DYNAVECTOR XV1T - XV-1T VTF ??

2.7 seems too high to me. I know this cartridge well, and if adjusted properly, 2 grams - even a bit less is all that is required.

The loading is wide open ( no resistors at all ).. My Pre amp is the Atma-Sphere MP-1. How do I find out what the effective mass of the tone arm is?

Dear Vanderdm : The lod impedance for your cartridge as with any other cartridge is a critical issue and for what you posted seems to me that you are loaded at 47k that IMHO is not the best value. I think that around 300 ohms to 500 ohms could be better due to the internal cartridge spec resistance.

In the other side the cartridge could perform better if the " counterweight " ( as you said. ) is not down but a little in the up side level. VTA/SRA always is important to achieve the best quality performance and parallel to the LP seems to me not the best VTA/SRA set up. You have to test the cartridge at different VTA/SRA set up till you find out the one that meets your music sound system priorities.

Now, 2.7grs is a wrong VTF set up not only because is out of the manufacturer/designer VTF range but because out of that range the cartridge coils are out " place ". The designer VTF is not only to achieve the best cartridge tracking possible but to align in precise way the cartridge coils. Out of that VTF range goes absolutely against the cartridge overall quality performance.

If I was you I stay for the first 50-60 hours in the high side of the VTF manufacturer advise and after that playback time then start a fine tunning of the cartridge trying different values/set up on: load impedance, VTF, VTA/SRA and remember that each time that you change the VTF and VTA/SRA the overhang change and you have to reset it.

As the XV-1s your t model is a very fine cartridge but you have to have patience on the set up to achieve the best the cartridge can shows you.
Btw, I don't have experiences with your tonearm but I had experiences with other tonearms/headshells that were build by carbon fiber and for me this material is no " cartridge friendly ", at least I had that kind of experiences.

Anyway, the right cartridge set up is all about and you have to try/test different set up parameters and of course to have a reference to make comparisons.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.

XV1T sounds quite different than the other dynavector carts. IMHO, it is better than the other ones in the line up.

I have a XV1T among others and I think very highly of it. I initially set VTF at 2.0g when it was new. Now I set VTF at approx 1.9g. The cart seem to work better into >200ohm imped within my system. If I track at 2.1g or higher, there is sig. loss in resolution. Bass gets muddy with overhang and loses dynamics.

Optimal VTF may be altered by room temperature. I sometimes use tube amps and if room temp >85 degree, the optimal VTF needs to be lowered by 0.05g to be optimal. This is due to changing compliance of the suspension at different temperate. It helps to have a temperate gauge if amps gets very hot. Overall this is minor and certain not in the 0.7g range you have here.

Make sure the VTA is set correctly. At the same VTA setting, inappropriately high VTF will alter the SRA as higher pressure bends the cantilever. If your VTA is set too high, an inappropriate high VTF may yield a more correct SRA at the expense of other distortion. Try lowering the VTA and see if you can obtain better sound by lowering the VTF closer to 2g. I suspect you will damage the cart at 2.7g. ( Keep rechecking VTF as you change VTA). XV1T is heavier than my lyras and there is more change in VTF as I adjust VTA.

Does the cart mistrack when you use 2.0 - 2.2 g? If it does, you may need to re-align.

Thanks guys for your answers!

The cart does not mistrack..

Ok, I've brought it back to 2.0g I've installed 260 ohm resistors and I've put the VTA down a hair to compensate for the lighter weight.

I'll obsess over it tonight and let you know how it goes.

( I listened to the cart at 2.7g for maybe 30 minutes.. I couldn't bare to leave it there.. even though it was awesome..)