it do it if you setup for phono, and put the stylus down on a record without the platter spinning?

Can you feel the music in the room where the turntable is? What's the turntable sitting on? Anything resonant?

I just read your first post again, and see where you mention the record is not warped. One of the first things I noticed with the tonearm hopping a little. I couldn't tell if it was the record or not. I'll be curious to hear whether Drew's idea helps.

F1nut

I agree with Scott, your cartridge/tonearm are bouncing.

CH46E

What might cause that? I'm not expert but I followed the instructions to a Tee when setting the weight and antiskip. Maybe I messed up????

msg

Setting the counterweight can be a bit confusing if you haven't done it a bunch. I have to play close attention, because there's this one step that everything hinges on, which is the point where you zero the dial after the tonearm is balanced

I've forgotten about this once or twice and realized it shortly after. It's the bit just after balancing the tonearm, where you have to hold the weight body, while you zero the dial. You know the part I mean? If you don't do this, it throws off the tracking force.

Once before, I was so excited about getting the turntable going, that I got it balanced, moved away for another quick look for balance, and then just started turning the weight before caught myself.

That's the only thing I can think of at the moment.

DaveHo

Try removing the lid. Report back.

CH46E

DaveHo wrote: »

Try removing the lid. Report back.

No change. I had high hopes.

Should the cartridge be sitting so close to the record? After looking today it almost looks like the cartridge is hitting the record.

Clipdat

It does sit close which is normal, but I just re-watched the video and it's definitely bouncing strangely in the first 5 seconds if you look closely.

At the risk of sounding stupid, can you confirm that if you pick up the tonearm and twist the weight to read "0", the tonearm will float freely in the air?

CH46E

I will check in the morning. But yes I see what you are talking about now.

Clipdat

I keep thinking it's something about the weight being off on the tonearm, or the suspension of the cartridge/stylus being damaged. Do you have another cartridge you can try?

Joey_V

My friend had this happen to his VPI Prime onto his Wilson Sasha 2.
We figured out that the table was actually not balanced onto the platform/shelf.

Try that.

Clipdat

What do you mean by "not balanced"?

CH46E

Joey_V wrote: »

My friend had this happen to his VPI Prime onto his Wilson Sasha 2.
We figured out that the table was actually not balanced onto the platform/shelf.

Try that.

Please explain. I'm new to TTs. Do you mean the platter? Platter was not balanced?

No, I don't have another cartridge to try.

jdjohn

Clipdat wrote: »

At the risk of sounding stupid, can you confirm that if you pick up the tonearm and twist the weight to read "0", the tonearm will float freely in the air?

CH46E wrote: »

I will check in the morning. But yes I see what you are talking about now.

Of course the cue lift should be in the down position when testing for zero balance. The manual doesn't mention that. The weight and the dial move independently of each other, which is needed when calibrating to zero. But then when setting to 2.0, you can turn just the weight, and the dial will move with it. If the cart is truly bouncing, that would indicate the VTF is too light as it is, and a downward 'bounce' could be causing the hyperactive woofer.

You mention at the beginning you have the tt set as it came from the factory. I don't what the default setting is for the Phono/Line switch on the back of the tt, but it should be set to 'Phono' since you are using the iFi Phono. If the switch is set to 'Line', you are over-driving the signal, which could be causing the excessive woofer action.

I think the reference to 'balanced' may actually mean 'leveled' on the stand. It should be fine from the factory, but obviously if it wobbles, you should level it if necessary. Along those lines, you could try using isolation feet/pads/pucks/whatever under the feet in order to isolate the tt better from the stand.

Joey_V

CH46E wrote: »

Joey_V wrote: »

My friend had this happen to his VPI Prime onto his Wilson Sasha 2.
We figured out that the table was actually not balanced onto the platform/shelf.

Try that.

Please explain. I'm new to TTs. Do you mean the platter? Platter was not balanced?

No, I don't have another cartridge to try.

The plinth, sorry. The 4 feet were not adjusted properly onto the table/shelf

gmcman

Have you changed your set up any since the last time you used your turntable? I had the same issue when I mounted mine on a glass rack and after moving it to a heavy, spiked stand the problem went away.

I also had to remove the lid.

Dennis Gardner

It looks to me as if the pulsing is happening every 2 seconds or so as if there is a rumble or rough spot in the turntable's rotation that would happen every 2 or so seconds at 33 rpms. It could be turntable rumble as it rotates across the rough spot.