Court & Spark CD-4 vinyl

[ress4278]

I received a very nice looking used copy of this today. It distorts in the right rear channel. I rechecked all alignments, cartridge and demod and it still distorts in just that one speaker. Hissing of Summer Lawns sounds fine.

Does anyone know if Court... has that problem as a pressing flaw?
Thanks, Lance

 

[JonUrban]

I haven't played mine in years, but I don't remember any flaw.

You might try to clean the LP. CD-4 LPs are suceptable to noise and dirt moreso than stereo LPs, esp if this is a later pressing, when they switched to cheaper vinyl.

 

[ress4278]

I haven't played mine in years, but I don't remember any flaw.

You might try to clean the LP. CD-4 LPs are suceptable to noise and dirt moreso than stereo LPs, esp if this is a later pressing, when they switched to cheaper vinyl.

I have a VPI cleaner that I used before playing. Does your copy not have this noise problem?
Lance

 

[ress4278]

I have a VPI cleaner that I used before playing. Does your copy not have this noise problem?
Lance

Here is what appears to be the answer. I received a marantz 400b today and hooked it up. I used the JVC set-up record as I had for the jvc 4dd5. One of the instructions is to minimize the sound from the rear speakers w/ the warble tone. I did so, and lo and behold the Court & Spark was noisy in the right rear channel w/ the marantz as well. At that point I decided I would set the balance myself by ear and screw the set-up record. Since I am running CD4 playback thru a S&IC, I don't have any volume control other then what is on the demods.

Setting it by ear removes the noise in the right rear. I am curious as to why "proper" set-up w/ the test record did not deliver acceptable playback w/. either demod. Any ideas?

 

[sspsandy]

There are a lot of variables to getting proper CD-4 playback, the Quadfather has covered this in great detail in earlier posts in this forum. I found the optimum settings for the JVC 4DD5 by setting it by ear, I gave up on the test record since I was not happy with the results. Maybe if it was 30 years ago and the demodulator was brand new the test tones would work, if it was clear what to use them for. My demodulator works fine, but it would no doubt benefit from a recap/restoration. The setting of the carrier pot and balancing it separately l & r with the fronts is crucial. If the carrier is set wrong, you end up with all kinds of unwanted noise and distortion. The key is getting the balance from front to back set properly.