Dynavector DV-507 Mk II ?

No, it is a VERY faulty arm.

Agree. It is a faulty arm; I have not had the latest
version, but the old one did not get the best from
my Ortofons and Denons. Maybe a Dynavector cartridge
is different in these arms.

First my apology for necromancing this thread. But I am a bit surprised how negative people react to the DV-507 mkII.

Some one I know who is an audio distributor recommends me to buy a (secondhand) DV-507 mk). He has no financial interest in the arm but he does sell other brand like Kuzma, Reed and Ikeda.

So how good/bad is this arm? Personally I like Kuzma arms, but I have limited experience, audio for me is hobby. So I have not heard many arms.

I do not like SME except the 309. The rest IV, and V seem to be over dampened. From what I heard Reed sounds very lively Kuzma very neutral and Ikeda a bit on the warm/laid back side of the spectrum. I have not heard the Dynavector DV-507 mkII yet.

But the distributor who knows my set a little and my musical tastes says I will love the 507 with my Te Katora Rua.

I am looking for a second hand arm and probably even a second hand 507 is too expensive. But I am curious none the less.

Verybig and Carl, Your comments are useless to anyone contemplating a purchase. I think it would be fair to say that the DV tonearms are fundamentally different in design and execution from standard pivoted tonearms. The differences afford certain advantages and disadvantages as compared to the standard type. That does not make them "faulty". Would you say the same about unipivots vs captured bearing types? Which of those two types is "faulty"?

Consttraveler, Yes, warps will affect VTA on the DV507 more so than with a conventional pivoted tonearm. However, who among us that can afford a $5000+ tonearm will tolerate a warped LP? On the other hand, the skating force is never constant at any point across the surface of any LP with music on it. Therefore, what is the advantage of applying constant anti-skate (which I am not sure is constant, since the magnetic AS will change based on any change in distance between two magnets)? "Correct" AS is a crapshoot at best.

I use a DV505, the older model, on my Lenco. Essentially the DV505 is a DV507 with string and weight AS instead of magnetic AS. I also own a Triplanar and a Reed and a FR66S, that I use on other TTs. The DV505 sounds superb with either of two of my favorite MM cartridges, the Grace Ruby and the Acutex LPM320. Choice of headshell should be made with a view to matching the cartridge, since the vertically pivoting part of the arm is so short and light. Headshell becomes more important. Bass response and "detail" are indeed superb, but so is "air".

Contrary to what has been stated, I have found the Dynavector arm (a 501, in my case), to be quite versatile. It works well with such disparate cartridges as Dynavector XX2MKII, Zu Denon 103R (with ESCCO cantilever/Paratrace stylus modification), an Acutex LPM 415, and Acutex M320 STR LPM.

All track very well, and sound very good to my ears. Assumptions about performance without actually using the item in discussion is, in my opinion, misguided.

Although there are differences between the older 501, and the newest version, the 507 MK II, they are mainly, as previously noted, in the anti-skate and VTF adjustment methods. I do believe they would perform, and sound, similarly.

I have been more than pleased with every aspect of this arm's performance, and firmly believe in order to obtain a better performing tonearm, I would have to pay multiples of what the 501 arm cost.

A 507 MKII for $4000, in good condition, may not be a bad deal, but I can't say with any certainty.

Regards,
Dan