DaVa FC-A1 a field coil contender
- Thread starter christensenleif@msn.com
- Start date
“DAVA History and the New MAJOR
The very first DAVA FC-A1 cartridge was introduced to the world in 2019. At that time, its output level was only 0.15 mV / 5 cm – an extremely low figure.
Since the field coil magnetic field inside the cartridge is about 30% weaker than Alnico, raising the output level without changing the coil resistance became a real challenge. Only after several years was it possible to reach 0.2 mV, which was implemented in the DAVA Reference model.
⸻
The New DAVA MAJOR – Coming Soon
Today I am proud to present an entirely new cartridge filled with innovations – the DAVA MAJOR.
It features:
• 7 Ω internal resistance
• 0.5 mV output
This model will replace all previous members of the conical family.
⸻
Key Features
• Wide adaptability:
Major (0–0.5 mV / 5 cm), when used with a 0–12 V DC PSU, can easily adapt to any MC step-up transformer.
Already at 5 V DC it reaches the Reference output level, and when the voltage is increased, 33 rpm records sound as if they were playing at 45 rpm.
• Legendary performance:
Major reaches the output level of the legendary DST cartridge but with twice lower resistance.
⸻
Sound
Major can be paired with a 1:10 step-up transformer, and at this ratio, the cartridge load is practically zero.
Because a high-ratio step-up transformer is not required, the sound does not thin out – instead, it breaks free from compression.
New niuances, and the sound becomes:
• devilishly musical,
• rich,
• vivid,
• and free.”
Source: FB
The very first DAVA FC-A1 cartridge was introduced to the world in 2019. At that time, its output level was only 0.15 mV / 5 cm – an extremely low figure.
Since the field coil magnetic field inside the cartridge is about 30% weaker than Alnico, raising the output level without changing the coil resistance became a real challenge. Only after several years was it possible to reach 0.2 mV, which was implemented in the DAVA Reference model.
⸻
The New DAVA MAJOR – Coming Soon
Today I am proud to present an entirely new cartridge filled with innovations – the DAVA MAJOR.
It features:
• 7 Ω internal resistance
• 0.5 mV output
This model will replace all previous members of the conical family.
⸻
Key Features
• Wide adaptability:
Major (0–0.5 mV / 5 cm), when used with a 0–12 V DC PSU, can easily adapt to any MC step-up transformer.
Already at 5 V DC it reaches the Reference output level, and when the voltage is increased, 33 rpm records sound as if they were playing at 45 rpm.
• Legendary performance:
Major reaches the output level of the legendary DST cartridge but with twice lower resistance.
⸻
Sound
Major can be paired with a 1:10 step-up transformer, and at this ratio, the cartridge load is practically zero.
Because a high-ratio step-up transformer is not required, the sound does not thin out – instead, it breaks free from compression.
New niuances, and the sound becomes:
• devilishly musical,
• rich,
• vivid,
• and free.”
Source: FB
Which arm do you have the Soul on? Reed 5T? Once the cart breaks in, please let us know how it compares to your other carts
Yes just did earlier today
Right now Reed 5T yes. I have listened to it exclusively in the last week. No comparison here, it is the best cart, and by a big margin. When I listen to the DaVa I stop analysing the sound and just enjoy music. There is a flow to music that my other carts do not have.
I had no doubt about it being better than Etsuro Gold and DS audio Grand Master but had never heard the Analog Relax 2000. Good to know.
Click on his handle you can see
Compared to the DaVa the Etsuro Gold sounds kind of recessed and the Analog Relax is a bit exaggerated, both in the bass and mid high. The DS Audio GM EX is actually quite good with tube equalizer, but yeah I do prefer the Soul. I have tried Phasemation T2000 and Kondo SUT with the Soul and prefer the Kondo, more lively and dynamic.
Living with these bookshelf for a couple of weeks. DaVa Soul, Reed 5T, Kondo SUT, speakers are Sonus Faber Guarneri G5
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I agree the Soul sounds best at 12V and it gets quite hot with the Kuzma Safir too. If I dial it back to 10V, it cools down to warm quite quickly. How did you dial it back to 11V? AFAIK, Dava tube power supply has only three options, at least the one I have - 8, 10 and 12V…
Interesting, I have always thought the three options for the tube psu are 10,11 and 12V, and when it is too hot I dial it back to the middle position. I also have the Safir 9, and it is nowhere near as hot as when mounted on the Reed 5T, I think it is due to the much smaller headshell of the Reed, and perhaps the armwand of the Reed bring wood as opposed to the Safir wand being, well, safir.
The Reed headshells are quite small, so yeah, I might have to look into the micro heatsinks.
Thank you! This is super helpful. One more thing I would like to ask, what do you set your vtf at? I have always thought it is between 2.2 and 2.5gr so I set it close to 2.5gr, but today I saw the note that came with the cart and it recommends vtf between 2.5 - 3.0 gr.
copper heatsinks
link is safe
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006025792984.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.2.1fb00rxM0rxMod&aem_p4p_detail=202509270621321199862394595040002992286&algo_pvid=3e72962b-744a-4271-8a56-a94c6ae0e8a3&algo_exp_id=3e72962b-744a-4271-8a56-a94c6ae0e8a3-1&pdp_ext_f={"order"%3A"85"%2C"eval"%3A"1"%2C"fromPage"%3A"search"%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21EUR%212.66%210.87%21%21%2121.65%217.07%21%40211b80d117589792922006489e6dae%2112000035378563787%21sea%21NO%210%21ABX%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A149b4627%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000174222064&curPageLogUid=CgKgxY0jIPjC&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005006025792984%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&search_p4p_id=202509270621321199862394595040002992286_1
link is safe
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006025792984.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.2.1fb00rxM0rxMod&aem_p4p_detail=202509270621321199862394595040002992286&algo_pvid=3e72962b-744a-4271-8a56-a94c6ae0e8a3&algo_exp_id=3e72962b-744a-4271-8a56-a94c6ae0e8a3-1&pdp_ext_f={"order"%3A"85"%2C"eval"%3A"1"%2C"fromPage"%3A"search"%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21EUR%212.66%210.87%21%21%2121.65%217.07%21%40211b80d117589792922006489e6dae%2112000035378563787%21sea%21NO%210%21ABX%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A149b4627%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895%3BpisId%3A5000000174222064&curPageLogUid=CgKgxY0jIPjC&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005006025792984%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&search_p4p_id=202509270621321199862394595040002992286_1
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