Dynavector XV1-S and step-up

Raul, I know you have a lot of experience with analog, but I'll have to disagree
with your posts on the Shindo. I know you have an existing aversion against
step-ups, but it would be wrong to judge the Shindo implementation without
first hearing it.

I have heard many solid state, tube+SUT, and hybrid (tube MM+SS MC)
phonostages over the past months and would say that the Shindo + SUT
certainly in the top of all the phono amps I heard. For example, my Pass
XOno does not reach the level of detail, extension, and natural tone that my
Shindo Monbrison + external SUT provides. The Shindo is at a completely
different level in terms of capturing fine nuances and detail in my experience.

It took a while though to find a step-up that works well with my Allaerts
MC1B and your opinion is certainly true for many of the step-ups I tried. I
have heard really bad tube + SUT phonostages (even at the $5k level, and I
heard equally bad solid state amps). There are excellent ones on both sides
though.

Of course, I am sure there are even better solid state phono stages than the
XOno but then there are even higher end Shindo preamps too. I certainly
haven't heard the level of detail with solid state that I heard with Shindo so
far.

Of course I have heard not nearly as many different cartridges and tables as
you have, but I have certainly heard good implementations and designs on
both sides, tube+SUT and solid-state.

With best regards,

Rene

Dear Rene: I understand your point of view through your experiences where certainly the XOno is not a good example for the top quality performance level that you and me are accustom for.

I don't have an " aversion " on SUTs, as a fact I try several SUTs through the time including the " old " Shindo ones but when you have the opportunity to mate in your system a very top quality design phonolinepreamp with no SUTs against any other with SUTs then you can understand what I'm talking about.
IMHO I think that you like many other people ( Japanese people between them. ) never had that opportunity but there are people that already heard and try on that kind of top quality design units and I can tell you that no one of them can/could return to SUTs: evolution is the name of the game, if we don't " evolution ": well we " die ", IMHO sooner or latter we need to WALK ahead with the right " focus ".

I don't compart/share the whole audio attitude to stay almost in the same " land/place " going deep in that " hole " with no hope to improve/evolution, with no hope to be better but only a little different!

I respect to all kind of personal audio attitude but mine is a little different from other ones, at least in that audio evolution subject.

I don't want to start a polemic about SUTs ( like Axel posted:tired to read in several threads about. ) it is almost futile.

Rene, if you own a Ferrari what do you want to do about? switch the engine ( in your garage ) to only hear that marvelous motor sound? or switch the engine and driving ( move ) that Ferrari enjoy the Ferrari unique whole experience?.
Not many people own a Ferrari and certainly they want to " discover " the whole " Ferrari experience " and not only the static engine sound.

The Japanese people die for the SUT's ( like several other people. ), they like its distortions but that does not means is the best way to go with LOMC cartridges, there are other alternatives that IMHO are better.

Anyway, my advise to Hatari is that he try an alternative, either: MM or a differnt phonolinepreamp or both.

I think/assume that he wants to achieve not only a different quality performance but a better one and the Masseto is an " obstacle " to do it.

Maybe some of you think that because the Masseto is over 10K must be a great unit, well it is not at least for LOMC cartridge task.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Raul, Have you heard a Masseto or other similar Shindo phono preamp driven by a LOMC? If so, was it on your own system where you are used to the baseline sound? I am asking just out of curiosity, because you are speaking with a great deal of conviction that suggests you have done the homework.

Dear Lew: Shindo is well know to produce and design audio items based on vintage parts: tubes, caps, resistors, pots, etc, etc. For this people time never pass, no evolution at all and like Koetsu cartridges Shindo through the years " floats " in an image almost " religious " ( ???? ). This kind of " halo " is what many Japanese people likes ( it does not matters how is its sound. ), even its design are around a specific audio units like in the Masseto that was voiced with the SPU cartridge.

I owned the Shindo 101 ( and heard twice different units. The Shindo is like Koetsu: you heard one and you know everything on that sound audio item company. ) that is almost the same today other units because the Shindo philosophy is to be " impertubable " through the years to come. So I know what I'm talking about.

What I can't understand ( or maybe I can??? ) is what are you trying to find on me with your questions?, I know that you are not and advocate to SUTs or at least your phonolinepreamp does not comes with SUTs, so: what is all about?
I think that ( with all respect, I appreciate you. ) instead to following question me will be a lot better that you give your advise to help Hatari, don't you think?

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Dear Raul, If you re-read my previous post, I think you will see where I said that I do agree with you on SUTs. But your remarks about the Shindo preamps were not as diplomatic as is typical of you, so I just thought you might have some direct experience with this unit or similar ones that led you to be so firm in your rather negative statements. If you did have such direct experience, it would lend a great deal of credence to your views, and it would satisfy my own abiding curiosity regarding Shindo et al. Because I have never heard any of that stuff, and I do value your opinion highly, as do others. No offense was intended.

By the way, now that I am beginning to hear what other cartridges have to offer in my own system, I remain a big fan of my Koetsu Urushi. So we will have to agree to disagree on that item. But I have more listening to do of course; I am nowhere near as experienced as you.