Aloha!

You ask good questions!

Just trying to free associate here...

If it were your pre-amp or amp overloading that caused the problem, I would expect the same passages to have trouble on CD or LP.

So, I'd tend to be thinking about something in your LP playback chain as the culprit.

On those kinds of passages, the tracking of the cartridge could be doing that, but you said that the hi fi shop who sold it to you set it up, so I would at least hope that mistracking is not the case due to set up. Also, if they had the table in their hands to install the cartridge, then they probably played it to check tracking and playback and, again, hopefully would have noticed the problem.

So, I'm starting to think phono-preamp. The way to easily check this is to "borrow" a phono-pre from the shop for an audition and see what happens. Any shop that's still installing cartridges deserves your support and I bet they will have a unit at or near your price range.

So, quick and dirty opinion is that I would start back at the hi fi shop thinking along the lines of phono-pre.

Keep us posted or add details as you think of things and we'll try to be useful!

Perhaps my last post left some information lacking. First my associated equipment beyond that listed in the first post are a Krell 300iL integrated, and a pair of wharfedale diamond 9.6 floor standers. the "TCC-750" is a phono pre, and is what I believe is a week link (besides my temporarily tiny room), and is where I hope the forums can provide useful insight and recomendations.

Buddah's aloha and reply (thanks!) also made me realize that the HI-Fi dealer I saw never actually listned to my turntable just set it up for me. I would love to learn more about how to properly set things up myself. If anyone has some grand advice on TT setup, cartridge alignment and record care/cleaning, or links to favorite websites with info along those lines, I would apperciate it. My googleing skills turn up more on cleaning products, then unbiased info.

Cheers!

Windzilla

There are some phono pres in you price range, but do not think it will be as magical as getting into the $500 range. You could looks at the little NAD, Parasound, Music Hall, Project phono boxes. Michael Fremer just gave a thumbs up to the Bellari tube unit at $200. This might be the place to start for you. Check audioadvisor and needledoctor along with your local shops for assistance. If your local shops stock any of these for you to audition it is a big plus. Saving $20 on-line makes no sense for the great local advice you can get. If you are willing to go a little higher check out the Gram Slee items as well. The "Phile" Recommended Components section can also help. Keep reading the Analog Corner as MF is constantly finding new Phono preamp gems.

Hi, Windzilla!

OK, now we are back to considering the cartridge/vinyl interface as a possibility with this problem.

The best short term answer I could give to get quick gratification is to have you go out and grab a test disc at a local used record shop. They should be relatively easy to find. Shure made one, as did, I think, Hi Fi News, among others.

Also, you may stumble across a used "Geo Disc" thing that Mobile Fidelity used to sell/supply that you could do some crude cartridge alignment evaluation with.

We are kind of operating in a tool-less environment right now.

I guess you could also try checking to see if the bottom of the cartridge is parrallel to the record when playing a disc - this may give crude tracking angle info.

Online, Cardas' test disc is affordable:
Cardas Test Disc

Also...
Cartridge Alignment Protractor

Even improper tracking force could be causing what you are hearing, so a tracking pressure gauge would be helpful.

Tracking Force Gauge

Not to be too free with your money, but those all become a bargain over time and you'll need them if you stay in the world of vinyl.

I'm trying to think of what else you could do now that may be helpful.

We are stuck in the area where several things could be foiling your pleasure.

So, what to do:

1) Start with comparing your phono-pre to a friend's or on loan from a shop. If your cartridge situation is fine, then the problem will disappear with a new phono-pre and then you can skip worrying about the other stuff. If the problem persists, we'll blame the cartridge/arm/table.

2) Look for cheap local test discs and alignment tools.

3) Start to think longer term and buy some tools for continued evaluation, etc.

Apologies for not being more precise.

Here is some info you will find useful. I own the cart allignment mirror shown and it seems to do a very good job.
Turntable Basics

Thanks for the advice, suggestions, links and general wisdom. I agree that supporting my local mom and pop beats out the internet, and 20$ is well worth the price of good advice and service. I think maybe the best thing for me to do is bring in my table, and ask to listen to it on their krell 400xi with a candidate pre-amp. this should help both get an expert conformation that things are working properly with alignment setup ecetera, and let me listen to the effects of the pre amp. I have purchased a few other items through them, and they seem happy to sell me a product and help me out, even if im not buying their big ticket items.

what do you guys think, sound like a good strategy?

regards
Windzilla

Absolutely. A good, smart dealer is in it for the long run. You are looking at some pretty good gear anyway. Good luck.