VDH XGW Stradivarius

jeff1225

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I was lucky enough to pick up a VDH XGW Stradivarius (thank you MikeL) and added it to the system last week. It is absolutely fantastic, and gives me the clearest window into the music I've ever had in my system. The detail and nuance of the instruments has really taken my system to the next level.

5B46D77F-FDE3-4F05-BD2D-FF23FDB8E85F.jpeg
 

Ron Resnick

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I heard this new cartridge in Jeffrey’s system, and I concur with his report!
 

infinitely baffled

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I am just running-in my retipped (deep breath)
Colibri koa xgw Stradivarius (high mass arm variant).
It's fairly stunning, and I'm about 50 hours in.

The retipping was for the esoteric reason of addressing sibilance, and the mundane reason that i had wonked the cantilever with my t shirt sleeve 1581371504072977135235.jpg
 

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spiritofmusic

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Jeffrey, I think you need to keep christening the new cart. I suggest our deeply missed Neil Peart, maybe the live YYZ off Exit...Stage Left.
 

jeff1225

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I spent the weekend listening to the VDH cartridge and I can say it's an all around winner. I was worried that it would just be used for jazz and classical but I have to say that it really handles the voice well. Even Getty Lee's.
 

infinitely baffled

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I'm currently playing 'when it falls' by Zero 7, and it's audible honey
 
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infinitely baffled

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I spent the weekend listening to the VDH cartridge and I can say it's an all around winner. I was worried that it would just be used for jazz and classical but I have to say that it really handles the voice well. Even Getty Lee's.
I came from the other approach - my Colibri was supposed to contrast another, more dynamic, more bass capable cartridge with it's delicate musicality.
This it has most definitely provided, but it also concedes nothing in the face of the macro dynamic requirements of my regular bass driven diet of trip hop, deep house, drum and bass.
The bass is articulate, textured, and weighty, while retaining plenty of space for such a lucid, open midrange, and for this reporter, a previously unexperienced amount of air in the treble
 

Mike Lavigne

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I was lucky enough to pick up a VDH XGW Stradivarius (thank you MikeL) and added it to the system last week. It is absolutely fantastic, and gives me the clearest window into the music I've ever had in my system. The detail and nuance of the instruments has really taken my system to the next level

I spent the weekend listening to the VDH cartridge and I can say it's an all around winner. I was worried that it would just be used for jazz and classical but I have to say that it really handles the voice well. Even Getty Lee's.

Jeff,

not sure how i missed this earlier, as i was obviously watching for it.;)

Congrats, and glad you are satisfied, and not surprised. this was not a cartridge i wanted to sell. it needed some time spent with it. i think it's a sleeper and fits more systems than the Master Signature (with it's more normal output level and slightly more mild demeanor). it still has that vdH magic.

nice pic, btw.

cheers,

Mike
 
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infinitely baffled

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Jeff,

not sure how i missed this earlier, as i was obviously watching for it.;)

Congrats, and glad you are satisfied, and not surprised. this was not a cartridge i wanted to sell. it needed some time spent with it. i think it's a sleeper and fits more systems than the Master Signature (with it's more normal output level and slightly more mild demeanor). it still has that vdH magic.

nice pic, btw.

cheers,

Mike
Mike can i ask you to briefly describe the differences when you move to Master Signature?
It's my next move.

AJ VdH was very responsive to my request to adjust my koa Strad as he retipped it.
He's effectivey addressed my previous sibilance issue, and it's left me feeling confident that if i commission a new Master Sig properly tailored for my use, i could get something truly fantastic.
I'm minded to go for the AGW body, as i think i prefer the character. It is less neutral than the koa, but I've learned to enjoy the greater exuberance in the mid bass that comes with the African Grenaille Wood body.
But to get to MS, i would need to trade both my current Colibri.
So I'd be all in on the MS
 

infinitely baffled

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I spent the weekend listening to the VDH cartridge and I can say it's an all around winner. I was worried that it would just be used for jazz and classical but I have to say that it really handles the voice well. Even Getty Lee's.
Jeffrey can i ask, how do you have the vta?
Is the cartridge up at the rear, parallel or down at the rear?
 

bonzo75

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bonzo75

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Fremer in his vdh Stradivarius review gave some details on how he reduced sibilance
 
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jeff1225

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Jeffrey can i ask, how do you have the vta?
Is the cartridge up at the rear, parallel or down at the rear?

I'm using the supplied bubble level to have it flat on the headshell. I've experimented with it being a little up from that but I like the sound flat best. What about you?

The SME 3012R seems to work really well with the VDH, I bet the Ikeda sounds great as well. I had an Ikeda 345 that I really liked. The build quality on Ikeda is fantastic.
 

infinitely baffled

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Fremer in his vdh Stradivarius review gave some details on how he reduced sibilance
On advice from Shakti I've added a Derenville damper pad between cartridge and headshell, and changed the Ikeda headshell for a Yamamoto African Black Wood head shell
 

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infinitely baffled

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I'm using the supplied bubble level to have it flat on the headshell. I've experimented with it being a little up from that but I like the sound flat best. What about you?

The SME 3012R seems to work really well with the VDH, I bet the Ikeda sounds great as well. I had an Ikeda 345 that I really liked. The build quality on Ikeda is fantastic.
Currently I'm slightly down at the rear, but I'm still experimenting and haven't settled yet.

Yes the Ikeda is a beautifully made bit of kit. As seen above, I've added a wooden headshell, part of the sibilance- taming remedy.
I'm very intruiged by the SME 3012R, because of the love it receives on this forum:)
 
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kodomo

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I have also decided to keep my VdH MS Colibri strad but get an sme 3012r for it. I deliberately bought a Kuzma Stabi M so as not to get too many cartridges and arms but I have now found another way to keep them and get even more! I opened up a speaker company and decided to make a demo room. I have a few cartridges already and two on the way so I will be getting another table and put 3 arms on it. It can have different flavors so people may have a clearer window to speakers overall sound. At home, I will keep current favorite for that time :)

I could not feel content with the performance I got from this cartridge on my standart 4 point arm. I also tried a 9" version but still it was not as good as I expect it to be. So, I could not make it sing with that setup but I hope to make it sing with properly matched arm and pre.
 

jeff1225

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Jan 29, 2012
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Currently I'm slightly down at the rear, but I'm still experimenting and haven't settled yet.

Yes the Ikeda is a beautifully made bit of kit. As seen above, I've added a wooden headshell, part of the sibilance- taming remedy.
I'm very intruiged by the SME 3012R, because of the love it receives on this forum:)
The 3012R was far superior to the Ikeda, but that was the 10" version. The VDH carts seem to really like the 3012R.
 

spiritofmusic

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Solypsa

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I have also decided to keep my VdH MS Colibri strad but get an sme 3012r for it. I deliberately bought a Kuzma Stabi M so as not to get too many cartridges and arms but I have now found another way to keep them and get even more! I opened up a speaker company and decided to make a demo room. I have a few cartridges already and two on the way so I will be getting another table and put 3 arms on it. It can have different flavors so people may have a clearer window to speakers overall sound. At home, I will keep current favorite for that time :)

I could not feel content with the performance I got from this cartridge on my standart 4 point arm. I also tried a 9" version but still it was not as good as I expect it to be. So, I could not make it sing with that setup but I hope to make it sing with properly matched arm and pre.
Fun!
 

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