XV-1s Update

mep · Nov 10, 2012

I listened to Charles Mingus “Tijuana Moods” last night for the first time since I installed the XV-1s cartridge and the Krell KRC-HR line stage. I heard this LP for the first time last night. As good as I always knew it sounded, it was taken to another level last night. The bass and those castanets are something! I was pretty much in awe listening to this recording last night. Highly recommended if you don’t already own it. I can’t vouch for how the digital versions might sound-I only have the LP. No matter what the provenance of my LP is, it sounds spectacular.

And while I’m on my analog high horse, I want to say something about the sound of DSDx1 versus LPs. I listened to a lot of DSD last night because I wanted to and because it sounds damn good. However, when I switched to LPs, it was apparent to me that analog still has more sparkle and life infused in it than even really good digital. I’m sorry I don’t have better descriptive terms, but that is what I thought to myself last night when I switched between the two. Analog just has more life to it than DSD (at least X1). And don’t get me wrong, ever since I have been able to play back DSD files, I really like digital. And this is coming from a guy who used to hate digital as much as any analog lover.

My LP playback has never sounded better now that I have the XV-1s and the Krell KRC-HR. The “HR” stands for High Resolution and it lives up to its name. The XV-1s is hands down the finest cartridge I have ever had in my system.

flez007 · Nov 10, 2012

I have always liked Dynavector cartridges myself, my best one has been an XX2 which blended the best of a Benz, Cardas and Linn MCs I had before - good to know they still manufacture good products in the analog world.

jazdoc · Nov 10, 2012

mep -

Enjoy that XV1-s. It's a great cartridge and I think it fits your listening aesthetic.

I also love "Tijuana Moods" -- a perfect musical description of Mingus' drunken, Mexican debauche after a fight with his wife! Originals are terrific sounding and can be had for reasonable prices on Ebay.

Mosin · Nov 10, 2012

One of my customers has that cartridge on a Talea tonearm with my turntable. He swears by it. I have heard it in a different combination and it is pretty sweet.

Bill Hart · Nov 10, 2012

Is this the first opportunity to hear a new cartridge with the new preamp together?

MylesBAstor · Nov 10, 2012

Mosin said:
One of my customers has that cartridge on a Talea tonearm with my turntable. He swears by it. I have heard it in a different combination and it is pretty sweet.

Peter Clark has used both the XV1-S and 1-T on his Redpoint table along with LAMM electronics and Wilson speakers at CES. Always sounded very nice. One of the biggest problems with Dynavectors was their very low output; at that time, the SUT always compromised the sound unlike today where there are quite a few (like Mark's Krell) phono stages that can handle the lowest output MCs!

jazdoc · Nov 10, 2012

Mosin said:
One of my customers has that cartridge on a Talea tonearm with my turntable. He swears by it. I have heard it in a different combination and it is pretty sweet.

I've got my XV1-s on my Telos right now and it's really impressive. Absolutely thunderous bass but I could understand if some folks might consider it a little 'too much' at higher frequencies.

mep · Nov 11, 2012

Doc-You don't have your XV-1s loaded down?

flez007 · Nov 11, 2012

Mosin said:
One of my customers has that cartridge on a Talea tonearm with my turntable. He swears by it. I have heard it in a different combination and it is pretty sweet.

Mosin - do you still keep a Mantis in your MC collection? I am very happy with it as well, compared with the XX1 I found it with a tad of more body and fluid. The XV1 and XV1s are many steps above the XX2 from what I have heard.

mep · Nov 11, 2012

whart said:
Is this the first opportunity to hear a new cartridge with the new preamp together?

No, just the first time I played the Mingus LP with both the XV-1s and the KRC-HR. Really, pretty much every LP I play sounds really, really good. It would be scary if I'm leaving any performance on the table (pun intended) by not having the last ounce of tweakdom/set-up accomplished.

jazdoc · Nov 11, 2012

mep said:
Doc-You don't have your XV-1s loaded down?

mep -

XV1-s has only been on the Telos for about a few days during which time I've been dialing in the set up. I have a little more experimenting to do with set up before I tackle loading. Right now I'm running wide open (where my Benz LPS sounds best). Its going to be interesting to see how far this combination can go. I'm very pleasantly surprised what I'm hearing with the XV1-s/Telos. Of course, then it's time to put back on the Benz LPS and compare.

. Hmmm, maybe I can borrow Lavigne's Ortofon Anna...

mep · Nov 11, 2012

Doc-Since you are running it wide open, I'm not surprised that it maybe a "bit too much" on top. Where is your arm in relation to being parallel?

Mike Lavigne · Nov 11, 2012

jazdoc said:
mep -

XV1-s has only been on the Telos for about a few days during which time I've been dialing in the set up. I have a little more experimenting to do with set up before I tackle loading. Right now I'm running wide open (where my Benz LPS sounds best). Its going to be interesting to see how far this combination can go. I'm very pleasantly surprised what I'm hearing with the XV1-s/Telos. Of course, then it's time to put back on the Benz LPS and compare. . Hmmm, maybe I can borrow Lavigne's Ortofon Anna...

jazdoc · Nov 11, 2012

mep said:
Doc-Since you are running it wide open, I'm not surprised that it maybe a "bit too much" on top. Where is your arm in relation to being parallel?

Rear end slightly higher....

Mosin · Nov 11, 2012

flez007 said:
Mosin - do you still keep a Mantis in your MC collection? I am very happy with it as well, compared with the XX1 I found it with a tad of more body and fluid. The XV1 and XV1s are many steps above the XX2 from what I have heard.

Yes, I do. I have never compared the two side by side, though. However, the Dynavector seemed more lively to my ears. The Mantis has great tonal presentation that is more subdued by comparison, or it seems so with my limited exposure to the XV1-S. It probably comes down to a question of taste, and I like both.

jazdoc · Nov 12, 2012

Today I finally had time to further refine set up and to my ears and now the XV1-s is really sweetly singing on the Telos.

Playing with loading with the previous set up (post #11), loading at 100 Ohms improved the top end but slightly darkened the sound and made pacing a bit languid. With further experimentation I've end up with the following:

VTF ~ 2.07 gm
VTA with the rear of the tonearm ever so slightly raised relative to parallel
No loading with the Experience Music Kahn phono pre with internal Slagle SUT

Initial impression is that this is the best my system has ever sounded, but will reserve final judgment until a few more sessions are completed.

A.wayne · Nov 12, 2012

Hello Jazdoc ,

Im sorry if i missed it , what amp / speaker combination ....

Regards ,

MylesBAstor · Nov 12, 2012

jazdoc said:
Today I finally had time to further refine set up and to my ears, the XV1-s is sweetly singing on the Telos.

Playing with loading with the previous set up (post #11), loading at 100 Ohms improved the top end but slightly darkened the sound and made pacing a bit languid. With further experimentation I've end up with the following:

VTF ~ 2.07 gm
VTA with the rear of the ever so slightly raised relative to parallel
No loading with the Experience Music Kahn phono pre with internal Slagle SUT

Initial impression is that this is the best my system has ever sounded, but will reserve final judgment until a few more sessions are completed.

How much gain do you have between the line and phono? That might explain the loading effect.

jazdoc · Nov 12, 2012

A.wayne said:
Hello Jazdoc ,

Im sorry if i missed it , what amp / speaker combination ....

Regards ,

Einstein Light In Dark Amp with Amperex 6922's matched with current version Daedalus Ulysses' speakers....

jazdoc · Nov 12, 2012

MylesBAstor said:
How much gain do you have between the line and phono? That might explain the loading effect.

Good point Myles. Can't remember right off the top of my head but I know the step up has quite a bit of gain. I'm at work now but will edit post when I get home.

Addendum: 75 db gain...

XV-1s Update

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