Is that not quite a contrast??
Dynavector cartridges
- Thread starter deserter
- Start date
Is that not quite a contrast??
Amber Audio
This is the Day
Yeah, I‘d had an old OC5 sitting for years but it’s knackered, suspension is shot so got the 95 till something more interesting came up on pfm classifieds. The Technics was an impulse purchase, put a very low bid or so I thought to an auction house for it BNIB, never expected to get it.
Don't you just love it when stuff like that happens? :0)
I think these Technics are a real bargain. Not just because they offer good performance for their list prices, which by all accounts they do, but because you can pick them up discounted. Ever seen a Rega or a Linn discounted? Me neither.
Just installed my DV 17d or K9 (Dr Who) as I call it for the first time in a while. Its one of four different cartridges I rotate and for detail its untouchable. Does help my phono stage and SUT is working really well at the moment now I have swapped out a valve MM for a Tom Evans Microgroove MM stage.
yuckyamson
pfm Member
I went from an XX-2 mk 2 to a lyra delos. It's in the same leauge, I prefer the lyra a bit, but they're all around in the same quality bracket.
I will say that I think that if you can find a used XX-1L and have it retipped you'll have some kind of a special baby on your hands. that thing can rock out in a way that made it special.
As an aside, I forget who came up with this, but they said the anagram from "Te Katoira" is "Eat Troika".
I will say that I think that if you can find a used XX-1L and have it retipped you'll have some kind of a special baby on your hands. that thing can rock out in a way that made it special.
As an aside, I forget who came up with this, but they said the anagram from "Te Katoira" is "Eat Troika".
Not sure if this helps - I ran a Te Kaitora for some time (didn't realise it has been updated) and loved the sound from it on my lp12/ aro. I ran it alongside my then cds3 cd player and thought the two really complimented one another. At the end of last year it was time to replace it and I stuck with dv and got a great deal on an xv1-t. I very much doubt I could have justified a full retail price jump and may well have stuck with a new Te Kaitora were it not for the temptation presented! I'll probably sound like a broken record here but if at all possible, if you are able to pop along to a dealer like Cymbiosis who have multiple lp12's set up and/ or Aro arms which can quickly be swapped over, this is by far the best way to understand the differences between the Te Kaitora and it's less expensive and more expensive carts. I'm sure they will have others such as Lyra, etc - not sure on specifics. There may also be a difference in sound characteristics/ optimisation between decks with Aro and Linn arms. Too many variables to write about hence best to pop along for a listen. Good luck with your search!
Peter
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Possibly good advice for those able and ready to benefit from it, Peter, but not a word about your impressions from going to the expensive XV1-T from the still expensive Te Kaitora. Your comparisons of the two whilst in using the same deck and arm would be an interesting read.
Yuckyamson above puts the Lyra (Delos in this case) in the same tonal camp as Dv (XX2/2) but better. Being familiar with Lyra but not Dv, I'd've thought there were describable differences between the two marques, although neither could be described as being on the warm side of neutral ( like Benz, e.g.)
It’s what my dealer told me...... other than that I can’t tell you anything authoritative , sorry . He might have been referring to the update a few years back, time moves slowly in the Dynavector world.
Having moved from Lyra to Dynavector many years ago, I would not describe them as totally similar, for me DV cartridges have a fuller and more coherent sound . Just my opinion and it probably also depends on the rest of your setup
Having moved from Lyra to Dynavector many years ago, I would not describe them as totally similar, for me DV cartridges have a fuller and more coherent sound . Just my opinion and it probably also depends on the rest of your setup
Mike
I listened to quite a few cartridges, not just dv, several years ago at which time I opted for the TK Rua. I was very taken with it's synergy with an aro'd lp12. Sorry I can't provide any detailed comparisons with the others. At the end of last year I compared only dv variants on my lp12 which I had upgraded that day with the tangerine audio bits onto what was a keeled lp12. Power supply was also swapped over from naim to linn and I stuck with my tom evans groove+ srx phono which I brought along for the audition. I was quite prepared to stick with the rua but open to listening to the xv1-s. The first thing to come out of the audition was confirmation that my cartridge had seen better days - the new rua certainly sounded cleaner/ livelier. Whilst the xv1-s was an improvement, it was the xv1-t which really shone. Sorry not to present the necessary vocabulary but the level of clarity/ detail pulled off the vinyl was incredible - I was gobsmacked! Being able to simply swap over the arm wand with different cartridges fitted makes the whole comparison process almost instantaneous, hence my recommendation to anyone considering a new cartridge to book some time with a dealer who has the facilities to offer such a demonstration. With my record player the 't' made a hugely compelling case for itself and I have to admit I was not expecting there to be such a difference in capabilities of the cartridges.
Peter
Purité Audio
Trade: Purite Audio
I ran the ‘S’ and the ‘T’ side by side in two identical direct drive tables, two DV 507 tonearms using two identical ‘Trinity’ phono stages, the T was perhaps a silkier/smoother presentation, I couldn’t say better just different, which rather sums up vinyl Replay to my mind.
Keith
Keith
Strictly Stereo
Trade: Strictly Stereo
The XV-1s is £3,995 and the XV-1t is £5,995.
Apologies, I should be run out of town as, truth be told, I am an ignoramus. I have no real interest in the difference in design between the cartridges. To me these are distractions - it's all about which sounds better, at an acceptable price level. With dv you have an advantage in that a very decent trade in value is provided when trading in. This was compounded by being offered a special price on the 't' - I would not have stretched to full retail price on the 't' no matter how good I thought it sounded. As mentioned above, on my record player, set up by one of the best lp12 fettlers, to me there was a significant difference between rua and 't'. Don't get me wrong, the rua remains a great cartridge which provided me with many hours of enjoyment. Actually, one thing I do recall - the 't' has a chunk of bamboo in its body but please don't ask me to tell you why!!
Peter
badger748
Former bacon enthusiast
I had a Te Kaitora Rua for a few years and then upgraded to an XV1-s, which I also had for a few years. Whilst it might have been technically better, i missed some of the magic the cheaper TKR had. As Keith said, perhaps not better, just different. I've wanted to try an XV1-t for years now to see if that combines all the good bits of the TKR and XV1-s. Trouble is, you can't demo these in your own system - it's a buy it or not.
Anyway, back to the issue, the TKR is a fabulous cartridge from my experience.
Anyway, back to the issue, the TKR is a fabulous cartridge from my experience.
Purité Audio
Trade: Purite Audio
I find instant comparisons through two sets of identical equipment to be more valid, here was the set-up I used.
Keith
Keith
Have you undertaken or witnessed how quickly the arm wands on an Aro can be switched over? It may not be instant but it takes less than a minute and carries the benefit of requiring no switching over of connections to the same phono stage and the same power supply, nor swapping over of albums. Hence I am not quite sure why you might think your method offers any benefit to that which I experienced. I am quite satisfied with my approach which, from my perspective is the main thing; and as long as you have total faith in your approach, well, happy days!
Peter
Have you undertaken or witnessed how quickly the arm wands on an Aro can be switched over? It may not be instant but it takes less than a minute and carries the benefit of requiring no switching over of connections to the same phono stage and the same power supply, nor swapping over of albums. Hence I am not quite sure why you might think your method offers any benefit to that which I experienced. I am quite satisfied with my approach which, from my perspective is the main thing; and as long as you have total faith in your approach, well, happy days!
Peter
Badger, I tend to agree with you on the Rua - I would have been happy to swap new for old and stick with it. I wasn't entirely convinced that the xv1-s offered a huge step up which its price would suggest. The 't' just clicked with me. The key for me is finding a dealer who is able to demonstrate the particular cartridges you might be interested in. I think DV are quite good at lending carts to dealers for such demonstrations, but I could be wrong! Whilst the set up was in a dealer's room, I brought along my record player (which he upgraded that day), power supply and phono stage. Peter was more than happy to have these plugged in and he had a warmed up 552/ 300 (similar but not identical to my set up). Biggest difference was with the speakers used - Kudos Titan 808's and of course the room itself. Having said that, I think for comparison of cartridges, the platform provided by the dealer was more than sufficient to allow comparisons and decisions to be made. Much more difficult when it comes to speakers I think, as they are so dependent upon the dynamics of the room into which they are placed - these really ought to be auditioned at home if at all possible.
Peter
badger748
Former bacon enthusiast
Good points Peter. I guess being familiar with the TKR and XV1-s the "t" would be a failrly quick yay or nay. I have quite a good memory for sounds and more to the point, what i like, prefer, subjectively. My "experience" is many thousands of hours actually listening to music every year, you tend to build up quite a good reference point in your head.
JemHayward
pfm Member
I really, really wish I'd got a Dynavector arm when they were vaguely affordable, but at that time in my life the only was was LP12 and so it wasn't practical. The Dynavector cartridge range has always confused me as there doesn't seem to be any consistency of design philosophy. I've always felt the 17D was very clever and a friend had one for many years - liked the dynamics, but he has now moved on to a Lyra which I'm not sure is the right move. I heard the XX2 in an ARO at Naim a few years ago and was really impressed, though difficult to compare as it was on the Phonosephie deck which was unfamiliar to me (again something I should have looked at).