Dynavector XV-1s vs. Transfiguration Temper w

Hfisher

If you have the tracking and other issues you related below, perhaps it is not the XV-1s that is deficient. I personally have never had any of these issues you describe on all your tables.

BTW, I have never heard the XV-1 sound particularly good when used with SUT's. Wth dyna carts I agree with Raul and active phono stages are a lot better. That is why dyna made an active head amp and not a SUT- to get the best out of their carts.

To be more precise, I've had Avid Volvere and Oracle Delphi V and VI tables, 2 SME Vs, one Graham Phantom, and multiple cartridges including Benz Ruby, Zyx UNIverse, Dynavector XV-1s and Ortofon MC A90. In every case I have had EXACTLY the same issues you are describing - with the added caveat that some of the combos gave me tracking issues in the right channel. With my current set-up (Delphi VI, Phantom and A90) I seem to be getting the best overall tracking performance but only with more than max antiskating and the DIN connector rotated all the way counterclockwise. All in all, skipping in the lead-in groove was worst with the XV-1s (the issue you're having) and tracking was worst with the UNIverse - the issue always appearing to be related to excessive skating force causing skipping ahead or mistracking.

Just FYI, Dynavector just came out w/ a new SUT. It is called the Sup-200, and retails for $2,650 US.

thanks Fjn

Very interesting, taken them 30 years. back to the future:-)
will be interesting on feedback if anyone has tried it.

that said, folks have had good performance from the Tron phono and XV-1s - low impedance - high gain SUT.

Wow Downunder, that must have been quite the research project you undertook to uncover my postings form previous years!

I haven't really made any progress in my strange tracking issues - as I have stated on previous occasions the "problem" is strange but doesn't really result in audible mistracking on more than a few records. I've come to the conclusion that it must be something funky with my room - perhaps some magnetic drag on the cartridge or something, hard to say. Again though, it's mostly on testing, rather than listening, that the "problem" becomes evident. Any further suggestions then please do let me know.

In the meantime, I don't think this invalidates my opinion on cartridges as, again, the overwhelming majority of records track perfectly. My personal opinion on the XV-1S is as stated but YMMV. I didn't hate the thing, just though it was not up the the level of the UNIverse or XV-1S (or likely the Benz LPS in a similar system with a different table/arm). And usually I am a big fan of Dyna cartridges.

I'm just kind of baffled how people can find something slow & anemic, since these two words derive from opposite directions in my experiences. Things that some refer to as slow in a negative manner, another would refer to as warm or musical in a positive manner. Things that one would refer to as anemic in a negative manner, another would refer to as transparent or neutral in a positive manner.
How one could use two negative words to describe the two polar opposites of sound is quite baffling.

The key to most systems is synergy, trying to find the right balance for a certain listener between warmth and musicality camp and the detail and transparency camps. That is why certain things sound better in certain systems. Try using a warm(slow) cartridge in a system with warm amplification and speakers and you will fall asleep. Try to run a transparent (anemic) cartridge in a system with transparent amps and speakers and you will be grinding your teeth.

That being said, from what I've heard, the Dynavector XV-1s is on the transparent/neutral/anemic side of the fence, therefore, it cannot also be "slow'. Slow may better describe a cartridge on the warmer side of the fence such as a Koetsu, Benz, Transfiguration, etc. ZYX and Lyra would be on the anemic side of the fence with the Dynavector, IMHO. I actually think that Lyra is the fastest most transparent cartridges that I've heard, and yes, some would call them anemic, but not slow.

That's my $0.02. I just can't understand how something can sound fast and slow at the same time, but whatever.