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Changing from an XV1-S

Hi All

I'm considering (read hankering) for a new cartridge. I have been using a Dynavector XV1-S for a while now and although it really is good I feel that other manufacturers have overtaken this recently with units that cost a 'tad' less.

It's going on my VPI Classis/ 10.5 and the new Whest PS.30RDT Special Edition/ Conrad Johnson ART MK1/ Levinson 331 Poweramp/ JM Lab Scala Utopia. The general sound from the system is excellent to bloody brilliant BUT having just heard an Ortofon Cadenza Black in the system I am led to believe that the XV1-S technology is 'getting on'.

A friend has recommended the Ortofon A90 or Lyra Titan.
Is there anything else I should look at?

My musical tastes are wide BUT do not include Opera, Classical or choir. I like vocals but love instumentals.

Thanks for your help - if I get any :)

dcarol
t_bone
1,182 posts
 
DC,
Congrats on the A90. I'd love to hear one.
The Feickert table is a looker too - a bit like the Clearaudio Concept in looks except the dark and light are switched around, and the arm mounting is more flexible.
Gotta say that if I were a fledgling manufacturer naming a turntable, "woodpecker" is not the imagery I would choose to go for...
andromedaaudio
170 posts
 
Thanks for sharing Dcarol, although things are very much listenertaste / systemdependant you probably will not go wrong with an A 90 and it is as said before , not extremely expensive .
I dont know of a dealer who has it in demonstration at the moment otherwise i would like to hear itfor myself.
richardmr
90 posts
 
Dc, you said the Musicmaker was a real eye opener but you could never turn back. What do you mean? What were it's characteristics and how did it compare to the $$others$$? Thanks.
madfloyd
411 posts
 
DCarol, was there any change in loading or gain on the phono stage when comparing the A90 to the XV-1s?
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
DCarol,
That was an interesting report. You heard a bunch of cartridges in a short time. Are you confident that there was enough time to set them all up properly, or was each cartridge in its own headshell or arm wand for easy swapping? I found that it took quite a while to dial in my cartridge with proper alignment and loading, VTF, VTA etc.

I would love to hear the A90 and compare it to my PC-1.
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