Dynavector XV1-S and step-up

Restock, I take no issue with what you say. I was trying to keep the response as bone simple as possible. Your experience with SUTs is obviously more extensive than mine, especially since my hands-on experience is zero. BTW, I think the OP said that the recommended load is >30 ohms, not 30 ohms. Most would use about 100 ohms, which is why I wrote what I wrote. Carry on.

Thanks guys - appreciate all this. Have to read the posts at least 2-3 times, but am starting to get it. Good education.

In my experience, the Dynavector XV-1s cartridge performs best at a loading somewhere between 100 - 150 Ohms. As Lewm indicated, the 30 Ohm loading specified by the manufacturer is intended to be a bottom-end limit and is not intended to indicate the optimal resistive load for the cartridge.

IME, the XV-1s begins to sound dark and lifeless when the input impedance is dropped below 100 Ohms.

Thanks. Oddly enough, the MC input on my Shindo is:

Phono MC（RCA Pin Jack ) Input Sensitivity/Impedance：0.2mV/2 -100Ω.

Perhaps I should stop fiddling and just use the internal MC step up? I am curious to experiment with it though.

Cincy_bob: any thoughts on a worthwhile avenue to explore in terms of SUTs? Looks like the A23 Hommage, Kondo KSL (both very expensive), EAR MC4 (highly adjustable it seems, and more "reasonable").

Hatari, sorry but I don't really have any experience implementing external SUTs in my own audio systems. The guys who posted above are probably in a better position to comment on the technical aspects and compatibility of those specific SUTs you are exploring.