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Dynavector XV-1s and JMW 10.5i question

I recently purchased a new Dyna XV-1s for my Aries 3 and JMW 10.5i. I had a buddy set it up and it initially sounded fantastic. Recently I have noticed less air and a slight shift of center image to the right. It's also a bit less involving.

I know he had set the tracking weight at 2.2 grams. The weird thing was he had to put a small dollop of blue tack on the end of the anti-skate rubber ring weights to give it more anti-skate based on test record distortion in the right channel. I'm a complete novice at this stuff so I am a bit lost, but from most threads I have heard that little to no anti-skate should be needed with JMW 10.5i. After discussion with my analogue buddy who et up the cart, he said maybe it needed more anti-skate and blue tack.

I have ordered an Analogue Productions test record for myself and the Fremer DVD. I can (and will) ask my turntable guru buddy to come back and look at things again, but I don't want to 'over-ask' for his help and I want to start to learn about this on my own. Can anyone offer suggestions to help me 'find the magic' again with more air and a better solid center image?
philb7777
larryi
4,033 posts
 
Philb7777,

Unless your cartridge is taking an inordinate amount of time to break in, it is pretty hard to account for such a significant change in sound for the worse. Since you haven't been fiddling with the adjustments, aside from trying the setup without antiskating, it doesn't seem to be a setup issue.

By the way, I disagree with the statement that your friend's use of blu-tack on the antiskating weight is silly. Your description of his use of a test record and determination that more antiskating force was needed based on higher distortion levels in the right channel IS one of the better ways to set antiskating. Your friend appears, to me, to be a very valuable resource in ferretting out your current problem.

There is a possibility you have a defective cartridge. Perhaps, something in the suspension has gone bad and the coils are no longer aligned properly causing the channel imbalance. I hope that is not the case. I am assuming that the sound has not changed when other sources are used (thus limiting the possible problem area to the phono gear, including the phono stage).
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Does your 10.5i tonearm have Nordost wiring (all silver color and kinda limp) or Discovery wiring (red and white twist)? I have both (two armtubes) and find that the Nordost-wired arm requires the outboard antiskating device, if you're going to use any antiskating at all, while the Discovery-wired arm can have anti-skating applied by twisting the wire in the "time honored" VPI JMW way.

I would definitely dump the Blu-Tak in any event and tend to use a minimum of anti-skating. Yes, you might try some damping fluid in the cup where the pivot (pointy thing) is. You're really going to have to, er, play this by ear.

BTW, If it's the one I think it is, I sure wouldn't pay much if any attention to that test record. Good luck, Dave
philb7777 OP
401 posts
 
Yeah, guys, I value my audio vinyl guru friend's help. I just hate to ask him to come by and check things out again. I think he thinks I am having an 'audio nervosa' attack. I know what I'm hearing is real though.

I hope the cart isn't defective. Interestingly, the imaging issue kind of comes and goes, even during the same songs being played. Nonetheless, the 'density' of the images seem less all the time. Another thing I've noticed is a slight hum (very faint coming from the midrange and woofer) in between tracks and when not playing but the preamp set to LP input. This is new. I do use a grounding cable. When I play the CD it is not there.

I've babied the cart from day one and I'm actually scared of it! I have cleaned it carefully with an Onzow only thus far and clean all LP's with a VPI 16.5.

I have the Nordost wiring on the 10.5i. I think he used the Hi Fi News test LP to help set up anti-skate. I have ordered the Analogue Productions one which should arrive tomorrow.
kurt_tank
1,189 posts
 
Check your VTA (Vertical Tracking Angle). It is possible that as your suspension loosened up, the VTA, (measuring to the cantilever), may have changed also.

Just a thought.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
That's the one I thought it was:-)

You'll get more comfortable with the arm and cart as you gain experience with them and learn to trust your ears more. Your imaging issue suggests to me to presence of too much antiskate.

Your arm offers VTA adjustment on the fly. Sorry to introduce another variable, but this is worth experimenting with. I run my 10.5i just slightly tail-down. And you do have both the thumb screws tightened, I trust.
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