Sibilance clarification?

Fixxman32

Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2021
Messages
162
Location
Norway
Just noticed sibilance on a brand new record.
As a reaction one checks alignment, VTF and vta. All good.


Its one song on one record. The record itself is not very flat though, so its going to be returned anyways.

Using a Lyra Delos, has about 40 hours on it. And its just on the left channel, so i readjusted the antiskate just to test. Same result. I guess its the record then
 
If sibilance isn't a regular occurrence I would lean towards it being the recording. We tend to chase our tails on things like this unfortunately. :)
Oh yes. 🙄 I have one record with distortion ( orginal copy has this too)
One Dire Straits with sibilance (the recording) and now this.
Old patterns of stress and ocd pops up when i notice sibilance. But its in the recording.
 
Oh yes. 🙄 I have one record with distortion ( orginal copy has this too)
One Dire Straits with sibilance (the recording) and now this.
Old patterns of stress and ocd pops up when i notice sibilance. But its in the recording.
Those Dire Straits albums are rife with sibilance, same for T-Rex Electric Warrior. The Mofi's cleaned up the Straits sibilance and the KPG pressing cleaned up the Electric Warrior (although I prefer the Mofi 45 still).
 
Those Dire Straits albums are rife with sibilance, same for T-Rex Electric Warrior. The Mofi's cleaned up the Straits sibilance and the KPG pressing cleaned up the Electric Warrior (although I prefer the Mofi 45 still).
I had a 33rpm S/T but it was bad. The MoFi S/T is alot better, but there is some on In the gallery. Not annoying, but there.
 
I had a 33rpm S/T but it was bad. The MoFi S/T is alot better, but there is some on In the gallery. Not annoying, but there.
Oh definitely, it's still there, just not as bad. Same for T Rex really, the Mofi 45 is cleaned up but still there, the KPG Rocktober it's completely gone. But the 45 beats it quality wise...
 
You can always run tracking tests with test records (NOS old CBS record, or sealed Ortofon) to isolate the issue from the LP but yeah, I’ll bet it’s the recording, the cart should track like a champ. I think a better term / understanding for what goes wrong with LP playback is “breakup”, a poor tracking cart struggles to cleanly resolve a sibilant passage, a properly tracking one doesn’t ignore it, it just present a smoother sound if that makes sense. Also of course if the record is used you could be dealing with any matter of groove damage.
 
You can always run tracking tests with test records (NOS old CBS record, or sealed Ortofon) to isolate the issue from the LP but yeah, I’ll bet it’s the recording, the cart should track like a champ. I think a better term / understanding for what goes wrong with LP playback is “breakup”, a poor tracking cart struggles to cleanly resolve a sibilant passage, a properly tracking one doesn’t ignore it, it just present a smoother sound if that makes sense. Also of course if the record is used you could be dealing with any matter of groove damage.
Makes sense :) I got an Ultimate Analoge Test LP with an 315Hz amplitude sweep to +12dbu antiskate test ( about 80uM ) . Passes with ease.
 
Last edited:
I have a Joni Mitchell record, boy is there alot of S words. And loud, but the playback is clean and no sputtering of the S-word.
 
Im crawling up the wall now and tearing out hair here.
I bought a second copy of a record that had distorted sibilance ( sort of smearing of the s-vocals) which had the exact same issue. Its both at the last track of side 2, and the first / second track of side 1.
Funny tho, the other album of this band is all fine and no issues.
 
Damn, my newest purchase ( The Doors – Curated By Record Store Day ) had some nasty distorted S-vocal on Roadhouse Blues, right channel Two times when Jim sings save our city. As usual, i had to check VTF ( 1,71gr ) Antiskate and VTA. I did however increase the VTF to 1,75gr and adjusted the antiskate, but it had no effect on the distortion.

I will however note that on Side 1 ( mono ) there is bad distortion in the right channel. but when summed to mono its gone.

This record was not mint, as it had been opened and played by previous ovner, so perhaps played back with some less optimal TT. Unless i was drunk when i did initial setup of the Lyra Delos.
 
Back
Top