Dynavector XV-1s

[mep]

I recently acquired a low-mileage Dynavector XV-1s cartridge to replace my Benz Glider SL that I bought brand new. The XV-1s is a wide body cartridge and it is heavy. If the Glider SL is a tiny AAA shoe, the XV-1s is a EEE.

The XV-1s is without a doubt the most expensive cartridge I have ever had. More importantly, it is the best sounding cartridge I have ever had. The XV-1s is a very quiet cartridge in that it does not raise the noise floor of your vinyl. I find it to be very well balanced from top to bottom, a very good tracker, and just a joy to listen to. It has definitely raised the quality level of my LP playback.

As good as I thought the Benz Glider SL was (and it is good), the XV-1s is in another league. When I returned home last year from the RMAF with a copy of Lightin’ Hopkins “Goin’ Away” that I heard on the same Clearaudio table that Christian owns with a $15K Goldfinger cartridge, I was hoping to duplicate what I heard playing the cut “Don’t Embarrass Me, Baby” on my rig. No such luck. What drove me to run downstairs to where they were selling LPs to try and find this LP was how great it sounded on that system. That cut just ‘popped’ and sounded very realistic like a guy was picking a guitar right in front of you. The notes just leapt out like you would hear from a guitar playing live. Through the Glider SL, that affect was missing and the music didn’t “pop.” I felt like I had been put in my place in the audio pecking order. With the XV-1s, I’m just about there which I find remarkable.

I will have more to say later as I gain a deeper appreciation for this cartridge. In the meantime, I’m all smiles.

 

[jazdoc]

Congratulations Mark! I own and really enjoy the XV-1s and concur with your initial observations. One bit of unsolicited advice...more than any cartridge I've used, the XV1-s benefits from spot on set up. Thankfully, it is quite forgiving with less than optimal set up, but that can fool you because you think "this can't get any better" and you stop working. There is some talk on the internet about using a VTF much higher than Dynavector recommends...don't do it. Mine sounded best with VTF 1.82-3 gm on the Durand Talea and 1.87-8 gm on a Triplanar. And yes, .01 gm will make a HUGE difference.

Again, congratulations and enjoy in good health!

 

[JackD201]

I agree Mark, don't track it heavy as is recommended by many on the net. I had mine at 1.8. The XV-1s is one of those great all-a-rounders and it's no wonder that for a very long time it was the cart most others were compared with in reviews from both print and online mags. Mine gave me many years of happiness. I'm really glad you are getting your share of that too.

 

[rockitman]

Congrats Mark and happy spinning with your new cart ! The XV-1s is definately on my list of carts to try down the road.

 

[Bill Hart]

enjoy~ i have never used the cartridge, but from what i've read it is a best of both worlds, it has the articulation without the leading edge analytical quality of some and the warmth and musical 'body' of others without sounding too dark.
best,

 

[mep]

Guys-Thanks for the great tips. Doc-what are you loading yours at? And Doc, if you ever find yourself in Southern Indiana, please know you are welcome to stay at my house and help me further tweak my setup!

 

[jazdoc]

mep --

Thanks for the kind invite...I"ll take you up on it if I'm ever in Southern Indiana.

With my current phono stage I run wide open. Honestly, I don't remember what loading I used with the K&K

 

[mep]

Doc-I'm also taking your other advice to heart about not lulling yourself to think you have the setup nailed because it sounds so damn good. That is how it sounds to me right now, but maybe there is more 'there' there.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Doc-I'm also taking your other advice to heart about not lulling yourself to think you have the setup nailed because it sounds so damn good. That is how it sounds to me right now, but maybe there is more 'there' there.

The Dynavector is a great cartridge provided you have enough gain for it's rather piddling output And the Krell fits the bill nicely! And a huge step up over the Glider to say the least! You'll be spending many hours rediscovering what's on your records--esp. I'd guess in terms of low level and spatial information.

 

[jazdoc]

A couple of more bits of unsolicited advice:

1. Use only 3-4 pieces of music do set up. Listen for specific parameters in each piece.
2. Keep a detailed log of your set up experience. That way when you go too far in one direction, you know how far to go back.
3. The MintLP protractor is a wonderful thing.
4. Vary only one parameter at a time.
5. Nailing set up is an iterative process, usually done over several sessions. I once read an article that advised to the effect that "the first f-bomb" muttered under your breath means it's time to stop and take a break" . An honest audiophile friend with good ears is a great resource.

IME, as the XV1-s set up improves, you'll hear a gradual improvement in sound but when you nail it, you get an exponential reward.

Enjoy, it's a great cartridge!

 

[mep]

Congratulations Mark! I own and really enjoy the XV-1s and concur with your initial observations. One bit of unsolicited advice...more than any cartridge I've used, the XV1-s benefits from spot on set up. Thankfully, it is quite forgiving with less than optimal set up, but that can fool you because you think "this can't get any better" and you stop working. There is some talk on the internet about using a VTF much higher than Dynavector recommends...don't do it. Mine sounded best with VTF 1.82-3 gm on the Durand Talea and 1.87-8 gm on a Triplanar. And yes, .01 gm will make a HUGE difference.

Again, congratulations and enjoy in good health!

After reading the advice I was given with regards to tracking force, I realized that my digital stylus pressure gage is only accurate to two digits because, well, it only has two digits. I ordered a new stylus pressure gage made by AcousTech that actually reads to 4 digits. It also comes with a calibration weight which I think is cool. In the meantime, I set the pressure to 1.9 grams, and then backed off of that so the scale read 1.8. I would think this would put me at the top of the 1.8 range (maybe 1.87-1.88).

I also have my KPE Reference phono stage set to 64 dB of gain and I changed the loading from 100 ohms to 249 ohms. Changing to 249 ohms opened up the top end nicely.

 

[mep]

UPS just delivered my new stylus pressure gage so now I will be able to play around with precise tracking force weights.

 

[MylesBAstor]

UPS just delivered my new stylus pressure gage so now I will be able to play around with precise tracking force weights.

It'll make a difference with pretty much all top flight cartridges.

 

[Bill Hart]

UPS just delivered my new stylus pressure gage so now I will be able to play around with precise tracking force weights.

Precise is nice. I have one of those old Technics ones that I bought 2 thousand years ago, brand new. Not sure it gives the level of precision that the new ones do, but it's pretty funky.

 

[rockitman]

make sure your sra/vta is adjusted correctly for the scale before you set your weight. The scale won't be the same thickness as a record...usually thicker so your VTF will be off from what you intended.

 

[MylesBAstor]

make sure your sra/vta is adjusted correctly for the scale before you set your weight. The scale won't be the same thickness as a record...usually thicker so your VTF will be off from what you intended.

That's a great point that many don't appreciate!

 

[jazdoc]

Mep, any updates??

 

[garylkoh]

Mep, any updates??

He's too busy listening to music

The XV-1s is something I considered getting some time ago after hearing it in a dealer's system. But cart evaluation's difficult because everybody's set up is different.

 

[mep]

I have VTF set at 1.87 grams and I think it sounds great. I have to admit my ignorance at Christian's suggestion that I have to adjust the sra/vta correctly for the scale before I set the weight. How do you compensate for that?

 

[Dimfer]

I upgraded from a DV 10x5 to DRT XV-1S, huge difference