DaVa FC-A1 a field coil contender

Jan 18, 2012
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Drobak Norway
Finally I got around to install my new darling, the Lithuanian fieldcoil cart that´s about to cause a HUGE STIR in the analogue world
Based on the Neumann DST principle from 1962 and with fieldcoil magnet and a cactus cantilever tipped with a 0,5 conical gem, it´s in the exotic category
I´s a heavy beast of 26g, puts out a hefty 0,15-0,2v depending of supplied voltage and needs a high mass arm to match it´s low compliance
more voltage equals more gain, but the temp of the cart rises proportionally, so there´s a tradeoff point in the 14v/60c territority
mine is now mounted in my 29g eff mass Groovemaster Titanium in a Audiosilente graphite headshell on my shot at the Garrardzilla and sounds totally sensational, even with the semishitty ss experimental psu suplied by the designer Darius Valiunas
he´s shortly launching a tube rectified version and a friend of mine and I are aiming at a LCLC tube psu, but it really needs to be QUIET....
I´ll leave you with a few pics and you can drool over them for a few days until I conclude more solidly....
too be continued
 

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spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Is this cart equal part scary and equal part exhilarating? Like being in a 70s Porsche 911 w no modern computer control.
 
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Jan 18, 2012
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no actually it´s sound is very civilized and credible with very fine nuances and harmonics and killer dynamics
most tonally perfect cart I´ve heard
despite crazy dynamics it´s very pleasing to listen too
 
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spiritofmusic

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I'm assuming the 5th and 6th pins are for R- and L-channel FC psu?
I can imagine it's an amazing complement to yr modded 301.
 
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spiritofmusic

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I'm a sucker for sleeping giant/out of the box audio (yes, ended up w Zu Lol)
But if I had my wicked way w any cart...would I want one of the usual suspects, or one firmly off beaten tracks?
I used to pine for the Emia Straingauge based on NOS Panasonic cart and crazy tubed energiser.
This on one arm, and yr DaVa on another would do me nicely.

I think Mike L needs to hear this DaVa on his Saskia. Oh, brother...
 
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bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Bonzo claimed he(Mike L) was one of the serious contenders when he visited here just before corona

In terms of overall sound yes, in terms of analog only I cannot say. I would like to hear the Basis with air tangent and Lyra before commenting on the analog. My suspicion is that your system is more suited to the nuance of linear trackers so it will enhance the sound I heard further. I think linear trackers excel with low watt SETs and high resolution drivers, like AER, tad, and Radian beryllium
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
14,606
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Well, there has to be a post Covid 19 world...
 
Jan 18, 2012
2,323
2,410
1,475
Drobak Norway
In terms of overall sound yes, in terms of analog only I cannot say. I would like to hear the Basis with air tangent and Lyra before commenting on the analog. My suspicion is that your system is more suited to the nuance of linear trackers so it will enhance the sound I heard further. I think linear trackers excel with low watt SETs and high resolution drivers, like AER, tad, and Radian beryllium
working on it....the Airtangent designer is soon on it....
 

Solypsa

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Jun 7, 2017
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Does he plan any with more modern styli profile?
 
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awsmone

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2014
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Finally I got around to install my new darling, the Lithuanian fieldcoil cart that´s about to cause a HUGE STIR in the analogue world
Based on the Neumann DST principle from 1962 and with fieldcoil magnet and a cactus cantilever tipped with a 0,5 conical gem, it´s in the exotic category
I´s a heavy beast of 26g, puts out a hefty 0,15-0,2v depending of supplied voltage and needs a high mass arm to match it´s low compliance
more voltage equals more gain, but the temp of the cart rises proportionally, so there´s a tradeoff point in the 14v/60c territority
mine is now mounted in my 29g eff mass Groovemaster Titanium in a Audiosilente graphite headshell on my shot at the Garrardzilla and sounds totally sensational, even with the semishitty ss experimental psu suplied by the designer Darius Valiunas
he´s shortly launching a tube rectified version and a friend of mine and I are aiming at a LCLC tube psu, but it really needs to be QUIET....
I´ll leave you with a few pics and you can drool over them for a few days until I conclude more solidly....
too be continued

Audio porn as my wife would say ;)

but can I ask, what do you think of the idea that heavy cartridges destroy records over time ?

i personally like the sound of big mass cartridges , but I think I read the General is against them on Keds blog site Zero distortion
 
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Jan 18, 2012
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Audio porn as my wife would say ;)

but can I ask, what do you think of the idea that heavy cartridges destroy records over time ?

i personally like the sound of big mass cartridges , but I think I read the General is against them on Keds blog site Zero distortion
if you look at the downforce per square µm(or whatever area) 3,5 g on a Van den Hul tip is something entirely different than on a 0,5µ conical tip, so actually you can get as much record wear on a sharp modern shape at 2g as a conical at 3,5g
in other words; not the least worried
 

Solypsa

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Jun 7, 2017
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Modern stylus have a larger contact patch not a smaller one.

A heavy cart does not always mean heavy vtf, although it often does. (Sensitive Sound carts are 23g but track at 1.7g as an example)

At any rate carts this heavy (weight and vtf) have been around + half a century, and the best examples (dst spu) are still very desireable.
 
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flyer

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Dec 16, 2012
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A friend of mine has this cartridge as well and compared it to his Audio Note field coil that he owned already. He put the latter for sale now, the DaVa is more to his liking by adding timbre accuracy.

20200518_164517.jpg

He is so positive about it that I have one on order for myself now :)
 

Audiophile Bill

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Mar 23, 2015
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Leif what is the price of this thing?
 

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