DaVa FC-A1 a field coil contender
- Thread starter christensenleif@msn.com
- Start date
I am about to tear my phono down and reconfigure. For 6mos I have been using the DaVa with the Klyne System 7 and RADA silver SUT.
Everyone that has been over has been absolutely blown away by the dynamic expression this combo has. It is literally tape -like. I am going to try to find a way to add the shelf space to keep this combo going after getting things set up again for my newly modified Io that has returned with the latest updates.
It may lack the tiniest bit of harmonic richness and front to back layering that the Io does. However, it is forgiven in that no cartridge I have every had, including the Atlas Lambda, Lyra Etna SL and the latest GFS has been able to be as exciting and engaging .......and this is on electrostatics.
It make the Beveridges simply jump.
The Klyne is truly special and I am sorry I sold my original one and had to buy back another.... luckily this Klyne came from a trusted and kind member of our audio group. My advice is , if you have ever been curious and ever run into one--- buy it. It will run neck and neck with any top tier SS phono anywhere.
The DaVa is finicky as hell to settle in and get grounding to work- it was for me and you really have to watch your gain on the phono/SUT combo so as not to saturate and congeal.
The RADA Precious One SUT all silver takes the prize on the DaVa for me. I had tried a number of others and this one won.
Lastly, there is a benefit to the tube power supply, I have battery here like some have tried but have not got to hooking it up and putting together a charging system . On my tube supply I added a 10 turn potentiometer to alter the voltage in millivolts- you can actually tune the cartridge by adjusting the voltage. This has its benefits.
I am not sure you can buy more excitement in analog for the price of the DaVa- even if you have to buy a tube supply and can't build one. Its a bargain.
I am going to have to get back to the Etsuro Gold - to which I am afraid I did not dedicate any time with the Io going for upgrades and life getting in my way in a large fashion for some time over the last year and a half. I truthfully don't think the Esturo is broken in yet with far, far less that 100hours on it.
If you are considering any cartridge anywhere near the price of the DaVa and are not sure if you should take the chance. Let me say this, almost every other cartridge I have had is very conventional sounding ... look at my signature. The DaVa is one you can really engage with. It is an absolute riot. It is so much fun.
The winter has been severe here lately so the timing is good to have a scotch and listen to some analog.
Everyone that has been over has been absolutely blown away by the dynamic expression this combo has. It is literally tape -like. I am going to try to find a way to add the shelf space to keep this combo going after getting things set up again for my newly modified Io that has returned with the latest updates.
It may lack the tiniest bit of harmonic richness and front to back layering that the Io does. However, it is forgiven in that no cartridge I have every had, including the Atlas Lambda, Lyra Etna SL and the latest GFS has been able to be as exciting and engaging .......and this is on electrostatics.
It make the Beveridges simply jump.
The Klyne is truly special and I am sorry I sold my original one and had to buy back another.... luckily this Klyne came from a trusted and kind member of our audio group. My advice is , if you have ever been curious and ever run into one--- buy it. It will run neck and neck with any top tier SS phono anywhere.
The DaVa is finicky as hell to settle in and get grounding to work- it was for me and you really have to watch your gain on the phono/SUT combo so as not to saturate and congeal.
The RADA Precious One SUT all silver takes the prize on the DaVa for me. I had tried a number of others and this one won.
Lastly, there is a benefit to the tube power supply, I have battery here like some have tried but have not got to hooking it up and putting together a charging system . On my tube supply I added a 10 turn potentiometer to alter the voltage in millivolts- you can actually tune the cartridge by adjusting the voltage. This has its benefits.
I am not sure you can buy more excitement in analog for the price of the DaVa- even if you have to buy a tube supply and can't build one. Its a bargain.
I am going to have to get back to the Etsuro Gold - to which I am afraid I did not dedicate any time with the Io going for upgrades and life getting in my way in a large fashion for some time over the last year and a half. I truthfully don't think the Esturo is broken in yet with far, far less that 100hours on it.
If you are considering any cartridge anywhere near the price of the DaVa and are not sure if you should take the chance. Let me say this, almost every other cartridge I have had is very conventional sounding ... look at my signature. The DaVa is one you can really engage with. It is an absolute riot. It is so much fun.
The winter has been severe here lately so the timing is good to have a scotch and listen to some analog.
Completely agree with the above statements - and very well written. No experience listening to it with Beveridges, but it should make almost all systems jump.
Regarding your statement "I am not sure you can buy more excitement in analog for the price of the DaVa" - that is very true, since I heard it on a few systems and compared the TD124 with Dava to continuum with Etsuro Gold, I have advocated to many that the TT matters less as long as you have the DaVa on it.
cool how this thread developed
I knew it would cause a stir
my DaVa´s gets hours every day and I simply forget the system and listen to music
shitty old monos or superb stereos doesn´t matter
they all sound engaging
have to pull myself together to install the Tommy Hørning AVC in my Riaa, because it means "down time"
I knew it would cause a stir
my DaVa´s gets hours every day and I simply forget the system and listen to music
shitty old monos or superb stereos doesn´t matter
they all sound engaging
have to pull myself together to install the Tommy Hørning AVC in my Riaa, because it means "down time"
just shows how DIY community can discover products compared to standard commercial products.
a lot of manufacturers start out as supplying parts and updates for DIY community
e.g. Lampizator
e.g. Lampizator
Leif do you have a link to some of the trafos and parts Hørning offers ? I can not find it on his home page.
I have an unused Dava Ref and tube PSU coming in from London:
* Any issues using my Origin Live Enterprise 10" tonearm and/or my Aesthetix IO Sign phono (set at 121 imped, 74 db gain)?
* Also, anyone swapped out the stock tubes in the PSU?
* Any issues using my Origin Live Enterprise 10" tonearm and/or my Aesthetix IO Sign phono (set at 121 imped, 74 db gain)?
* Also, anyone swapped out the stock tubes in the PSU?
What is output of the Dava ? I would not recommend the Io without a step-up on cartridges under 0,25 mv, tried my Benz Ebony TR with 0,1 mv output, it was to noisy.
I have the Io Eclipsed. You will not be able to run the DaVa into the Io without a step up - at least I have not been fully successful. You will need a step up. If you run the DaVa- you need to run it with 47k (or higher) with a step up
Even then, I had found the Io not as stone quiet as my Klyne - it may be my set up though. Report back. It definitely is the step up with the Io causing some hum.
Update...........
I now have run the Io on one input with the DaVa and the precious one 1:40 step up. The Io with VC runs about 30-40db and the step up is +32db. If I hold my step up mid way in the air I get it stone quiet lol. I get pretty good with the step up on the shelf but not as quiet as my klyne with the step up in the same position.
I have wrapped the step up in some mu metal foil and it helps. The interaction of the step up , interconnect and the Io is not as quiet as the klyne and the step up.
I spent months before trying to get things quiet. It either works quietly or it doesn't and if it doesn't you have your work cut out for you.
With the Esturo Gold on the other input of the Io it is dead quiet..
Even then, I had found the Io not as stone quiet as my Klyne - it may be my set up though. Report back. It definitely is the step up with the Io causing some hum.
Update...........
I now have run the Io on one input with the DaVa and the precious one 1:40 step up. The Io with VC runs about 30-40db and the step up is +32db. If I hold my step up mid way in the air I get it stone quiet lol. I get pretty good with the step up on the shelf but not as quiet as my klyne with the step up in the same position.
I have wrapped the step up in some mu metal foil and it helps. The interaction of the step up , interconnect and the Io is not as quiet as the klyne and the step up.
I spent months before trying to get things quiet. It either works quietly or it doesn't and if it doesn't you have your work cut out for you.
With the Esturo Gold on the other input of the Io it is dead quiet..
DaVa FC Reference 0.2 mVWhat is output of the Dava ? I would not recommend the Io without a step-up on cartridges under 0,25 mv, tried my Benz Ebony TR with 0,1 mv output, it was to noisy.
ZYX UNIverse II 0.24mV which I am running now thru IO at 74db gain.
Etsuro Gold 0.3 mV
if this came from the person who owned CH, it has a 3.5 ohm impedance compared to the usual 10
I asked Darius about stylus cleaning. Similar to most, I use Magic Eraser and ST-50 gel before each LP play, and every 10 LPs MFSL cleaning fluid/brush (and somethings Hudson UV Stylus Cleaner). I specifically asked him about these. He did not directly address Magic Eraser, ST-50, but said MFSL brush ( https://www.musicdirect.com/equipment/accessories/mobile-fidelity-sound-lab-stylus-brush/ ) was dangerous to the front coil.
He is recommending a soft brush (Kabuki Brush - link he provided https://www.douglas.lt/katalogas/douglas-collection-kabuki-brush/) and a cross brushing method (link he provided
). He does not recommend wet cleaning, except rarely with a cue tip (sent me a picture of a cue tip LOL) and alcohol on the diamond only.
Anyone using Magic Eraser, DS Audio ST-50 gel pad? Thoughts?
He is recommending a soft brush (Kabuki Brush - link he provided https://www.douglas.lt/katalogas/douglas-collection-kabuki-brush/) and a cross brushing method (link he provided
Anyone using Magic Eraser, DS Audio ST-50 gel pad? Thoughts?
The Kabuki brush was included in my Dava FC which was nice.
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