VDH Colibri XGW KOA Stradivarius - on the way.

[ddk]

Dear Shakti,

The model name of this manufacturer is very confusing to me. Have you received this Strad Master Signature? How does it sound? Ddk is bringing me the Colibri Master Signature next Tuesday. I don’t know if this is the same one as you were mentioning since the output level isn’t the same as ddk told me. He thought the sound is really good. Some aspects are in the same league as his Neumann.

Kind regards,
Tang

There are two Master Signature models, the standard Master Signature and the Master Signature Stradivarius, look at the front two cartridges, there's one of each. The Master Signature Stradivarius cartridges I received are 1.1mv standard output versions and I also asked him for lower output ones which Mr. van den Hul made them with 0.5mv output. You'll hear all 3 next week.

david

 

[Tango]

There are two Master Signature models, the standard Master Signature and the Master Signature Stradivarius, look at the front two cartridges, there's one of each. The Master Signature Stradivarius cartridges I received are 1.1mv standard output versions and I also asked him for lower output ones which Mr. van den Hul made them with 0.5mv output. You'll hear all 3 next week.

Thank you Sir. You come with a bag full of toys. I don’t think you will have so many to bring back.

Tang

 

[tima]

There are two Master Signature models, the standard Master Signature and the Master Signature Stradivarius, look at the front two cartridges, there's one of each. The Master Signature Stradivarius cartridges I received are 1.1mv standard output versions and I also asked him for lower output ones which Mr. van den Hul made them with 0.5mv output. You'll hear all 3 next week.

david

View attachment 42761

I'm very interested in the Master Sig and Master Sig Stradivarius.

 

[ddk]

I'm very interested in the Master Sig and Master Sig Stradivarius.

You can’t go wrong with either one or the Stradivarius for that matter.

david

 

[ddk]

Thank you Sir. You come with a bag full of toys. I don’t think you will have so many to bring back.

Tang

!
david

 

[shakti]

@Tang
I believe David answered the most, so I will just add some structural Colibri information in translating the

van den hul Colibri xgw AGW Master Signature Stradivarius nameplate:

X: stays for the crossed MC Coil Windings

G: stands for the material of the Coil Windings (C copper, G gold and P platinum can be chosen, P is not longer available for new colibri)

W: stays for the body material (W wood, P Plastic, S Steel, A Amber) , Amber is the current premium, combined with Titanium fixing

AGW: stays for the Wood Body Material: African Grenadille Wood

Koa: stays for the Wood Material: Hawaiian Koa wood

Stradivarius: stays for the optional Violin lacquer

Master Signature: stays for the High Power Magnet, which can double the output

The new magnet has a MK I (0.5mv), MK II (1,1mv) and MK III version (0,9mv), depending on the size of the magnet
(please see ddK pictures, you can see the difference)

Additional you can order special versions with a lower compliance.

A finetuning to different tonearms is possible at the free 300h service

All optional Versions do sound different within the known Colibri DNA.

The price range in Europe goes from 5500,- Eur up to 14.500,-eur for the different versions.

My Colibri was built last week and is just arrived to my hands (see pictures)

I have chosen the following:

vdh Colibri XGW AGW Master Signature Stradivarius with 0,9mv

I also own

vdh Colibri XGW Koa Stradivarius in low compliance version

(can be used on FR66s or Ikeda 407 tonearms or similar)

hope that helps to understand the different Colibri Carts on offer.

 

[tima]

Thanks for the convenient scorecard, Shakti.

 

[Tango]

Thank you Shakti. You be the first infantry. I follow next week.

Tang

 

[microstrip]

Thank you Shakti. You be the first infantry. I follow next week.

Tang

Eagerly wating for your feedback - I am also seriously considering the Master Signature Stradivarius. But the several body materials are an extra problem - which should be a better match to the SME 3012R headshell?

 

[bonzo75]

The vdh last two years in the WE room at Munich and in the vox Palladian room were possibly the best carts I heard. Very liquid, great tone, speed, natural, transparent, dynamic. The WE room analog is always set up by Schroeder and Schick and they operate it. I spoke to both Schick and Kevin (of vox) on why it sounds so good here vs why in some set ups it sounds thin and etchy. Schick in 2017 also let me compare some records with it to the Tsar DST they had on another TT. This year also he let me play some records with it. 2017 it was the crimson Stradivarius, iirc, while this year it was probably the Master Sig. Models are confusing.

They both said loading is key, and you can send the cart back after a few hours of play to vdh to adjust to your tonearm (like Shakti got one made low compliance). Sounds obvious, but seems to matter a lot. Steve Dobbins strongly recommends it too, including the Crimson, which is not high priced. Vdh pricing is also more sensible and retips are cheap. But I think important to work with someone who has picked out the right vdh carts since there are reports they can be inconsistent due to designer's age.

 

[GMKF]

Eagerly wating for your feedback - I am also seriously considering the Master Signature Stradivarius. But the several body materials are an extra problem - which should be a better match to the SME 3012R headshell?

Have you bought a EMT 927 ? (See signature)

 

[Tango]

Eagerly wating for your feedback - I am also seriously considering the Master Signature Stradivarius. But the several body materials are an extra problem - which should be a better match to the SME 3012R headshell?

It will be interesting time with ddk. Since he is bringing carts of same type, we can compare different arms of mine on apple to apple basis. Hope he goes through Customs without problem.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[ddk]

It will be interesting time with ddk. Since he is bringing carts of same type, we can compare different arms of mine on to basis. Hope he goes through Customs without problem.

Kind regards,
Tang

Shhhhhhhhh

 

[microstrip]

Have you bought a EMT 927 ? (See signature)

Yes. My SME3012R claimed for it. Truly a magnificent turntable. Yesterday was a long jazz night ...

 

[shakti]

just some more info:

the vdh Colibri performance do change over the first 300h playing time more, than other carts.
I start mostly with 1.48 tracking force. After 300h the tracking force can be reduced, depending on the individual cart between 1.4 and 1.45
In the beginning the sound can be edgy and the sharp S of the Sybilants can be to hard, this will become better over the time

vdh himself goes even lower, like 1.35 to 1.38

Standard Toenarm set up for Colibri is SME V.

Every Tonearm in this range will play good, every arm differing need to be adjusted from vdh prior sales or during 300h service.


bodytypes (to my experience ):

P (Plastic) : very neutral, for many listeners not rich enough in sound, nice to combine with wooden headshells
W (AGW) African Grenadille) : Like a barrique vine some resonance is added, rich and full sound
W (AGW) Stradivarius: Very rich sound, the "musical flow" is much better, than just AGW
W (Koa) Stradivarius: more neutral than AGW, similar "musical flow" , tonality is in the middle between P and AGW Stradivarius

I never heard the Amber / Titan version.

"Rich sound" in the Colibri range means, still not on the Koetsu wood body side of the tonal balance.

 

[Tango]

Thank you Shakti.

Tang

 

[ddk]

just some more info:

the vdh Colibri performance do change over the first 300h playing time more, than other carts.
I start mostly with 1.48 tracking force. After 300h the tracking force can be reduced, depending on the individual cart between 1.4 and 1.45
In the beginning the sound can be edgy and the sharp S of the Sybilants can be to hard, this will become better over the time

vdh himself goes even lower, like 1.35 to 1.38

Standard Toenarm set up for Colibri is SME V.

Every Tonearm in this range will play good, every arm differing need to be adjusted from vdh prior sales or during 300h service.


bodytypes (to my experience ):

P (Plastic) : very neutral, for many listeners not rich enough in sound, nice to combine with wooden headshells
W (AGW) African Grenadille) : Like a barrique vine some resonance is added, rich and full sound
W (AGW) Stradivarius: Very rich sound, the "musical flow" is much better, than just AGW
W (Koa) Stradivarius: more neutral than AGW, similar "musical flow" , tonality is in the middle between P and AGW Stradivarius

I never heard the Amber / Titan version.

"Rich sound" in the Colibri range means, still not on the Koetsu wood body side of the tonal balance.

I agree, unlike Koetsus one isn’t aware of any coloration listening to Colibris, just beautiful music.
david

 

[microstrip]

I agree, unlike Koetsus one isn’t aware of any coloration listening to Colibris, just beautiful music.
david

Thanks for all contributions, just paid for a beautiful Master Signature African Grenadille Stradivarius. It is curious that the EMT927 /SME3012R gives an energy, slam and drive that I had never seen in the Soundlab's with vinyl. And, yes, David was right - the Lamm M1.2R is the ideal amplifier for the current higher efficiency Soundlab's (PX with Toroid II).

 

[ddk]

Thanks for all contributions, just paid for a beautiful Master Signature African Grenadille Stradivarius. It is curious that the EMT927 /SME3012R gives an energy, slam and drive that I had never seen in the Soundlab's with vinyl. And, yes, David was right - the Lamm M1.2R is the ideal amplifier for the current higher efficiency Soundlab's (PX with Toroid II).

With that combination its going to be the most seductive sound, you'll enjoy it forever!
david

 

[shakti]

Today was "the day".
I started relaxed the fitment of the

vdh Colibri xgw aww Master Signature stradivarius

For the beginning I have chosen the Yamamoto HS-1AS headshell, as I believe, that it is not too bad to continue the logic of African black grenadine wood to the headshell material as well. The headshell comes with soldered thick copper wires. I added a titanium finger and 4 Yamamoto titanium screws.

With this headshell the standard Colibri do sound sweet and nice.

The headshell wires are very thick and stiff the fitment of the Colibri into the headshell was a kind of a challenge, but my goal to use the full 4 screws was achieved.

As normal with a SME 3012R the fitment as such into the arm and to get the correct zero point was easy and fast.

On the CH Precision P1 the MC1 current input was chosen, on MC2 current input a standard Koa Colibri Stradivarius (Rigid Float tonearm) is connected.

For the beginning I started with my preferred 1.48 tracking force, 0.5 AS.

To my surprise the first sound was warm and nice. Unusual for a brand new Colibri.
But also a little bit dull and unprecise, which is unusual as well.

So I reduced the tracking force, the effect was immediately audible.

Seems, that this Colibri likes a much lesser tracking force, than I was used too with my other Colibri.

Current tracking force is down to 1.42

But I will do a finetuning after some more hours.

A comparison between standard Colibri Stradivarius and the new Master Signature is very difficult, as both are fitted in different tonearms, one with copper wiring, one with silver wiring, but both with SME Tonearm to P1 cable.

The Koa Stradivarius has a high resolution with a very neutral timbre, very fast with high dynamic capability.

The first hour with the AGW Master Signature has a more rich sound with a better and deeper view into the room as such. Voices do sound just more "real", which is new to me for such a low hour Colibri.

I will give you some more impressions after some more hours and some more finetuning.