DaVa FC-A1 a field coil contender

[Mike Lavigne]

Hi Everybody,

I just received my DaVa SUT today. Previously I had been running my DaVa carts directly into the MC input of the NVO Spa II SE phono stage very successfully indeed - have been extremely happy with the performance indeed. I decided to get the SUT because I am looking at another phonostage, which is MM only. Anyway I decided to try the SUT into the MM input of the NVO this evening with a bunch of LPs I know well (mixture of classical small range and orchestral together with some Monk for good measure).

Right off the bat, my system has entered a whole new game. Was quite shocked just how much extra this would elevate everything. It is very dynamic, full, tonally textured, and just so alive. Plucked lower strings resonate and time really beautifully - this gives a gestalt to the overall presentation that is really satisfying but toe tapping and/or air conducting.

Darius has knocked this out the park - I highly recommend any DaVa owner buys the SUT. Total no brainer and annoyed at myself for not having done this sooner.

Will keep folks posted as it beds in over next couple of days.

Bill,

do you know the gain (ratio) of Darius's SUT?

Dave Slagle will be providing me SUT's for my DaVa Ref to try; prior to building my MC Trio. it would be nice to know the ball park of where to start. i know that the DaVa Ref has .2mv output and has 6.5 ohms impedance. so 1:15--1:20 range likely.

 

[chet atkins]

TWOGOODEARS - ??????????: DaVa FC-A1 field coil cartridge: further comments...

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Bill,

do you know the gain (ratio) of Darius's SUT?

Dave Slagle will be providing me SUT's for my DaVa Ref to try; prior to building my MC Trio. it would be nice to know the ball park of where to start. i know that the DaVa Ref has .2mv output and has 6.5 ohms impedance. so 1:15--1:20 range likely.

Hi Mike,

Yes the gain ratio is a massive and whopping 1:50. Incredible presence and drive.

Best

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Yes, it is a game changer. Which SUT have you got? Copper or silver/copper?

Sorry everyone - turns out I have the copper/silver mix one!

 

[Audiophile Bill]

The DaVa sut is quite a large ratio no?

Yes a whopping 1:50.

This gives me great dynamic headroom in my system and it is really quiet - much quieter than MC input on my phono.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

I forgot to mention it is nickel permalloy core.

There is definitely a magic in permalloy cores in my experience.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Couple of weeks on and a lot more listening done since my first post on the DaVa SUT.
A few additional comments. The dynamic range of my vinyl replay system has jumped very significantly since I incorporated the SUT. I checked the NVO (phono stage) data and the MM input noise floor is >3dB superior than the MC input. Also the transformer “barrier” has removed a minor issue I had sometimes with a relay on my electrical system elsewhere in the house causing a click to be heard in the speakers.
As a result of the lowering noise floor and increased dynamic range, the physical presence and 3D “pop” of performers has taken on a new degree of realism and believability. Was listening to Vegh quartet Beethoven string quartets for a few hours last night and it really quite spellbinding - in particular the interplay of performers in time and space together with a lifelike speed of transients. The contrasts between pp and ff are so lifelike you can’t do something else and listen - it demands your attention.
I listened to a vinyl DMM live concert recording of Milstein doing various virtuosic numbers from the repertoire. The SUT doesn’t editorialise the violin tone to be all rosey and smooth indeed lays it out quite starkly. You know it is a digital recording despite it being deeply immersive but when contrasted against another fully analogue LP it shows you clearly the difference in recording space, tone, environment etc.

What is next on the DaVa journey? Well there are 2 new things I am about to try out. Firstly I have ordered some tiny shielded cable to carry the dc signal to the cart. This will replace the unshielded silver cable already used. Will this improve the dynamic range further and reveal even more of the recording? I am not sure but worth a try for such a cheap investment. I also thought to tie the shield to the cartridge screw since that inserts into the body. This way I would effectively turn the cart body into a Faraday cage.
I have ordered a new Cocobolo headshell and the plan is to insert a tiny Blackgate capacitor on top of the headshell to provide one last layer of filtration to the incoming power supply. Again nominal funds needed for such an experiment but clearly has scientific merit. Whether this will be audible is a key question but one worth testing imho. Oh and one last thing - I ordered come copper plated steel shot to fill my arm tower with - extra mass and grounding made sense to me.

Will try to do this all sequentially so we can work out what does what.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi All,

As promised - update 1. The lead shot arrived today and were emptied into my arm tower. I would say a small and modest lowering of noise floor with slight increased articulation on the cellos. I still have room for more so will add another kilo.

I installed my “guarnieri” headshell - it isn’t called that but I am calling it that as it seems a fun name for it. I ordered mine in cocobolo. Quality is really good and I appreciated the quality of production. Detailed listening will occur this evening and will be compared to the Audio Silente.

Here is a picture:

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi All,

As promised - update 1. The lead shot arrived today and were emptied into my arm tower. I would say a small and modest lowering of noise floor with slight increased articulation on the cellos. I still have room for more so will add another kilo.

I installed my “guarnieri” headshell - it isn’t called that but I am calling it that as it seems a fun name for it. I ordered mine in cocobolo. Quality is really good and I appreciated the quality of production. Detailed listening will occur this evening and will be compared to the Audio Silente.

Here is a picture:
View attachment 91082

Update 2. Guarneri headshell listening session.
Just finished a long evening session hitting all manner of classical recordings including but not limited to:
> Daniel Shafran - Schubert Arpeggione
> Aladar Mozi - Mendelssohn violin sonata
> Valse Triste on Argo and other Grieg works
> Milstein live recording - various
> Gendron Bach cello suites
> Haydn piano trios Beaux Arts
> Schubert Impromptus - Brendel

The Guanieri took me by surprise as perhaps naively I had expected more tonally rosey a presentation than absolute neutrality. What I heard was more tonal colour between instruments and above all greater inner nuances. What do I mean by more tonal colour here - I am referring to one’s ability to discriminate say violin 1 and 2 in a string quartet based on the discrete tonal differences of their respective instruments. Then the stark contrast with the viola against it. In terms of nuances, I am referring to those that are musically significant (to me) such as the micro fluctuations within a note as the bow moves across the string on a minim. Or say the deliberate breath punctuations of Milstein as though he was singing the melody.

I was of the belief that the Audio Silente would be absolute neutrality but it isn’t. I find it homogenises tonal colours and details vs this Guanieri. I would never have guessed that based on the design.

Next up is the shielded tonearm dc cable and black gate caps - still awaiting these before I can install so please hang fire till then.

 

[Tango]

What I heard was more tonal colour between instruments and above all greater inner nuances. What do I mean by more tonal colour here - I am referring to one’s ability to discriminate say violin 1 and 2 in a string quartet based on the discrete tonal differences of their respective instruments. Then the stark contrast with the viola against it. In terms of nuances, I am referring to those that are musically significant (to me) such as the micro fluctuations within a note as the bow moves across the string on a minim. Or say the deliberate breath punctuations of Milstein as though he was singing the melody.

Many time I tried to write to explain what I look for when listening. I could not put them into words. So these are called tonal colour and nuances. Next time I try to write about the tonal colour and nuances I would just plagiarize what you wrote if you dont mind. The dava and your total cart set must really be superb.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Many time I tried to write to explain what I look for when listening. I could not put them into words. So these are called tonal colour and nuances. Next time I try to write about the tonal colour and nuances I would just plagiarize what you wrote if you dont mind. The dava and your total cart set must really be superb.

You are most welcome to steal whatever you wish, Tang.
I am very pleased with it. I know I am making progress when I am on the hunt through my collection and discs are pulled out on the side one after the other.
I bought another Humminguru cleaner too - that thing is a Billy Bargain.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Nice work, Bill. Your system imho was already the king of nuance and tonal discrimination on the three occasions I've heard it. So for you to now say it's going above and beyond must be quite something. You know I've told you many times it's made an indelible impression on me, I'm almost anxious to return Lol.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Me and the missus just returned from an evening of old music...John Jenkins, Thomas Tallis, Orlando Gibbons, William Byrd, William Lawes, Alfonso Ferrabosco, and Henry Purcell.
What the concert lacked in absolute dynamics, it made up in a kind of timbral magic and interplay, mediated particularly through harmonic rightness and nuances. I just can't imagine all this being better represented than through the magic of your further optimised vinyl front end and horns.

 

[Tango]

You are most welcome to steal whatever you wish, Tang.
I am very pleased with it. I know I am making progress when I am on the hunt through my collection and discs are pulled out on the side one after the other.
I bought another Humminguru cleaner too - that thing is a Billy Bargain.

I think the Shafran recording you were listening is great and that piano going along the cello only sound good when the system (or cart) bring out more tonal colour. What you described about sonic difference the head shell brings is vaguely what I hear comparing the vdh to the neumann dst. The unpresidented energy and headroom you got from the sut and dava cart is possibly equivalent to my first impression of the Westrex cart. You seem to get all in one at a valued price.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

I think the Shafran recording you were listening is great and that piano going along the cello only sound good when the system (or cart) bring out more tonal colour. What you described about sonic difference the head shell brings is vaguely what I hear comparing the vdh to the neumann dst. The unpresidented energy and headroom you got from the sut and dava cart is possibly equivalent to my first impression of the Westrex cart. You seem to get all in one at a valued price.

Yes the limitless energy reserves / headroom created by the 50:1 SUT designed for DaVa really gets the best from my system. When the red sparrow was on song with the Vyger LT the sweetness and openness of the treble air was unparalleled and eclipses even the DaVa / SUT but that gap has narrowed drastically with the SUT / headshell. But the DaVa does things elsewhere that the Sparrow couldn’t do in terms of harmonics, mid bass, texture and now an addictive rambunctiousness. The latter is where you perch at the front of the sofa rather than lay back because there is an excitement in the air and it is demanding that you commit to your listening 100%.

 

[Kcin]

Well, I have thrown my hat in. I have a DaVa on order. 6mos wait!

I have started building a EY 500A FW damper diode power supply in the interim and I now have all the parts on hand.
No electrolytics - film capacitors only and a dual pi filter. Should be an interesting experiment to qualify what is written here to my ears at home.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Yes the limitless energy reserves / headroom created by the 50:1 SUT designed for DaVa really gets the best from my system. When the red sparrow was on song with the Vyger LT the sweetness and openness of the treble air was unparalleled and eclipses even the DaVa / SUT but that gap has narrowed drastically with the SUT / headshell. But the DaVa does things elsewhere that the Sparrow couldn’t do in terms of harmonics, mid bass, texture and now an addictive rambunctiousness. The latter is where you perch at the front of the sofa rather than lay back because there is an excitement in the air and it is demanding that you commit to your listening 100%.

wow!! great description Bill. especially like "rambunctious" . excited to see what Dave Slagle can do on the SUT side to measure up to your description.

i ordered my DaVa on Jan 3rd, so now three months into my four month wait time......early May ETA for me. not checked back with Darius even once. trying to be patient.

 

[djsina2]

For those looking for a quick fix there’s a full DaVA package on usaudiomart now. Don’t know the seller.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Well, I have thrown my hat in. I have a DaVa on order. 6mos wait!

I have started building a EY 500A FW damper diode power supply in the interim and I now have all the parts on hand.
No electrolytics - film capacitors only and a dual pi filter. Should be an interesting experiment to qualify what is written here to my ears at home.

Awesome! Looking forward to your impressions. What TT and arm will you try? Assume NVS and Durand? If so, that could very well be very interesting indeed!

 

[Audiophile Bill]

wow!! great description Bill. especially like "rambunctious" . excited to see what Dave Slagle can do on the SUT side to measure up to your description.

i ordered my DaVa on Jan 3rd, so now three months into my four month wait time......early May ETA for me. not checked back with Darius even once. trying to be patient.

You will be rewarded, Mike. Your patience is so worth it because it doesn’t sound like other carts imho. Also it is good for you because you are a dedicated audiophile who knows how to tweak and extract. Setup is so important with this cart - everything counts. Once you get it perfectly set up, you’ll get this grainless and expansive view into the mix that isn’t found on fixed magnet carts ime - it is a different sound. Not sure if you are familiar with field coil drivers per se - they have an electrostatic type stop/start speed and inner nuance. This property also finds itself in the DaVa.