Looking for advice from those who have this (or similar) combination. Would appreciate your thoughts on whether or not I would have to concern myself with tonearm damping. Thanks!
I've got a SME V on order. Just wondering if my cartridge is a match or if I'm going to have to "educate" myself on the fine art of damping. I have some telling me it kills the dynamics.
It is not a big deal at all. Very easy to adjust the amount of dampening. You will have fun with it. That Te Kaitora Ru is nice isn't it. Hard to imagine you could get much better.
I had a SME V with Dyna XX2m1 and later on XX2m2. Both sounded beter with silicon damping. The sound is more controlled, with less stray noises and quieter between notes.
Even when I moved on from SME V to Basis Vector 4, silicon damping did bring a more precise sound which I prefer. By precise i mean no stray ringing or artificial notes extension caused by vibrations and resonance.
Dear Mikesmith: I use the V/IV with the XV-1 cartridge with good quality performance.
As contrary with an unipivot tonearm that always needs damping the SME V non unipivot design does not necessary needs.
After a precise cartridge/tonearm set up ( VTA/SRA/overhang/load impedance and the like. ) and after some hours of playback you can begin to try with different damping " levels " and decide in your system which damping level you need if any.
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