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Dynavector XV1s loading & phono

Hi.

For those of you that have owned the XV1s, just curious as to what phono stage you are using with yours (or have used) and what loading you are putting on it to make it sound great!

I have got a XV1s at the moment, but with the Cary PH301mkII tube phono stage, have never got it to sound great. I was using the XV1s on LP12/Valhalla/Ittok II/rignmat anniversary. The default loading for MC on the Cary is 680 ohms. I modified it to make it about 150 ohms which did make a substatial improvment, however, sound was still very dull, undynamic, muffled, very unexciting.

I have heard the TeKaitorua (next model down) on a Oracle/smeIv setup going thorough a very modest solidstage phono/integrated setup and that gave extraordinary results! Likewise with the Lyra Titan, used through a solid stage Lyra Connosieur phono stage was absolutely amazing. Some people have replaced their Titan's with the XV1s! I don't think I'm hearing anything close to what the XV1s is capable of at all.

I think it is something with my front end analogue setup as my CD playback sounds spectacular, WAY better than the XV1s/Cary combo in every way. Since I have blamed the Cary for the poor match with the XV1s, I have since replaced the unit with the Kondo M7 phono - but as this is just a standard phono stage, I have had to revert back to my very modest MM Linn K18II cartridge. The Linn/Kondo setup is better than the XV1s/Cary in every respect - probably equal to that of CD playback in my system. To use the XV1s with the M7, will require step up transformers.

Question is:
1) What sort of loading are you guys out there using with the XV1s and on what phono? Tube or solidstate?
2) Is my deck/arm/PS combo the main cause of the poor sound from the vinyl?
3) What stepup transformers would one recommmend to match with the M7 - there is obviously the Kondo SFz ... any other worthy contenders?

Thanks a lot for all you guys help.

Regards
David
linnmaster
thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
729 posts
 
Hi David,

Firstly, a big thank-you to Doug for your eloquent description of the process. I have to put a link on my website to this post as well as Larryi's follow-up. They're real keepers and deserve to be easily referenced.

Currently, all of my setup tips are on my Triplanar setup page. It wasn't my intent to discriminate in favor of Triplanars in this fashion, but rather something that evolved as I was supporting some customers' Triplanar questions.

The problem with setting anti-skate on a blank track is that the record grooves are responsible for generating skating force.

It's a vector algebra problem, but basically, the combination of the headshell offset angle on a pivoting tonearm, in conjunction with the overhang, drags the stylus forward and toward the record spindle as the platter rotates.

So, the drag of the record grooves, the recording level (size of the grooves - peak to peak), shape and polish of the diamond all contribute to the skating force.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier
linnmaster OP
45 posts
 
Hi Thom_mackris,

Where is your Triplanar setup page? Thanks.

-David
thom_at_galibier_design's avatar
thom_at_galibier_design
729 posts
 
Hi David,

Click on this link ==> http://www.galibierdesign.com/prd_triplanar.html

The menu bar at the left side of this section will guide you through the particulars (the FAQs, Mounting, and Setup Guide sections).

As I mentioned earlier, quite a bit of this information is generic, and I really need to put on my webmaster's hat to create a dedicated tonearm setup resources page.

So little time ;-)

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier
linnmaster OP
45 posts
 
Hi all. Thanks heaps. I think I will be on the right track. Thanks for the tips and useful pages :). Going to get back to the music rather than reading. David
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