VDH Colibri XGW KOA Stradivarius - on the way.

[Tango]

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]

Dear Shakti,

Try the Master Signature with your Thoress phono. You likely not hear the warmth. Or if you have different phono cards, try Decca. It will open up and inject more life to the sound. But you will lose some bass.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[microstrip]

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

The Van den Hul African Grenadille Stradivarius is now playing, after a short panic moment - no sound on the left, because the van den hul pins are thinner than those of the Kiseki and were loose. Fortunately I had felt they were entering too easily ...

Great dynamics, I picked the spectacular Paniagua Villancicos (Harmonia Mundi) for the first listening. Rhythm is fabulous, bass seems lighter than Sumiko Palo Santos, explosive percussion in a large soundstage. But still a few hundred hours of burn-in to go without auto repeat...

Can I ask what settings are SME 3012r owners using for antiskating with these Colibri's?

 

[byrdparis]

The Van den Hul African Grenadille Stradivarius is now playing, after a short panic moment - no sound on the left, because the van den hul pins are thinner than those of the Kiseki and were loose. Fortunately I had felt they were entering too easily ...

Great dynamics, I picked the spectacular Paniagua Villancicos (Harmonia Mundi) for the first listening. Rhythm is fabulous, bass seems lighter than Sumiko Palo Santos, explosive percussion in a large soundstage. But still a few hundred hours of burn-in to go without auto repeat...

Can I ask what settings are SME 3012r owners using for antiskating with these Colibri's?

congrats! great cart! enjoy.

one thing - those are ultra delicate set up wise cartridges, and i talk from experience. the more you fiddle to the end, the more you get from those fighter plain carts!
i advise you to get the analogmagik software and lp's and get a precise set up. you would thank me greatly in the end!

best of luck.

 

[shakti]

Antiskating on vdh Colibri should be mostly in the range of 30% of the choosen tracking force, so on SME 3012r my starting point was 0,5

very important is the interaction of tracking force and Tonarme height. If you change one of this parameter, the other should be adjusted accordingly too.

 

[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

David and others with experience of both, could you please comment on differences between the 1.1mv and 0.5mv (is there also a 0.6mv?) versions? I do understand each cartridge is handmade with small differences possible between each. I received a 1.1mv edition last week but not had time to install it yet. Also, having no prior experience with a vdH cartridge, any suggestions on VTF for break-in and VTA from level? TIA

 

[ddk]

David and others with experience of both, could you please comment on differences between the 1.1mv and 0.5mv (is there also a 0.6mv?) versions? I do understand each cartridge is handmade with small differences possible between each. I received a 1.1mv edition last week but not had time to install it yet. Also, having no prior experience with a vdH cartridge, any suggestions on VTF for break-in and VTA from level? TIA

Hi Tim,
Master Signature was initially designed with 1.1mv output, I had several conversations with Mr. van den Hul when it was introduced the high output was important to him but unfortunately 1.1mv is too high for my system so I asked for the lower output versions which are now 0.6mv. I can't do a direct comparison in my system but I have installed both versions in different systems and they're very similar in sound quality with only a slight difference in energy and presentation which will probably go unnoticed for most people, either way they're exquisite.

david

 

[shakti]

My lastly received Master Signature Stradivarius was 0,9mv, seems, that he is still looking for the "best" and most Phonostages matching version.

I was asked, if I like to have the Master Signature Stradivarius in Koa wood or in African Grenadille.
I ordered the African Grenadille (Ebony) version , so the name is now:

vdh Colibri XGW AGW Stradivarius Master Signature

juergen

 

[jackelsson]

Hi Tim,
Master Signature was initially designed with 1.1mv output, I had several conversations with Mr. van den Hul when it was introduced the high output was important to him but unfortunately 1.1mv is too high for my system so I asked for the lower output versions which are now 0.6mv. I can't do a direct comparison in my system but I have installed both versions in different systems and they're very similar in sound quality with only a slight difference in energy and presentation which will probably go unnoticed for most people, either way they're exquisite.

david

Only having the initial 0.9mV version myself, not the current 1.1mV variant, I still had a quite similar conversation with vdH.

My previous Colibri XGW Grenadille was a custom made, very low output version (0.26mV), with only two coil layers, which I liked a lot. When curiosity won me over shortly after the Signature came out last February and I ordered the Signature I naturally also asked about getting a custom made, lower output version again. I basically got the answer (in Dutch…) that this would bring the quality to the level of the smaller, lower output variants of the Colibri. It seems that for vdH the increased dynamics of the Signature solely results from the steeper output voltage curve which is a function of the high output.

Swen

 

[tima]

Hi Tim,
Master Signature was initially designed with 1.1mv output, I had several conversations with Mr. van den Hul when it was introduced the high output was important to him but unfortunately 1.1mv is too high for my system so I asked for the lower output versions which are now 0.6mv. I can't do a direct comparison in my system but I have installed both versions in different systems and they're very similar in sound quality with only a slight difference in energy and presentation which will probably go unnoticed for most people, either way they're exquisite.

david

Thanks, David. I wonder if I can run my phono on low gain, (51dB Low, 74dB High) and still keep noise down with 1.1mv output.

 

[Ron Resnick]

A .9mV output MC with no sonic disadvantages is very attractive . . . (An MC output of .24 from the ZYX UNIverse Premium has always made me a little queasy for the Aesthetix Io.)

So which model is the .9mV model? Is the .9mV a reduction in output from the high output 1.1mV version, or a step-up in output from the low output .6mV version?

(Aesthetix Io gain is infinitely adjustable so I m not worried about high output.)

 

[Exlibris]

I'm wondering if VDH also offers a low compliance version of the Crimson XGW Stradivarius?

 

[shakti]

as you can get a low compliance version of the Colibri, I would assume yes,
just post vdh a mail

 

[kodomo]

My African Grenadille VDH Master Sig Strad 1.1mV is on its way to me now. I have a question. I will mount it to a 4 point arm and the lowest anti skating is 1 gr on it whereas VdH recommends 0,3 gr to 0,5 gr. What do 4 point owners do?

 

[Exlibris]

as you can get a low compliance version of the Colibri, I would assume yes,
just post vdh a mail

Done -- just waiting to hear back.

 

[Exlibris]

Done -- just waiting to hear back.

Still no response. I'm moving on to another company and cartridge.