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

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

I'm not sure about the "coil" noise you're reporting, Axel. Some of the Grados pick up on the motor and people have added a mu-metal shield around the motor to eliminate this noise pickup.

It sounds as if there's a dynamic between your turntable, tonearm, and cartridges that favors higher compliance cartridges.

For this reason (and at your price-point), I'd give serious consideration to the SoundSmith SMMC3.

Note that I have NEVER heard this cartridge, but Peter Lederman's work leads me to expect that he can accomplish at this price point what he has done at higher points.

Treat this as extrapolation on my part rather than direct experience. Perhaps someone else can comment.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Hi All,
I think that noise (high pitched 50Hz I guess) seems some odd ground-loop problem that I could tackle now. It seems to have to do with my XLR connection which is extra sensitive to this type of thing.
I put the screen of the XLR phono cable on some vacant RCA pre-amp input (that's switched off), and it seems to work fine now. If I go star-ground i.e. tt ground together with the phono cable's screen I get this problem ---- but ONLY with an MM cart. ?!?

Some other MMs I tried produce a terrible hum, even though they play?! Are they shot?

That Shure V15 III I mentioned above is definitely too recessed in the midrange, good bass, a bit too much treble, with recessed mid.
So that one will not qualify, period.
I found one MM that sounds VERY nice, an old A&R Cambridge with P-77 stylus, this baby ROCKS! And it is more balanced then the 20X-L.
So I have found ONE candidate, hurray :-)
Raul is so right about this one! It was actually made by Garrott Brothers for A&R and re-badged using a P-77 stylus.

So now can we find some more of this kind MM, they are truly surprisingly good :-)

Greetings,
Axel
PS: My Windfeld was recalled to Ortofon, I'll see what they find... more about this on the other thread.

I've had a 20X-H for several years and recently replaced it with a very lightly used XX1-H (yes, they made a high output version of this). The XX1 is now updated to the XX2 in the DV line.

Now I know this isn't a MM, but I can say that there is much more resolution and inner detail and just better overall (and still musical) presentation with the XX1, as you would expect when moving up in the line. However I can also say that I seem to have lost some of the dynamic expression that I loved about the 20X. It is a very good cartridge for the price and probably one of the best deals under $1000 these days.

I couldn't go back to a MM after hearing these, and I used to be a Grado guy.

Enjoy,
Bob

Very strange thread...

I have to ask - what phonostage are you using? I can't help but think that something else is amiss here. What you're looking for: "tight punchy bass, treble extension resolution and detail" are the very definition of what the 20XL excels in at its price point. I can't imagine any cartridge bettering it in these regards AT ITS PRICE.

The only MM cartridge I've heard in this price range that gives the 20XL's high end a run for the money is the Ortofon 2M Black. That being said, the 20XL is still a much more musical cartridge to my ears than the 2M Black.

For reference - I'm running the 20XL on a Jelco SA-750D with a light ADC headshell (resulting arm effective mass is around 12g) through a PS Audio GCPH phonostage.