Changing from an XV1-S

Dan,

to answer your question;

Can you give a frequency range where you think the XV-1s obscures bass?

i cannot describe my impressions in terms of frequency response. it is more the ability to resolve the music's stoping and starting with levels of precision.

i owned the XV-1s for a year. in direct comparison to my 'then reference' the vdH Colibri the XV-1s rounded and blunted transients. again; this is in direct comparison. i also owned a Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum at the same time and the XV-1s was much more clean and detailed than the RSP like the Colibri was compared to the XV-1s.

the 'character' each of those cartridges imparted a level of transient agility which was unique. OTOH the RSP had this glorious luscious mid-range tone, the XV-1s slightly less so, and the Colibri much less so.

the A90 falls somewhere between the XV-1s and the Colibri....about perfectly between the 2. yet it has sufficient levels of tonal weight to be 'right' and has that ease which was so fleeting with the Colibri.

the word 'obscure' i suppose infers a shortcoming or problem. that is not the feeling i intended to relate. it's more like a scale and a balance. the XV-1s and the A90 are at different points on the scale of various attributes depending on your perspective and priorities.

Thanks, Mike. I appreciate comparing notes and I apologize for giving the feeling of an ambush. Re-reading my last post I realize it could be taken with a tone I hadn't intended.

Still, I could better understand for myself your impressions with respect to Lyra. No biggie!

I think I need that audiophile dictionary. Where do I buy one from?

When I said etched it was more like 'vivid' as mikelavigne says.

I have a chance to compare my XV1-S with an A90, Lyra Skala and ZYX Airy 3. My not so local dealer has these that I can try. I will also be using my VPI Classic.
Not sure what system we will be using BUT as long as all the cartridges are played in the same system...that should tell me something???? shouldn't it?

So what do you guys do when you want to upgrade your cartridge? From some of the comments I have read, it looks like it's not worth upgrading or changing.

Dcarol, what had many of us vibrating and contorting was not that you want to change cartridges. I don't expect everyone to love the XV-1s. There are several great cartridges I could love. However, you seem to have made up your mind on your own thread after one post from Mike and this "newer technology", and "the XV1-S technology is 'getting on'" reasoning as to why you wanted to change doesn't make sense to some of us. To me it is nonsense. Most of us just change because we want to, or because we want/like a different sound. That kind of reasoning we understand. :-)

In the end it doesn't really matter to anyone but you why you want to change. But if you make statements like some of those you have made on this thread be prepared to take some heat. ;-)

As crazy as it sounds, there are dealers who will loan out cartridges for a home trial. I got to try the Orpheus L before making the purchase. I know of a dealer that lent out $12k Allaerte cartridges. But, one has to have a pretty close relationship with a dealer to get that kind of privilege.

Even a home trial is not entirely definitive because it does take some time to acclimate to the new sound, evaluate the result and then make the myriad adjustments (change loading to the cartridge, change VTF, change VTA, change tubes in the phonostage). The adjustments are particularly tricky because they are interactive. For example, changing VTA affects frequency balance as does changes in loading. So, one should do both at the same time to find the right combination -- one cannot optimize just one parameter then go on to another.

Still, one can determine the basic character of a cartridge fairly easily WITH EXPERIENCE.