Have you looked into the Transfiguration cartridges. Very nice and musical, but not too far off from the Dynavector sound to be totally different. I heard and Orpheus next to an XV1-S and I have to say the Orpheus just sounded so much more real and musical to my ears.
Changing from an XV1-S
Hi All
I'm considering (read hankering) for a new cartridge. I have been using a Dynavector XV1-S for a while now and although it really is good I feel that other manufacturers have overtaken this recently with units that cost a 'tad' less.
It's going on my VPI Classis/ 10.5 and the new Whest PS.30RDT Special Edition/ Conrad Johnson ART MK1/ Levinson 331 Poweramp/ JM Lab Scala Utopia. The general sound from the system is excellent to bloody brilliant BUT having just heard an Ortofon Cadenza Black in the system I am led to believe that the XV1-S technology is 'getting on'.
A friend has recommended the Ortofon A90 or Lyra Titan.
Is there anything else I should look at?
My musical tastes are wide BUT do not include Opera, Classical or choir. I like vocals but love instumentals.
Thanks for your help - if I get any :)
I'm considering (read hankering) for a new cartridge. I have been using a Dynavector XV1-S for a while now and although it really is good I feel that other manufacturers have overtaken this recently with units that cost a 'tad' less.
It's going on my VPI Classis/ 10.5 and the new Whest PS.30RDT Special Edition/ Conrad Johnson ART MK1/ Levinson 331 Poweramp/ JM Lab Scala Utopia. The general sound from the system is excellent to bloody brilliant BUT having just heard an Ortofon Cadenza Black in the system I am led to believe that the XV1-S technology is 'getting on'.
A friend has recommended the Ortofon A90 or Lyra Titan.
Is there anything else I should look at?
My musical tastes are wide BUT do not include Opera, Classical or choir. I like vocals but love instumentals.
Thanks for your help - if I get any :)
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- 109 posts total
Bill, regarding what about the Ortofon A90 that is new technology; the body of the A90 is built with a process called Selective Laser Melting (SLM) in which micro-particles are laser welded together layer by layer. similar to the reconstruction sequence in the movie '5th Element'. say what you want about the cartridge; certainly no other phono cartridge is built with technology as new and inovative remotely approaching this one. here is a link to some details. my favorite cartridge at the moment is the Lyra Olympos SL. there are a number of other great cartridges out there i've not heard or spent enough time with to say what's the best or anything like that. but the A90 is a special cartridge which seems to work in many arms and systems. i certainly agree with comments regarding improving tt's and arms and even phono stages, as well as set-up precision as sometimes/mostimes making more sense than cartridges. i have 3 tt's and 4 arms and 2 phono stages. context can be everything to cartridge performance. yet no doubt the A90 seems to stand up in pretty much any context as special. |
- 109 posts total