Dynavector Karat 17D2 MKII vs. Lyra Dorian

Yeah - good point on the Lyra's and tubes - I have a Cary Rocket. This may very well be that the Dyna has a tighter presentation on a solid state. I still say it's all about synergy, and carts/tables/phono are the trickiest. It seems better to integrate them as a whole into a system rather than piece-meal.

I have the Dyna 17d2 with the VPI and it has good synergy. It leaves me not wanting to upgrade. The transient response on the cartridge if terrific. I haven't heard the Lyras enough to have an opinion.

Rob

I own a Dyna XX-2 and love it - it does all the things that people praise the Zyx range for but with more dynamic energy. I was all set to buy a 17D2 until I lucked out on a fantastic deal for the XX-2.

The 17D2 has a very clever design stylus and cantilever that track very accurately so detail is very good.

In my experience I have found the Lyras a little "thin" sounding although a Helikon worked well with an SME IV (which can be bass-heavy). My hunch is that the Lyras have been voiced to work with mellow, euphonius tube amplification.

My experience with the Dorian has been much more positive than the Dyna. The Dorian is a focused cart, though not totally detailed, and it is very well balanced. The Dyna seems a little mushy to me, and euphonious in the way the Benz's and Grado's are. I will say that it seemd as good as the $1000. Benz I've heard on a VPI - and VPI loves Dyna's and recommends them for their tables. A UK company says on their website that the Notts have very good synergy with the Lyra's - the Notts have a very balanced presentation as well. Those who don't like the Lyra line so much say it sounds a little constipated.