Dynavector XX Mk II

Jmcgrogam2, don't even think about playing around with loading untill the cart has between 50-100 hours of break-in. The recessed highs will open up once the cart breaks in.

John...Agreed with Brf, some break-in is needed. The highs will come in. In my system, at 100 ohms things were somewhat uninvolving. By contrast, between 500 and 1000 ohms, I experienced greater presence and a more natural, satisfying overall sound. Of course, I'm not sure what will work best for you in your system.

Thanks Jeff and Brf, I suppose I'll just have to be patient. I thought that break-in may be an issue, but I didn't know just how much of a difference it would make. I've had sound change over time with some components, but very rarely does it change drastically. I can remember one experience with an interconnect when the sound changed drastically over time though, so it is a possiblility.

I really like the bass and midrange performance of the XX mk II, but the high's are definitely too rolled off for me. I know that it is a new cartridge, and a new preamp too, so I will be patient. That is not easy for me. ;-)

John...Take a look at this review of the XX2 Mk2 by Paul Eros. It should be reassuring:

http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/xx2mk2_e.html

Actually, I just noticed it is a review of the XX2 Mk1, but if interested, you can type in a search for Dynavector XX2 Mk2 reviews and find several that also provide positively solid commentary.