VDH Colibri XPP. Best Load impedance?


Hi,

what is the best Load impedance for the VDH XPP (Platin?

Josef
jpetek

Showing 3 responses by geoch

For my own XPP he recommends an optimum load of 200 Ohms.
I prefer to let it wide open at 47K for both of my phonostages.
I'm using :
1). A current mode active pre-pre with Siemens CCa feeding a RIAA with RCA 12SL7 / RCA 12SN7 / Philco XXB
The TT is : Symphonic Line RG6 with Pluto 9A Prestige.

2). The EAR MC4 step-up feeding a half active / half passive RIAA with Telefunken ECC803S
The TT is : Thorens TD124 II with SAEC WE-308 SX & Zonotone Z-SHELL 10 headshell.

Speakers are : Lowther P6M Ticonal in Carfrae LBH plus an added Seas T35 Exotic Soft Dome tweeter (crossing at 2.6Khz)
Amplifiers are : Berning Siegfried (for T35), 12SL7/6J5/4300B (for P6M)

As an attempt to open up more the midrange, I'm going to substitute the 300B SET for the Futterman H3aa in order to free the P6M from the Output Transformer.
So, you can realise that for my own taste, a havier load for my XPP is out of the question as there is not needed any damping. (Even on my SAEC!)

The cables are all the new VDH 3T series (Cliff, Mountain, Cloud, Air).
The VDH "The Grail" Phonostage, is also current sensing (and I've heard that VDH take a license from Goldmund).
But I'm sure that there is not a problem with the loading, as I've own VDH "The Grail', Einstein "The TT Choise", Goldmund "Mimesis 7 w/phono", CAT SL1, Klyne 7, and many lower level phonostages. Is there any possibility for another reason somewhere in the chain that asks for damping?
I've check a resistance of 9.6 Ohm (R) & 9.8 Ohm (L) on my XPP with my Protek 505 digital multimeter.

I'm using the input tap of EAR MC4 step-up that is recommended for 12 Ohm Nominal Input Impedance. This tap has a Natural Impedance of 145.1 Ohm and gives a gain of 25.1 db that elevates the 0.22mV of the XPP up to 3.96mV (x 18 times).

Also I've made some comparisons using the MC4's input tap that is recommended for 6 Ohm Nominal Input Impedance. This tap has a Natural Impedance of 81.6 Ohm and gives a gain of 27.6 db that brings to the output 5.28mV (x 24 times).

I have the (old) € 6000 standard XPP model of 0.22mV output
There is the (new) € 8000 Platinum model with FOUR LAYER windings of 0.38mV output. But this one is offered with Titanium or Blackwood body.

Maybe the 500 Ohm it is a case of misunderstanding by VDH himself. Α mistake in translation is not very unusual.
Perhaps he means the Optimum load impedance as he is probably referring inside your XPP box. (Οn my box recommends 200 Ohm).