Miyajima Kansui vs Dynavector XV-1S

Both are great cartridges own a XV1S and a friend of mine owns the Kansui, we both use SME arms with them.

Only way for you to find out which you prefer is to try both in your setup if possible.

Good listening

Peter

Don't know the Dyna but own both the Kansui and Shelter 901 (bought in 2001, retipped by Soundsmith around 6 years ago). The Kansui, to me, is a substantial upgrade over the Shelter, with much more body, weight, and an organic quality that is hard to find elsewhere. However, it can be a little difficult to dial-in just right for loading. I ranged from around 290 to 350R with a resistor-loaded phono stage and never felt I got it right. Best results have been using a 30X SUT (Bob's SKY 30) into MM inputs. I have it on a Graham Phantom Supreme.

Not a fan of the Miyajima, I find the top end somewhat detached and
unnatural, don't know the Dyna.

david

The Kansui with matching Miyajima KSW step up is the end of the road for me, awesome in every way.

I agree with David that the HFs on the Kansui are its weakness. I find them a touched laid back and closed-in, even through the SUT, but not exactly unnatural or disconnected. With resistor loading that was more true, IME.

Sorry for slightly off-topic question
I would ask about Miyajima Kansui performance versus ZYX 4D Premium if the preamp is ZYX CPP-1 Pre-Pre. In other words do you thin ZyX CPP-1 pre-pre is correct for Kansui?

I believe Zyx and Dynavector are on the same side and zyx cpp-1 pre-pre is amazing for zyx and other cartridges i have.

Kansui vs Zyx 4D Premium, anyone!

Thanks guys for the feedback.

I ended up with the XV-1s. I'll mount this weekend. Heard it at the seller's house. Seemed a little polite and reserved but I'll have to hear it in my system.

I have an XV-1S, I eventually learned to pay close attention to SRA and VTF.
For my set-up, I found the need for more VTA than the arm horizontal.

C

I find the Kansui to be more natural, and perhaps more accurate. The Dynavector, on the other hand, is more lively and fun. I could live with either, but in a pinch I would probably pick the Kansui because I believe it is truer to the music..

Win, I found the Myajima already lacking and strange sounding at certain frequencies, with your comment I wonder how bad the Dyna is. My only experience with it is in a friend's system I was trouble shooting recently. The system was heavily tweaked and we spent the day pulling all of it out and balancing the room acoustics, now I'm wondering if I should have pulled his XV-1 too.

david

David,

Your findings are interesting because we showed at RMAF a couple of years ago with a setup that included the Kansui, and that room was extremely well received. So much so that three reviewers picked it as their favorite room. Maybe it's the sample you have on hand that's lacking?

Win,

It could be that I had a defective sample but I came across the same thing in a client's system recently and we ended up replacing it with another brand; but I didn't do the initial setup there so maybe something was off there too.

david
PS. I only care about YOUR opinion on the subject, do you own a Kansui?