Dynavector DV 20X-L -- which MM will better it?

MoFi & Photon -- Thanks for the good comments and info!

I haven't noticed any tracking problems at all with my Reference Sonata. I have it mounted on a 1980's Magnepan Unitrac unipivot tonearm, on a SOTA Sapphire turntable, and I'm using the recommended tracking force, 1.5g iirc.

Axel -- I haven't noticed any problem with sibilants, although most of my listening with it so far has been to non-vocal classical music. It did seem to handle some of Dame Kiri rather well, I thought. It sounds like your system is more resolving/less forgiving/less soft in the upper midrange and treble than mine is, though.

I believe this cartridge has received a couple of TAS Editor's Choice selections. Stereophile reviewed it and/or its mono variant in Vol. 21 No. 6, Vol. 23 No. 4, and Vol. 28, No. 6. I don't have those reviews handy, but the October, 2008 (Vol. 31 No. 10) issue lists it as a Class C recommended component, and includes the following comments:

... Hints at what an expensive mc can do.... No cartridge reproduces a female voice better than this.... It may be difficult to rationalize spending much more for a cartridge.... Competes with all but the best of today's moving coils

Regards,
-- Al

Hi Al and All,
I think that review statement:
>>> ...Competes with all **but** the best of today's moving coils <<< sums it up for me so far.

Given some minor variations & preferences, all MMs mentioned this far seem ballpark with the DV 20X-L, being used as a point of reference.

As I mentioned, I KNOW the sound of the 20X-L. What I also know, is that it is easily bettered by some other MCs which I also know. And they are of course, ALL of them, more or quite a LOT more expensive.

I also mentioned that I still listen to CDs (on my 390S) and that is where it gets tricky.
Listening to some jolly good CD reproductions and then switching to the more 'flowing', more 'rolled off' more 'loosy goosy' yet musical MM reproduction is QUITE some jump in reproduction character.
My first reaction is: SOMETHING IS MISSING HERE! I have to admit, that sticking with it, it becomes -sort of- OK, after a while, but then PLEASE do not switch back to CD. It will get too confusing for me, due to that contrast in presentation.
Using a LO-MC (with SUT) practically ALWAYS trumps the CD reproduction and I can NOT EVER note that something is missing. Now even if I listen to an e.g. Kontra Punkt A (not the ruby cantilevered B) to mention yet another less pricy MC --- something is missing.
Now listening to an e.g. Dorian it can actually get just too much of a good thing --- so I guess I'm not exactly 'greedy' for detail?

All I care for is a sort of 'completeness' of harmonic detail, most important when e.g. listening to late romantic stuff like Ravel, Mahler, etc. Maybe it's an age thing?
I can only (noticeably on sine-wave tests) hear up to 11kHz, maybe 11,5kHZ. My younger friends go up to 15 or even 16kHz, has that some influence on noticing more missing detail? Might well be.

Somebody mentioned the newest Ortofon 2M --- but will it better an 20X-L going back to our point of reference? I would expect it be in the league of the Kontra Punkt A, correct me if I wrong.

Thank you for sharing,
Axel

I have some needle drops I just did with my Ortofon 2M black (you can see my system under my profile). Files are 24/96 Apple Lossless encoded.

Send me an email and I will place them on my website and send you a link. Most of the stuff I have is acoustic flamenco guitar since that's about all I rip, for my wife, who uses it to practice dancing.

Greetings,

I would restate my question in the context of your particular tonearam/effective mass, and whether you're inclined to keep this tonearm. Your 20X likes a medium mass tonearm (Rega, Graham, Dynavector, Tri-Planar, Artisan, etc.).

I'd explore both the Music Maker and SoundSmith cartridges, but would consult with both manufacturers on their user experiences for compatible tonearms. At one point, Peter's SoundSmith cartridges were fairly compliant (as in low mass tonearms), but this doesn't tell you the whole story.

Basic compliance numbers (e.g. effective mass / compliance / resonant frequency) will give you a starting point, and user experiences will help you develop a short list.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Hi Thom,
you say:
>>>I would restate my question in the context of your particular tonearm/effective mass <<<

I have used use the 20X-L in a Pro-Ject 9c arm (with the old thick arm tube used with first RPM 9). It sounded great with nice 'fat' bass, but a little rolled off. Arm mass of 9c arm was 11g.
Then with SME V, arm mass 10 - 11g (depending on counter weight position acc. to SME) and it sounded more treble 'tilted' and somewhat 'metallic' with no nice 'fat' bass at all, just 'normal' so to say.

I'm NOT using that cart any more, it's now my son's, but I have used it as a reference in trying to assess some viable MMs of similar price point ~ 350$. So far it sounds like a 1-on-1 with different 'flavours'...

I've just now put in a Shure V15 with VN35MR needle and it sounds surprisingly resolved --- BUT I am getting some (coil?) noise from the cart. What can that be?
So if I can resolve that, it might sound better yet.
I could make a case like that t-n-t reviewer, that I'd prefer that to the 20X-L in my SME arm.
The Shure sounds a bit more balanced, tracking at 1 ~ 1.2g BUT it does not have the 'colours' of a better type MC --- for MANY times the price I hasten to add :-)

Greetings,
Axel