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Setup Dynavector XV-1s on SME V help

I am having all sorts of issues getting it tuned in. I do have it sounding very good but my settings leave me confused. My tracking force is 2.4 in a dynamic balance. My antiskating is set at 2.5 or abouts & the damping dip stick is all the way down. When I cue in the tonearm it always jumps right into the 1st track, never setting smooth. ON the Hi-Fi News test disk it flys across the blank space & then jumps over the next track almost to the end of the track. Kind of crazy. My VTA is level. I am loading it at 1000 ohms to great effect now & I can track the 4th track of the HiFI News & Record Review bias test track but with a lot of buzzing. I have almost no buzzing on the 3rd track. The arm resonance is about 9 hz or so in horizontal but harder to detect in vertical, but seems about the same.

Now w. my VdH Condor I had no tracking issues & itbehaved perfectly in the SME V. The Dynavector on the Ikeda never had any problems on the lead in groove (no jumping our bouncing) but it just didn't sound good (might have been the break in or the Ebony headshell I was using. I am waiting for a Dynavector headshell to use as the stock Ikeda headshell won't accomodate the Dynavector.

Anyone with any experience please chime in as I am totally lost.
dgad
jtimothya
612 posts
 
Thank you Nsgarch, Raul, and Dgad - what a great thread! I had been taking the default antiskate-dial = VTF-dial; the look-and-see technique w/ the first record band actually seems more accurate. I just tried it and mine was pulling slightly to the right. I was surprised that I had to move three tics of the dial higher than VTF, but now have no deflection.

I've pretty much decided that the XV-1s will be the cartridge to replace a Shelter 901 on my SME-V, so I've been following with interest.

Kindly indulge a few questions:
i) The Shelter is not particularly VTA sensitive - from level, I adjust by ear. How VTA sensitve is the XV-1s?

ii) I've been looking at my arm and don't quite get what it is to check and what is the bit about 'stick your finger in there' (heh).

Could someone offer a few more words on leveling the tonearm - how to check and how to level?

(Fwiw, I have the SME-Vd which is the detachable headshell model supporting azimuth adjustment.)

Thanks again,
Tim
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
Tim, if you have the detachable headshell model SME V, then you can dial it in to be level (after levelling the platter) by just twisting the headshell a little, so what happens to the vertical post as you tighten up the set bolts is not critical as it is with us. You'll still find a small bubble level like the kind that come with vdH cartridges, or a really small 1.5" commercial one useful. But with that adjustable headshell, you might come even closer with a test record and your ears.
dgad OP
782 posts
 
Nsgarch,

I am thinking about your deflection principle for setting antiskate and have a few questions. Antiskate on entry - lowering of the stylus - rather than on exit - lifting the stylus will be different. Won't the deflection that is most important truly be the deflection during play rather than on entry or exit. The rotational inertia of the cartridge that is countered by the force of the groove right wall on the stylus. We have 2 forces now at play. The record groove moving the stylus / cartridge inwards, and the inertia of the cartridge / tonearm trying to not move at all. Then we apply an antiskate force which in effect pulls the cartridge / stylus towards the outside of the record. This in effect offsets the deflection on the stylus by the record groove. Wouldn't this be most apparent during play, rather than during the commencement of play. What I notice is that lifting the tonearm it will always deflect outwards towards the record edge if antiskate is applied. If not it will deflect inwards.

I know this is getting complex, but as you set the cartridge / stylus into the record groove you don't want it to ride out of the groove or press to a single side. That is our goal. As you continue to play this should remain consistent.
downunder
1,329 posts
 
Tim. I find my XV-1 is quite sensitive to VTA in the 5 years I have had one, but it will never go from sounding great to bad. That is why I bought the VPI to make it easier than my Linn.

There seems to be enuf SME IV / V users out there that are getting great sound out of the XV-1 so it does not seem to be any real problem.

I am sure you will enjoy it.

cheers Shane
jtimothya
612 posts
 
Thanks Shane & Nsgarch!

Wrt to checking deflection on set-down versus pick-up, I am not an engineer, but with the pick-up method I wonder if the arm/cartridge/stylus being up to speed is a factor as they ride the groove. Would the arm have enough mass and inward momentum as it is picked up to continue slightly foward during the pickup motion while causing the stylus to be pushed to the side of the right (outside) groove as the arm is raised, giving a deflection to the cantilever to the right as they all get raised, such that the rightward deflection happens but is not caused by the antiskate? That is, the arm/cartridge gets a teeny bit ahead of the stylus. Dgad, I think this is kinda what you are describing, but I wonder if it is the way to gauge the antiskate?? Dunno - just thinking out loud (which is usually dangerous for me.)

Rgds,
Tim

Tim
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