Time for new used cartridge

A Benz LP might be your ticket given your taste and the type of music you listen to.

Why not have your XV-1s retipped at Soundsmith. Peter does fantastic work. You'll save a tremendous amount versus a cartridge purchase. The only downside is a long waiting period... I think his queue is 2-3 months.

http://www.sound-smith.com/
(800) 942-8009

I concur with Mingles. The xv-1s is a very good cartridge. You can find different carts, but not necessarily better IMO. Peter did my XV-1s a few years back. I've been very pleased with the results.

You can go for a 2.Hand Lyra Helikon. You save a lot of money and it is better in color, speed, timbre and soundstage.

I am just sending one off to Soundsmith, 12-14 week wait at present.

All, Thank you for your responses so far...this is what I need from your knowledgebase. Can a cart be rebuilt even thought the cantilever is gone also? If this is the case then I still want to purchase a new/used cart and meanwhile I will get this one repaired. Then I won’t be in this situation again.

I now remember when I purchased this cart I was between the XV-1s and the Titian and figured I couldn't go wrong with either one, and as silly as this sounds, went with the XV-1s because it looked like newer technology and had a very predator like look to it. Hey when on the fence, goes with what moves you. It wasn’t failed me so far in life.

So with the above thoughts, maybe I should look at carts with a slightly different sound but of course still complementary to my tastes.

Appreciation of your thoughts is a given!

A friend of mine just had his XV1-S go down, and his dealer loaned him a Dyna XX2MKII. He knows that's what I use, and after listening, his comment was: That's an f'n good cartridge! One can be had used for around 1K or less, so while you are waiting, you might want to use one til your XV1-S gets repaired.

Good luck,
Dan

Yes, your broken XV-1S can be repaired. I was there when Dan_Ed snapped the cantilever off his - ouch! - so his advice exactly suits your situation. Don't know Soundsmith's cost, but that's too good a cartridge to throw away without asking.

I can't think of many better carts for your stated sonic and musical goals and few that would as good, especially for < $3K.

Benz will be a shade warmer, richer and fuller, but also a hair slower and won't quite match the Dynavector's dynamics and extension. An easy cartridge to listen to and enjoy, not quite as hard rockin'.

Helikon is distinctly cooler, though it does have the advantages Syntax mentioned.

ZYX Atmos X-SB low output would be an excellent choice. All the bass, dynamics and punch of the XV-1S, greater HF extension and speed, a more neutral tonal palette than any of the above. SORAsound's now selling new for just $2495, a real "bargain" in our crazy world.

Transfiguration Orpheus would be a serious contender, especially the lower output version. Many of the same characteristics as the Atmos and a very good cartridge for your kind of music. $6K new, so maybe above your range unless you get lucky.

Some manufacturers have that point of view, when someone else "repairs", "rebuilds" their cartridge, it shall no longer be considered their original name.
I can understand it, I listened to some "rebuilds" from non-authorized personell and I can speak her only for me, I will NEVER buy such a cartridge for a normal price. I would send it back to Dynavector. Normally it will be replaced with a new one for a fixed price.

Fixed price. And that is what it comes down to. The repair Soundsmith was probably 1/4 the cost of sending it to Dynavector. Sure, it is a bit different than a stock xv-1s. However, I would speculate that it is 95% of stock and I think it has a better stylus profile now.

If you decide to fix the xv1-s and you want a hold over/backup cartridge in the meanwhile, Lyra's new Delos cartridge ($1500 list) may do the trick. Attached are a thread on this on Agon with comments from Jonathan Carr of Lyra on it as well as a link to Music Direct's description page. It may merit looking into:

Agon thread: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1258844370
MD Page: http://www.musicdirect.com/product/86577

Syntax raises an important consideration. If you own a particular cartridge, enjoy what it does, know why it does what you like and believe a rebuilder could not match that, then a non-factory rebuild would be a risky choice at best.

For example, I would never let anyone but ZYX rebuild my UNIverse. No one else has access to the ZYX stylus. No one else winds coils the way they do. No one else knows exactly what elastomers they use. All of these features are critical to specific performance capabilities which I value.

OTOH, Sgs freely admits he hasn't heard other cartridges. He has little basis of comparison and no way of judging how replacing any particular component in his XV-1S would alter the sound in ways that matter to him. For him, a non-factory rebuild at 1/4 the cost would at worst give him a chance to hear "another" cartridge.

Of course he could choose the safer factory rebuild/replacement and remain equally happy, though equally ignorant. :-)

It's an interesting choice, and unfortunately he has insufficient knowledge or experience to know which choice would be better for him. None of us can hear what he hears and know for him. All he can do is consider all the possibilities and choose what makes sense to him...

I would do it that way (and I think, it is not the worst):
Sending it back to Importer, paying the price what they want to have for a replacement.
Now I will have a new XV-1s, I can keep it or sell it at Audiogon for a good price, the new owner will be very happy and I can use the money for my new cartridge (whatever it will be).
Everyone is a winner.

If the OP is intent on moving to another cart, then I would agree to follow Doug's and Thomas's advice if the purchase of the next cart depends on funds from the sale of the Dyna. I can't offer suggestions on re-selling 'cuz I will not buy a used cart myself and so have no experience with that. That's just me. Even though someone else may think the repair diminishes the monetary value of the cart, for a few hundred bucks my toes are still tapping just fine.

i believe the XV-1s uses a Boron Cantilever which is very expensive to have replaced and by dynevector, they require a complete rebuild. i know this because i broke mine twice but only repaired once then moved on. suggest you do the same. reasonably good sounding cart. but not worth the risk.

>>12-04-09: Dougdeacon
ZYX Atmos X-SB low output would be an excellent choice. All the bass, dynamics and punch of the XV-1S, greater HF extension and speed<<

Well that's not true.

I have the XV-1s and Zyx 4D (arguably an Atmos depending on whom you believe) here and the Dyna stands toe to toe with the 4D on all accounts. Actually, the XV-1s is more tonally pure and rich than the 4D.

Tonearms used: Triplanar(2 of them), Basis Vector 3, Dynavector 507 Mk.II, Hadcock 228, and Graham Phantom.

Dealer disclaimer.