LP12 Very Bass Heavy

I take it only the LP12 is booming, not other sources too? In what sense did you 'set up' the LP12?

Did you balance the arm before applying the cartridge maker's recommended tracking weight?

C.

I've basically just hooked it all up together. It runs into the Phono plugs at the back of my NAC62 with the smaller wire into the screwed fitting.

It was kindly donated by my father, never been used for quite possibly 10+ years. It's been serviced over the years, and fitted with a Linn Ittok LV11. The rest of the music sounds fine, it just feels overpowered by the bass. And the volume isn't really cranked up anywhere near where the CD Player would be.

Although, I have stuck with it all afternoon, and it seems to be improving, maybe that's me wishful thinking..?

I know nothing about the phono boards on the NAC62 but could there be a mismatch with the cartridge output? It might be worth posting information about the cartridge and phono board here so those with the Knowledge can assess that.

Clive

MM cart into possible MC boards on your Nac 62? I would expect CD to play back happily at around 8 o'clock on the vol knob, LPs at 10.30 to 11.

C.

Yup, this could be it.  Which cartridge and which boards are you using?

Cheers bud, the Cartridge has MP50 if that helps. The NAC62 is standard to the best of my knowledge.

Got Stone Roses on now, sounds awful, does quality in Vinyl have a huge effect?

New to Vinyl, not really enjoying at the moment.

Ok, CD wise I'm cool, not sure what MM and MC are.

If I go near 11, the noise is awful. Barely any treble coming through, singing very muffled too,

Cheers buds

I used the same combo of LP12 (with Ittok LVII) and 62/140 for many years and never experienced this problem. The deck would certainly benefit from a professional rebuild if it hasn't been used for ten years. I doubt it's the phono boards on the 62 as I presume the 62/140 also came from your father so the cart should match. It would also be worth having the cart checked also after all that time. 

Good luck.

Steve

Yes, huge.

Keep calm...its analog, which can take some time to get configured right.  Digital is plug and play comparatively.

MM is moving magnet and MC is moving coil. MM cartridges have a much higher output than MC ones. If the part of the NAC 62 into which you are plugging the LP12 is set up for MC then it will be far too sensitive for the MM output. The result will be that it will be louder than you would expect for the volume setting and distorted. The input boards (phono boards) for the turntable input can be changed depending on what sort of cartridge you have. Someone will be able to tell you how to check what board you have - sorry but I don't know.

The other important aspect of this is to make sure that the stylus on the cartridge has not been damaged, which is a possibility after ten years. Perhaps your father could check this for you as it was his deck.

Finally it should sound pretty good, even if the deck needs setting up! Not like what you are experiencing at all.

Clive

Cheers for replies, luckily got Linn and Naim dealers local so will contact them tomorrow.

Typically how long do cartridges last before needing replaced?

The MP50, assuming it's a Nagaoka MP50 is a Moving Magnet cartridge (a nice one too).  So if the NAC62 has NA323 boards instead of NA322s then it'll be overloading and you'll have way too much gain.

You can open up the NAC62 to check which phono boards are fitted - just switch off, unplug it, turn it over, unscrew the feet and then (very carefully) slide out the tray.  Be careful not to catch the polycarbonate fascia as it can easily chip when it's old and a bit brittle.

Once we know this, we can then take the next step...

Clive, from what you are saying, sounds like the issue I may have, it's way louder at 10 o'clock than it should be, and quite distorted too, I haven't seen speakers move like this outside of a club..!

I will get onto Lintone tomorrow.

Cheers.

The Nac62 is before my time but is yours marked with an 'S' on the back, on a sticky label? Or does it have an 'N'? Or something else?

C.

Too much bass and lack of treble can be symptoms of poor VTA setup. Has the tonearm been set up correctly?

N bud

Ok. Then please answer the third question I asked in my first reply.

C.

Ok Richard, think we might be onto something here, just removed the coils, etched on back of both is NA 323/5. Is it just a case of buying a set of NA322's then?

My father had this set up when he bought the new arm, he is a stickler for doing it properly, old schools guy, says it was sweet on his Naim System, so think we may have nailed it with Richard's reply.

This site is awesome for stuff like this...

Buying a set of 322 boards is easier said than done. I’ve been on the lookout for a pair myself, although now I’ve sold my MM equipped turntables I don’t actually need a pair.

I’d recommend getting the condition of the MP50 checked out before buying 322 boards, the MP50 stylus is quite expensive. Might be a better idea to buy a new MC cartridge, I use a Denon DL103, a bargain at under £150.

Yes, that's the problem.  The NA323/5 boards are for low output MC cartridges.  So not at all suitable for the MP50 cartridge you have which needs NA322 boards.  

It's just a simple case of swapping the boards.  NA322/4 boards are the most up to date versions. The 3 series phono boards are no longer made but there are lots of secondhand pairs out there and plenty knocking about in dealers drawers. I would ask Lintone if they have some and could supply you with a pair.

Then check that the cart setup is OK - VTF spot on etc..

Nice one Richard, cheers, can sink a few beers and chill now...!  

If it's ok with you, the rest of us might just wanna be adored too  ;-)

C

Yes!

With the Naim forums I now usually go into my dealer knowing exactly what I need...a position I want to be in.  Going into hi-fi dealer with only questions can get expensive.

So in terms of time, money and musical enjoyment the forums are worth every penny.

What a great thread to read. The OP started out with a dreadful problem and just a few posts later the issue was identified and a solution found. Well done forum!