New phono cart... Dynavector? Soundsmith?
Options
spongebobsquarepants
Posts: 167
Hey guys,
I'm thinking about a new phone cart. I was originally interested in the Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star. The salesman suggested Dynavector XX-2. I'll be using the pre in my integrated amp, which has MC 50, 100, 200, 400, and 1000ohm resistance options. Anyone use either of these carts or have any other input?
I'm thinking about a new phone cart. I was originally interested in the Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star. The salesman suggested Dynavector XX-2. I'll be using the pre in my integrated amp, which has MC 50, 100, 200, 400, and 1000ohm resistance options. Anyone use either of these carts or have any other input?
Comments
-
Should probably mention the 'table! Using dads old technics sl-d2 while I wait for VPI to come out with a more affordable direct drive. (You know it's coming... the classic was $30k, hw-40 $15k).
Thanks! -
For half that price you can get my ClearAudio Strad... It will smoke the Dyna all day long.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
This table will be a major step up, and still cost less than the XX2...
https://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=EAKPRE&trk_msg=50T6I3EGEJ2KR3CC2DAKVBANJC&trk_contact=VPT9V0S8M38082QV2TJRSV1HL4&trk_sid=TPVKA220U9VV1I3EHT8VF5AM8O&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Shop+Now+»&utm_campaign=Once-in-a-Lifetime+Turntable+Deal&utm_content=StandardThe Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
@nooshinjohn Is putting a nice cart on my old table like putting $2000 wheels on a $100 car?
After getting the degritter and being blown away by how good clean records sound, I got the itch to see how how good vinyl could get.
I've been eying up the technics sl-1200g, but wanna wait and see if vpi comes out with anything cool.
Is your cartridge pretty low mileage? I'm a little apprehensive about buying a used cart with a stylus that can't be changed easily. Never had a low output cart before. Or any cart other than dad's old pickering xv-15.
-
Exceptionally low miles. Less than 200 hours on it. It can be shipped easily with the original packing. They can also be retipped or have the cantilever replaced if needed for a couple hundred bucks.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
@nooshinjohn 's CA Strad is a great value, but way overkill for a Technics SL-D2."This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
@nooshinjohn 's CA Strad is a great value, but way overkill for a Technics SL-D2.
Tag this as sold... FWIW, the Dynavector XX-2 is also overkill, and twice the price for 1/10th of the performance.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
I've still got a lot to learn about audio... the technics spins at a very steady rpm, but there's got to be more to it than that. Hopefully it's not too noisy with the low output cart. (Won't the sound be amplified much more than a mm cart?)
A better table is on the list, but I'm having fun hot rodding the sl-d2. I've only upgraded the interconnects so far.
My amp has two phono inputs, one mc and on mm.
Once I pick a new table, maybe I can make a bigger wall shelf and have two turntables going like a DJ.
-
FWIW I use a Stradivari cart I bought from John almost 2 years ago on my entry level Clearaudio Emotion with a Satisfy arm. The tt and arm retailed for about 25% of what the Strad did so I have also given ample thought to upgrading the tt to something better. But I haven't and more than likely won't because I'm afraid of losing the wonderful synergy I have now. This is simply the best that I've ever heard vinyl sound and I'm still amazed with it even after almost 2 years.
No it's not like putting expensive wheels on an old car it's more like squeezing more music from your vinyl playback than you ever thought it was capable of. -
The tonearm has a lot to do with it, and looking at the specs on the SL-D2, VTF max is 2.5g, but the Stradivari wants VTF of 2.8g.spongebobsquarepants wrote: »I've still got a lot to learn about audio... the technics spins at a very steady rpm, but there's got to be more to it than that. Hopefully it's not too noisy with the low output cart. (Won't the sound be amplified much more than a mm cart?)
The original Strad is quite light at only 4.4g (V2 is heavier), and the arm on the SL-D2 is made for carts weighing 6-9.5g, so not exactly made for each other. You might be able to stick a nickel on top of the headshell and use a digital VTF scale to get things right.
It looks like the SL-D2 original cart was a Technics EPC-270C. Is that what you currently have?"This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
The tonearm has a lot to do with it, and looking at the specs on the SL-D2, VTF max is 2.5g, but the Stradivari wants VTF of 2.8g.
FWIW I've been running my Strad for over a year at 1.48g VTF with zero issues. My listening room becomes a gym in the winter with weights getting put down not so gently on a regular basis. I've yet to hear it skip from that or flutter at high volumes.
-
@jdjohn thanks for the heads up about the weight. I've seen a few types of headshell weights around, but a nickel would be stylish. Ive been using a pickering xv-15.. with the little brush.... the only cartridge I've ever heard on this turntable/ system.
The weight on the tonearm looks like it goes to 4g for whatever reason.
@motorstereo nice to hear your experiences running the v2 on not super high end table. I can't wait to test the sucker out!
I digital vtg gauge seems like an inexpensive fun tool to have.
Thanks, guys! -
If you do get the Strad or something similar with a fragile cantilever I highly recommend using this as opposed to a stylus brush
https://www.amazon.com/ONZOW-ZERODUST-ZeroDust-Stylus-Cleaner/dp/B00ERPWAK2/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&hvadid=78683913240958&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=onzow+zerodust&qid=1609317045&sr=8-2&tag=mh0b-20 -
-
Great article there^!
-
I’ve been a Goldring fan for a long time. Denon 110 and 160 have been in my way-over-achiever category for a long time as well.
-
Interesting read, for sure (not Shuremotorstereo wrote: »
) I'm a fan of the AT house sound, so can appreciate his sentiment. Although not mentioned in that article, I've always thought both the vintage AT13S and AT130E present a good sweet spot with tapered aluminum cantilevers and .2X.7 nude elliptical tips. Lots of (somewhat unforgiving) detail extraction from the grooves, so clean vinyl is paramount.
Back on topic, @spongebobsquarepants I wonder if that counter-weight is an after-market replacement. The original owner's manual for the SL-D2 doesn't seem to suggest a 4g VTF setting, but it is certainly worth a shot to try that Stradivari!"This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
Thanks for packing her up nicely, @nooshinjohn she arrived safe and sound...got her all set up on a Jelco HS-25 (12g) using technics overhang gauge and a protractor. It would be fun to use more sophisticated instruments one day.
Tried 400Ω And 1000Ω capacitance settings so far, and prefer the 1000Ω Louis Armstrong's trumpet was a little harsh at 400Ω
Sounds wonderful so far! Thanks for all the input on this thread guys!
