Distortion even at low levels.......

[PMST]

I have two VR heads, each head has been cutting around 200 to 300 discs each, per month for about 3 years.

In the past days, both heads are getting some nasty distortion, sibilance in particular, but even well below 0dbu at 45rpm which i have never encountered before. I've tested the heads, both read 4ohms on either side. That seems normal. I've changed amps, cables, swapped heads, diamonds and so on. I checked the fuses, they are reading low, but all exactly the same, across each lathe.

Has anyone else experienced this? I am wondering if it Is just the heads being worked too hard and having coil issues even with the ohms are reading correctly? Or could this be something else entirely?

[Discomo]

Have you checked your d/a converter? I had a clock problem once. It caused sibilance and clicking problems. Somehow the clock at my software didn’t correspond with my converter. Maybe something got reset after a software update. Once I made sure everything was running on the same clock the issue was gone.

[PMST]

Yeah i've swapped the players out and tried different sources, still the same.

I'm thinking it is just a send to Souri job, i cut a lot of discs, and have to cut loud so assuming at this point it is just wear and tear.

[Discomo]

Yeah i've swapped the players out and tried different sources, still the same.

I'm thinking it is just a send to Souri job, i cut a lot of discs, and have to cut loud so assuming at this point it is just wear and tear.

I didn’t even know it’s possible that the coils can erode

[leemichael]

Post a clip, sounds like mechanical breakdown of one of the drivers from being pushed too hard for long periods.

Try cutting with one driver at a time momentarily.

[drdub]

Probably you can try to pan in software to left an right and see which side is the affected one.

[Discomo]

Are the two VR’s connected to one source? I’d look there to start. The chances that both VR’s show exactly the same problem at the same moment seems unlikely to me

[PMST]

Thanks for all the feedback. The issue is now sorted. Strangely it was multiple diamonds causing this, i thought the odds of so many freshly 'resharpened' diamonds would never be the cause, low and behold, a set of new diamonds are used and order is restored.

[Discomo]

Thanks for all the feedback. The issue is now sorted. Strangely it was multiple diamonds causing this, i thought the odds of so many freshly 'resharpened' diamonds would never be the cause, low and behold, a set of new diamonds are used and order is restored.

Perfect! Glad it’s solved.