Speaker issue

[Jules Burgess]

Good evening 

This is an unrelated Brennan issue but one found whilst setting up the Brennan I have and I was hoping given the obvious technical knowledge and experience on this forum that someone may be able help .

I have a Brennan B2 now wired in to an Audiolab amp and some Bowers and Wilkins 607 speakers and a Technics 1500 turntable , all new.

I have started to collect ,again , my original vinyl collection and 98% of the records I have purchased are new.

I wired everything in using Chord cabling (which was a nightmare to strip ) and a special cable supplied by Richersounds from the Brennan to the amp - the Brennan plays back with no problem at all  and barring the obvious difference in volume output levels which needs watching when switching between input devices , there is no issue .

However when playing the new vinyl , some of the instruments are faint on playback and others at normal volume. I know the pieces and songs having been listening to them since the 70s at school . Can anyone as a huge favour advise me as to the probable cause of one of the channels being fainter on playback please ? Some instruments are barely audible.

I wired everything as per the instructions from a really helpful guy at Richersounds over the phone .

 I know its a bit cheeky to use this forum but I am certain having read most of the posts that you are collectively the most knowledgeable set of hi fi afficiandos around.

Jules

[Daniel Taylor]

I was going to ask if you had the turntable connected to the B2 or to the Audiolab amp.  But that really doesn't matter.  The important thing is, do you have a phono preamp for your turntable?  Or possibly, the amp has an input for a turntable that has the phono preamp internal to the amp.  Please let us know your connection status for the turntable and whether you have a phono preamp.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Jules,

Does the Audiolab amplifier have a phono input specifically for a record deck input?  If not, you might need to install a pre-amplifier between the record deck and the Audiolab amp. A record deck signal output is much lower than other devices such as CD players, tape decks, B2 line out, etc. hence the need for the pre-amplifier.  Unless of course the record deck has a built in pre-amplifier.  The owner's maual for the record deck should tell you if that is the case.

Just a thought .....

Regards,

Peter.

[Playplanks]

I think the 1500 has a built in phono stage so unless faulty that won't be the problem. The only thing I can think of is if the cartridge is fitted correctly and correctly aligned as this may give the issues you mention. Also take a look at the user manual for the audio lab amp to see if it mentions anything specific about inputs for a turntable as it may have a preference even though the turntable has a built in phono stage.

[Playplanks]

Also worth checking the tracking weight for the cartridge. I think the 1500 comes fitted with a MM cartridge but worth checking if it's a MC variety which may have a lower output. Is there an option on the turntable to switch between MM and MC? If so is it set correctly. Also worth checking the headshell connections are correct and the wires are connected to the right pins at the back of the cartridge.

[JAC]

Hi Jules

Firstly, it sounds like you have chosen pretty good quality components, so that's a good start !

From what I can work out, you have the conventional arrangement of a magnetic cartridge in the turntable, feeding its (very small) signals to the amplifier which has a dedicated Phono (=Phonograph) input.  Inside the amplifier is a special preamplifier which has the necessary extra gain and tonal equalisation to suit a magnetic cartridge.

If the other sources like the B2 operate OK, it suggests that the speakers are wired correctly and both working. If the speakers were wrongly phased you would get a lack of bass at a central listening position and poor stereo image, but it would seem that this isn't the case.  Still worth checking though.

That doesn't leave an awful lot to go wrong.  If one of the two stereo channels sounds fainter than the other, try swapping the connectors over at the amplifier's Phono inputs, i.e. Left to Right and Right to Left.  If the faint channel swaps sides to the other speaker, it suggests that the fault is in the magnetic cartridge or its wiring.

I must admit that I don't subscribe to the idea of exotically made and priced cables.  As long as the screening is good and the contact resistance is adequately low then they will work fine.

The only other thing I can think of is that the mix is different between CD and Vinyl, or between original Vinyl and more recent re-pressings.

If you have such a thing as an ancient Mono LP (Charity Shop ?) it should of course sound identical on the Left and Right channels.

Good Luck,  John.

[Greg McCormick]

Have you checked the speaker connections? If one speaker has plus and minus reversed relative to the other then the sounds of instruments of lowish pitch in the centre of the sound stage will become attenuated.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi All,

I received this response in the personal email, so I have copied it to here.  Good news, the problem is now resolved.

All

 

Just to say I have resolved the issue – I’m afraid it was all down to me and not the equipment . I managed to have both speakers wired in to the Right hand speaker slots which is extremely embarrassing  to admit but that’s what it was...but it did allow me to get to know the amp and turntable much better after setting it up a few times properly to try and resolve the issue .

I really appreciate your input here though , it was very kind . I am beyond happy with the vinyl sounds once more . I don’t drink and listening to these old records of mine (or new versions of my old collection) is like dipping in to fine wines for me if that doesn’t sound too pretentious, it probably does but you get my point .

 

I am reading the forum letters and learning an awful lot about my Brennan too as it obviously has quirks . I would say it is a fabulous piece of kit and does what I want it too , apart from some slightly odd things like not playing an album as a whole and choosing which songs its plays after the first track on said album, and not having a shuffle on the playlist that I can see etc . But I’m learning . I ignore the detractors on the Forum , and having read Peter’s comments and certainly agree about Apple , which although are  things of design beauty ,are a nightmare if you have technical issues of any sort and need the input of a ‘Genius’ to help solve . I am looking forward to using the Brennan more and more having now also finally downloaded my cd collection on to it . I absolutely love putting together playlists (for which in fairness Apple Music is very very good and the only reason I stick with them ) .

 

Thank you once again , your help is really appreciated

 

Jules Burgess

[Daniel Taylor]

Jules,

In the WebUI there is a button that looks like two arrows wrapped around each other.  That is the Random button.  If you want the album to play through in the correct order, you need Random Off.  If you want to play a playlist on shuffle, that would mean you want Random On.

[PMB]

Hi Jules,

Also to get an Album to play in the right sequence you may have to add track numbers (after ripping) - use 01, 02, etc so 10 doesn't appear at the top of the list - otherwise they may get sorted alphabetically.

Paul

Brennan Support.