Setup Dynavector XV-1s on SME V help

The xv-1s is a perfect match for the effective mass of an SME V, so that's not the problem. The VTF is spec'd. at 2.0 +/_ .2 gms BTW. It's output impedance is 6 ohms, which if you use the 25 multiple rule for optimum (starting point) for loading, you should start with a 150 ohm load and work up or down (usually a bit up) from there.

As to tracking: First (and I don't mean to insult you) is your TT (the platter, not the base) level? And then, is the headshell level left to right with the platter (as you look at it straight on)? Next, retract the damper dipstick until it's just touching the silicon fluid. The damping isn't that important in your case with a heavy (13gm) cartridge and a good match to the tonearm mass.

Anti skate is best set visually, not with the dial on the tonearm. This because of the large variation in groove friction developed by different stylus shapes and VTA settings. Watch the cantilever very carefully from the front of the headshell (use strong light) as you lower the stylus into a groove in the middle of the first band on the record. If the cantilever deflects to the right when the stylus hits the groove, increase the antiskate until the cantilever remains in the same position (relative to the front of the cartridge body) in or out of the groove. (If it deflects to the left, reduce the anti skate force.)

The vdH cartridges, for instance, specify extremely low anti-skate (.3 - .5 gm I think) and I have found that to match with the visual adjustment method exactly. It takes a little practice, but gets you very close to perfect with the rest easy to do by ear.

Almost all cartridges will skip if dropped into the lead-in spiral ahead of the first groove. The idea is to drop it into the silent part of the first groove at the beginning of the band.

Well, I'm stumped! You said the Condor worked fine, so I can't imagine it's the arm or the antiskate mechanism. The only time I experienced that kind of jumping (when everything else was OK) was twice: Once when the back of the SME armtube was hitting the record, and another time when there was a huge glob of something on the stylus that shouldn't have been there (because all the records were cleaned first, and there must have just been a speck of junk stuck to the record that I didn't see, and it came off on the stylus.)

Let us know when/if you figure it out. Thanks.

The grooveless test will not tell you anything because there is almost no friction developed between the stylus and the record. It is the friction produced by the stylus tracking a real groove that produces the need for anti skate in the first place.

Dgad, You do this test lowering the stylus into a grove somewhere in the middle of the first recorded band, not into the lead in groove.

Yes I imagine it's a bit tough to read the movement of the cantilever with as low a compliance cartridge as the Dyna.

Tobes, how VERY observant of you -- I'm impressed! I don't know if that's Dgad's problem (his Condor seems to work OK) but it might be.

I've already remarked about Tobes' powers of observation, and after checking Dgad's pics, I would have to agree with him. Nevertheless although it's true that:

"The armtube must be postioned within the two lines on the template for the antiskate to operate correctly,"

it only matters if you want the antiskate dial to read the actual antiskate force. If you set antiskate visually by watching the cantilever, as I do, it really won't matter what the actual dial reading says. I prefer to have my armrest as far away from the platter as possible (although it's closer than Dgad's). I just position it so the arm has enough horizontal travel to get the stylus about 1/8" over the edge of the label.

I noticed Dgad commented he'd added blu-tack to his tonearm. Think that might have altered the effective mass enough to screw something up? Just a thought. But it could very well be that the Dynavector just needs some suspension break-in as you suggest.

Dgad, Linear trackers don't require anti-skate because there is no torque created around a pivot point as in a conventional arm.

It sounds like your arm is set up OK, and I think the Dynavector must just need some more run in (especially since if I understand you correctly, the Condor is doing just fine with the same setup.)

If you want to check the anti-skate setting visually (which shouldn't be too hard to do looking at the front of the XV-1s) just shine a strong light at the front of the cartridge and as you lower the stylus into a groove in the middle of the first band of a record, try and see (it takes a little practice) whether the cantilever appears to deflect left or right just as the stylus hits the groove. If left, reduce the anti skate, if right increase it. Because the XV-S1 has a rather low compliance, it isn't going to deflect that much in any case, so you'll have to watch carefully, but you can certainly tell if it's way off either way, so start by turning the AS off, and then all the way up just until you get a feel for what your looking at.

Dgad, that's how I get my SME level also (the wobble.) I'm thinking about a Triplanar these days.

Dgad, you would have thought SME would have addressed this by now, ya know!? Either with some kind of retrofit or even a new model. It's a head-scratcher!

Tim, if you have the detachable headshell model SME V, then you can dial it in to be level (after levelling the platter) by just twisting the headshell a little, so what happens to the vertical post as you tighten up the set bolts is not critical as it is with us. You'll still find a small bubble level like the kind that come with vdH cartridges, or a really small 1.5" commercial one useful. But with that adjustable headshell, you might come even closer with a test record and your ears.

The trick, with my visual anti-skate technique, is to get a good "fix" on where the cantilever is relative to the cartridge body just before the stylus settles into the groove. That's why you need a lot of light.

It's not going to deflect at most more than .5 mm, so you need to fing a place on the cartridge body very close to the cantilever itself.