Raul,
I agree with you about all you said. But, others who have heard the XV-1s in my system agreed with my assesment. Maybe a system parameter was off, but it was checked thoroughly by me & some experts. On a different note, the XV-1s took a lot of time to break in. This is a major part of the problem. But even after break in, it is a more closed in cartridge than the ZYX. I prefer the Koetsu to the XV-1s in musical terms. But not in dynamic terms. I now have both with the PC-1.
I have heard the XV-1s in many systems, and it remains less detailed than the ZYX but more natural tonally. This is my ears and experience so please don't consider it the end all. I would consider it again for the price. It is well priced.
Now, on to tonearms. Yes to all you say but without getting the resonant frequency into the correct range you are not maximizing the performance of the cartridge no matter the tonearm design. The resonance will make the bass bloated and the treble distorted. It is simple physics. I am actually surprised by your assertion otherwise, as you argue as an absolute against all preamps w. a SUT base on specifications and engineering but in terms of tonearm / cartridge matching you are willing to ignore this.
Now if all things are equal or fairly close 8-12 Hz resonant frequeny, then we can have other design parameters which we can consider. Also tonearm/ turntable interface a tonearms ability to handle air born resonance and disipate it through the turntable or any other way is important. Now, these can be more important than what I mention above, but only if these parameters are truly not met at all.
It gets back to the weakest link. If any one item is poor it will affect all others.
I agree with you about all you said. But, others who have heard the XV-1s in my system agreed with my assesment. Maybe a system parameter was off, but it was checked thoroughly by me & some experts. On a different note, the XV-1s took a lot of time to break in. This is a major part of the problem. But even after break in, it is a more closed in cartridge than the ZYX. I prefer the Koetsu to the XV-1s in musical terms. But not in dynamic terms. I now have both with the PC-1.
I have heard the XV-1s in many systems, and it remains less detailed than the ZYX but more natural tonally. This is my ears and experience so please don't consider it the end all. I would consider it again for the price. It is well priced.
Now, on to tonearms. Yes to all you say but without getting the resonant frequency into the correct range you are not maximizing the performance of the cartridge no matter the tonearm design. The resonance will make the bass bloated and the treble distorted. It is simple physics. I am actually surprised by your assertion otherwise, as you argue as an absolute against all preamps w. a SUT base on specifications and engineering but in terms of tonearm / cartridge matching you are willing to ignore this.
Now if all things are equal or fairly close 8-12 Hz resonant frequeny, then we can have other design parameters which we can consider. Also tonearm/ turntable interface a tonearms ability to handle air born resonance and disipate it through the turntable or any other way is important. Now, these can be more important than what I mention above, but only if these parameters are truly not met at all.
It gets back to the weakest link. If any one item is poor it will affect all others.
