Audio Technica lp5x turntable cartridge mystery?

And yes just so everybody's aware I've checked everything including the RCA cables and everything mentioned in the video and still this problem persist.

[@Mephistilo]

I bought an LP5X a few weeks ago. The stereo image was like +1 dB on the right channel. Then I bought an AT VM 95 SH with headshell. Installed it an the stereo image was right in the middle. A couple of days later, I changed my preamp and the image was on the right side again. Changed the preamp to the previous one, but the image stayed on the right side. So now, that’s a mistery. 😅 I decided to use the balance of my amp, this works fine, because the image doesn’t change with the middle of the record in my case.

[@Audiorevue]

Yeah that's interesting, I'm not an expert, and I don't claim to be, but I seem to remember reading a few years ago how different resistance between components can cause this type of behavior. Cuz I actually had the same thing happen with different digital converters a few years ago.. I used to review a lot more dax than I do now and I when I'd switch one out for another and then switch that one out for a third one I would run it into these channel balance issues, and I'm like I know it's not my amplifier or anything, cuz if I stuck the old one back in it went away. Anyway through my hunt to try to figure out why that was one of the explanations that was put forth on a forum was one particular converter has a different output resistance relative To its left and right outputs versus another, which is causing the channel imbalance. Another thing to consider and not to call you an idiot, but I know I've done it where I unhook a product to try out another product and when I hook up the new one I hook it up but in my haste to try it out, I don't hook up the RCA cables fully enough, which causes the channel imbalance.

[@kvetcha]

Anti-skate would have been the first thing I checked, but it sounds like you've covered everything. It doesn't completely lose signal, the volume just shifts? That kinda rules out a wiring issue, I think. Any other cart you could swap in there?

[@Audiorevue]

@@kvetcha yeah I've got a ton of carts but almost all of them have bad styluses on them, I've ordered a cheap cart to throw on there and do some experimenting, I'll make a follow-up and let everybody know Yeah I guess it's kind of funny because I've been in this hobby long enough now and turntables are not complicated machines, this should be a pretty easy solution but like I said the only thing that I could come up with was something's wrong with the cartridge. Thanks for commenting

[@itzhakazoulay1271]

I think the VM95E cartridge comes with the turntable socks. I bought the LP5X a week ago the right Chanel is perfectly clear and clean, but the left Chanel had strange cracking ,grain and lots of noise I replaced the cartridge to the Goldring E3 and the headshell to more rubost one and now all is fine. I assume that the custom cartridge is poorly designed .

[@xtraflo]

Have you adjusted the Arm Weight? Make it heavier and see what happens...

[@Audiorevue]

Yes I tried it heavier lighter you name it I tried it, matter of fact I think I mentioned that in the first 45 seconds of the video. I've got a different cartridge on the way we'll see how that works Sorry I didn't mean to sound like a dick, thanks for watching.

[@xtraflo]

@@Audiorevue I had a lot of problems with my Ortofon when I first got it and even with appropriate setup I was having issues and had my simple solution was to increase the weight. You provided a lot of information in your video within that first 45 seconds, I must have missed it. Best of Luck!

[@Audiorevue]

@@xtraflo well the recommended tracking force for the vm95e is 2 g, I put it up to two and a half which is the maximum threshold that Audio Technica recommends for that particular cartridge, I don't feel comfortable raising it any higher, and I even tried to lowering it cuz sometimes that can work. I've had cartridges in the past that work better and sound better at a slightly higher tracking weight than what is recommended however I don't think that's the case here. As I said I've got a cartridge coming in to throw on there to experiment, and also like I said thanks for watch

[@johnadair6108]

same problem on multiple records?

[@Audiorevue]

@@johnadair6108 Yes I didn't mention that in the video, I just assumed it was obvious but of course with every record I have it displays this behavior.

[@MrNicks-gn8jc]

Sounds like the anti-skate is too high or the tonearm bearings are too tight. 1. Set the anti-skate using the Peter Ledermann and Frank Schroeder method (KZbin: Soundsmith) 2. Learn the CORRECT way to test and adjust the tonearm bearings on the arm.

[@Audiorevue]

@@MrNicks-gn8jc no it was not that at all, it was the cartridge. As soon as I swapped it out the issue went away. On my hynews test disc with a new cartridge as well as the old I could get anti-skate perfect so it wasn't an anti-skate issue, by the way I typically use lower anti-skate anyway, I feel that it sounds better. That aside it wasn't that. Again it was the cartridge.

[@MrNicks-gn8jc]

@@Audiorevue Glad you got the fix. Best wishes for decades of listening enjoyment.