Changing from an XV1-S

T_bone

If you walked into a room with 10 pieces of audio product including cables in the system and had never heard the room before BUT was only familiar with the tonearm, do you think you could pick out what the tonearm was doing?

VPI, Conrad Johnson, Levinson. Very well know house sound from each of those for anyone who's been in an audio dealer's shop in the last 20 years or so. I'm glad you like it.

Hi DCarol,

There’s nothing wrong with buying on looks or anything else that “moves us”. We get to vote with our money, and heck, our spouses and families put up with enough of our quirks and fetishes. We owe it to them to not have a gaggle of wires and a general mess in a shared living space. I’m with you on that one, completely.

I wrestle with the whole form follows function thing in my turntable designs. Since I know I can’t be all things to everyone, I accept it, and let function and modularity drive the process. I realize that fixed, enclosed plinths are returning to “fashion”, and I can’t control that. So it goes, and I’ll have to deal with limiting my audience to fans of the modern / industrial look.

OK, so after a bit of pain, we know that the only way we’re going to take that VPI out of your system is to pry it out of your cold, dead hands. I would however, like to see you try one fairly inexpensive experiment before you start playing with cartridges. This could give you a completely different insight into what you’re after.

I’m recommending a drive architecture change. I don’t do motor/controller upgrades anymore (too busy), but your “neighbors” do: http://www.turntable-power-supply.com/index.htm.

Note, that I’m specifically pointing you away from an SDS upgrade, because you’re after a “flavor change”. A DC drive will give you a different perspective on the music – one you may have been looking for ... or not. There’s only one way to find out.

I think you’ll gain a lot of insight into the general sonic character of a DC drive system and how it may suit both your tastes as well as your current system context.

Either way (new cartridge first, or a drive change first), enjoy the journey.

Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier

Why no mention of the XV-1t in this thread?

I'm one of the people who had heard Madfloyd's former VPI front end. I can tell you there is no comparison between what he had and what he now listens to. The XV-1S remains and now sounds great.

Having written that, I am curious about the XV1S/A90 comparison. Please let us know what differences you hear. Thanks.