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Graham Phantom DV XV-1s setup question

I took the plunge and moved from a DV XX2 MkII to the DV XV-1s :-) My TT is the TW Raven One. I have been playing around with the setup and currently have the loading at 100ohms, VTF 1.87gram, no anti-skate and no damping fluid.

After doing some searches read about the 2.5 tracking force option. I tried it at 2.20 grams for a couple of days and briefly at 2.50grams and it seemed to kill the dynamics. What I am experiencing now is slight thin/bright sound on some recordings, not what most people report as the character of this cartridge. Moving the VTF seems to kill the dynamics.

I've only had it now for 3 weeks, 20-30 hours. Is this the breakin character of the cartridge? is anyone using the damping fluid with this cartridge? how much if you are? Ideas? my phono stage can do 30,100,500,1000,47K.

Thanks!
128x128musichead
dev's avatar
dev
832 posts
 
My VAC is the latest Sig. MK2a, it's only a couple of months old purchased "NEW".

My friend "Rickmak" was nice enough to come by earlier today and completed the initial set-up which was really appreciated. Everything is brand new, Stealth Hyperphono cable, cart, arm with no hours including the phono stage of the VAC unit so it's now time to just chil and put some hours in and then Rick will come back to re-ajust.

There was a bit of an issue with antiskating but that has now been taken care of, Rick can tell you what the culprit was.

I'm looking forward to doing some listening.

THX Rick.

myles_b_astor's avatar
myles_b_astor
134 posts
 
Doug: Centering the coils is why Immedia suggests letting the cartridge sit on the LP while using the Audio Physics fluxbuster.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Myles,

That makes good sense for active demagging/fluxbusting, where the potentially conflicting requirements for music play don't exist.

1. The LP need not be spinning, there's no need to optimize VTF for clean tracking.
2. You're not playing a modulated groove, there's no need to optimize VTF for maximum cantilever freedom.

Maximizing the fluxbusting effect obviously requires that the coils be centered in the fields. Now tell us the precise VTF that centers the coils when the cantilever isn't moving - good luck! ;-)

Whether one should actively demag a cartridge at all is of course subject to debate. As I'm sure you know, active demagging would destroy any MM, any MI and some HOMCs. Whether a LOMC should be actively demagged depends on the cartridge. Many LOMC manufacturers advise against it and will void the owner's warranty if it's done. FWIW, I prefer the less dangerous "demagging" tracks on the Cardas LP.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
I closed the chapter demagging/fluxbusting 10 years ago. And yes, I had this Audio Physics unit. I developed this idea, because I didn't want to ruin my cartridge, looked for an indian medicine man and found a retired Apache. 2x a week he dances around my Turntable, charges me a few $ and it sounds better after that. No danger and good for my garden, too. When he leaves my place, it is raining, too.
myles_b_astor's avatar
myles_b_astor
134 posts
 
Doug-

Yes was referring to fluxbusting with the cartridge sitting on a stationary record.

You may have seen this already but Jonathan Carr posted this excellent review about fluxbusting on Audioasylum back in 2001 that answered a lot of people's questions eg. why some manufaturers recommend fluxbusting and other don't.

If Jonathan is reading this, wonder if you have anything to add to the subject 9 years later ;)

http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=vinyl&n=61192&highlight=to+demag,+or+not+to+demag?
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