DaVa FC-A1 a field coil contender

[bonzo75]

Gian says everything is dark. Imai actually says something similar when you buy his stuff. Because he focuses on limiting high freq distortion you may think it sounds treble is lacking but in reality only the distortion is decreased.

i think his phono is extremely dark and both Pietro and I thought so about his amp too. While Gian does like more treble than anybody I know, he is comparing it to three carts vdh Lyra and Opus. He also says at the very top of his range his products are great

 

[bonzo75]

Imai is my dealer.

so direct prices are always going to be quite lower than retail prices. But when we quote it is always retail price, unless the product is being sold only direct. Street price is quoted as street price

 

[djsina2]

so direct prices are always going to be quite lower than retail prices. But when we quote it is always retail price, unless the product is being sold only direct. Street price is quoted as street price

I’m quoting the street price because there is no USA dealer to scam us.

 

[djsina2]

i think his phono is extremely dark and both Pietro and I thought so about his amp too. While Gian does like more treble than anybody I know, he is comparing it to three carts vdh Lyra and Opus. He also says at the very top of his range his products are great

Everyone hears differently and likes different things. I have good hearing so I’m sensitive to too much treble. People also like different music which can sometimes gel better with different carts and phonos and TTs. I don’t expect everyone to love DaVa either. On this forum people like to dictate to others what’s best, hence the freakin forum name. Personally I have found AT to be the most natural sound in my more limited experience. It’s the first gear in 12 years of doing this that I have not sold. DaVa is great though, everyone should try a FC cart once.

 

[bonzo75]

Everyone hears differently and likes different things. I have good hearing so I’m sensitive to too much treble. People also like different music which can sometimes gel better with different carts and phonos and TTs. I don’t expect everyone to love DaVa either. On this forum people like to dictate to others what’s best, hence the freakin forum name. Personally I have found AT to be the most natural sound in my more limited experience. It’s the first gear in 12 years of doing this that I have not sold. DaVa is great though, everyone should try a FC cart once.

dark is relative to others. Like I found the AT phono darkest of all that I I have heard, and as I said, sluggish and coloured. The reason Pietro ran the Sakuma preamp through it was to bring some life into it. The Sakuma did some very high Vout. You might hear differently to all of us. Doubt that is good hearing though.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

@djsina2 if your DaVA sounds full throttle all the time, you have a serious system problem imo
in my system they´re very nuanced and have very varying intensity and dynamic flow.......from dramatic to sweet

 

[bonzo75]

if your DaVA sounds full throttle all the time, you have a serious system problem imo
in my system they´re very nuanced and have very varying intensity and dynamic flow.......from dramatic to sweet

It's his phono (at least). https://zero-distortion.org/phono-shootout-thrax-vs-fm-123-vs-audio-tekne-vs/

 

[Kcin]

The DaVa is amazing for sure but it can be a little unruly sometimes. It also tends to make everything sound full throttle like home theater. It’s exciting and addicting. I had the same experience using an EMIA autoformer. They are a lot of fun but in the end I prefer the simplicity, the better tracking, better vocals, and quieter in the groove of the way cheaper AT cartridge. I also have a full AT system though so there’s the benefit of it all being tuned as one unit. It’s probably not for many people who constantly want more more more and end up with something so overblown. Depends what you like I guess, everyone has their preferences.

I would call the DaVa enthusiastically present.
I am ready to have another go with 2 other very well regarded SUTs - after a bit of a break with life getting in the way.

The SUTs have arrived and I will hopefully install them this weekend.

 

[Solypsa]

I would call the DaVa enthusiastically present.
I am ready to have another go with 2 other very well regarded SUTs - after a bit of a break with life getting in the way.

The SUTs have arrived and I will hopefully install them this weekend.

Ratio's?

 

[Kcin]

32db on one and the new Allnic all silver effort I have here for a longer trial which will do up to 32 db as well and is adjustable. The Allnic is just in a huge box.. Actually both are silver. I determined from my prior experiments that about 1:40 or 32db gain will work with adjusting my Io volume controls accordingly. Looking for impact of flavours. My Etsuro gold is still not out of break in in my opinion with very few hours on it ----- I have had major life get's in the way issues so hifi has been parked for months. So I have to get more hours on it and let it get over the hump and the bass to settle.

I can easily understand @djsina2 's comments above regarding the DaVa . In my more mature years I learn to enjoy a little spice and something like the DaVa can be extremely entertaining in some ways. Chasing neutrality is noble but not always fun.. YMMV.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

maybe my DaVa Ref is the living on the edge Marilyn Monroe to my Etsuro Gold's super cool and elegant Audrey Hepburn.

2 versions of going to heaven. both classics. both with much to discover about.

owning both is absolutely extravagant.

 

[Lagonda]

maybe my DaVa Ref is the living on the edge Marylyn Monroe to my Etsuro Gold's super cool and elegant Audrey Hepburn.

2 versions of going to heaven. both classics. both with much to discover about.

owning both is absolutely extravagant.

You are showing you age there Mike !

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

my conclusion still stands....the DaVA is an absolutely NO-BRAINER

 

[bonzo75]

my conclusion still stands....the DaVA is an absolutely NO-BRAINER

Totally agree. It makes music much more real, more musical energy, with all the nuance of vdh and Lyra yet more musicality and balance. It makes TTs less sonically important, and simple low level idlers sound more nuanced than much higher grade belts, which they don’t with other cartridges. The higher information as per Darius is due to the Dava killing Eddy currents. It seems to require a good SUT match though

 

[bonzo75]

DaVa across systems

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLv2XeIUgXk&t=23s

I don't have the YG compare or Mike's, will see after the weekend if I can upload what I was sent in a file a brilliant video of DaVa playing Michael Rabin on a Verity Lohengrin with EMT phono and Dartzeel electronics, Tosca arm.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

my conclusion still stands....the DaVA is an absolutely NO-BRAINER

i would not contemplate not owning and enjoying the DaVa.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

if you´re bothered, try the mono too

 

[Kcin]

I love having the DaVa in the stable.

 

[bonzo75]

Audioquattr’s reaction after setting up the Dava. Less than two hours, still getting it right: “This is the best cartridge I have ever heard!
Excellent tone, crazy detail and unbelievable dynamic !!”

he has had many and still does for direct compare vdh master signature, Grand Cru, Opus, Vyger red sparrow, Grado Epoch 3, etc

 

[bonzo75]

It requires at least 20 hours to start sounding better so I will visit after that