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Dynavector cartridges, old and new

For more than 40 years Dynavector has been producing very high quality moving coil cartridges in Japan. Sadly we don't have a dedicated Dynavector thread here on audiogon. It would be nice to collect info about some nice rare models in one topic. 


My first Dynavector was high output model, very attractive headshell integrated as one piece - Dynavector DV-30A was released in Japan 1 year before the Karat series and 4 years before the fabulous Karat Nova. The first high output Moving Coil Dynavector DV-30 series was the next generation of the Ultimo cartridges. The Ultimo’s were manufactured by Onlife Research Inc., which later became Dynavector. The 30-series was introduced in 1978 with 3 different models DV-30A & DV-30B (HOMC) and DV-30C (LOMC). Till the early 80s it was top of the line Dynavector models.... 

But then the KARAT was released with short Ruby and Diamond cantilevers (depends on the model). I've been looking for KARAT for a long time, i found the Dynavector KARAT 23RS special calibrated version with Micro Ridge stylus tip and prism Ruby cantilever. This particular model has been introduced in 1988 and claimed to be superior to the earlier generation of Karat carts. I'd like to seek more info about this rare cartridge, but very little info available online. Anyone can comment on Karat Ruby 23RS mkI (not mkII) ?  

I know some mebers are enjoing the more expensive Karat Nova series, XV-1, XX-2, Te Kaitora Rua etc 

Modern Dynavector site is: http://www.dynavector.com/ 

But the rare models can be found here. 
 

  
128x128chakster
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear chakster, Your (rich) buddy Nandric recently purchased

Allaerts MC 2 + Ikeda 9TT. He is now an poor ''buddy'' swearing

not to buy any cart whatever. However promises to our self

we usually neglect. But instead of those (very) short DV cantilevers

I also own Ikeda 9 C which is without cantilever . To me as good

as my beloved FR-7 fz. The only one which can seduce me is

the 9 REX. Alas nowhere to find.


chakster's avatar
chakster OP
6,144 posts
 
Here is a nice interview with Dr Tominari of Dynavector Systems, who designed the first gemstone cantilever cartridge and later designed fabulous XV-1 and DRT XV-1. In this interview you will find more about Te-Kaitora cartridges, Karat Nova series and many more amazing products of that era.

here is a bit from the interview:

RG. The first Dynavector product I became aware of was the original Karat cartridge, with its solid ruby cantilever. Were you the first person to employ gemstone cantilevers?

Dr. Tominari: Absolutely. I get my gemstone cantilevers from Namiki, and the first time I asked them about constructing one they couldn’t understand what I wanted such a large stylus for! But I was convinced that you should use as short and stiff a cantilever as possible. This was quite widely recognised but no one believed that the technology existed to create such a short gemstone cantilever. They thought it was impossible but I dared to try it. It was a very unusual solution at that time. In order to achieve it we had to develop a parallel technique that enabled us to wind incredibly fine wire for the coil. Our wires are only 11 microns in diameter. Every other cartridge uses at least 20 microns.

RG. Why do the fine wires help you use in using a short cantilever?

Dr. Tominari: At the end of the cantilever is the armature. On the very short gemstone cantilevers there is no space, so the armature must be much smaller than normal. Unless we use the fine wire for the coils there will be insufficient windings for a working output level. We did this twenty years ago, and are still the only company who can use such fine wire. Eric Rohmann, who was president of Ortofon until some years ago, even tried to buy one of our machines. Incidentally, you are aware that Ortofon and Grado hold all the patents on moving-coil cartridge designs. Dynavector was the only Japanese company that ever paid the licence fees. (Laughs)



harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
Chakster, you got a slightly off-centered cart off eBay or whatever? Then you were just lucky this time as you may have received a junk instead. Keep your slightly off-centered sample as you can adjust your headshell to its spot position. A few degrees off-centered cantilever does not mean a thing, at least IME. Don´t let it go without auditioning, I think it would sound just fine on your TA.
Ah, now I see you have already tried it. Well done and good for you !
I´m very interested in those very short cantilevered Dynas and might purchase one some day. In fact, my SME III w/ its very light titanium-nitride arm wand will fit perfectly 23RS MR, very tempting to try one...
And it will fit my Trans-Fi linear tracker perfectly too. Very interesting indeed
chakster's avatar
chakster OP
6,144 posts
 
Thinking about model numbers i just realized where it came from, how simple, just the magic of the numbers: DV-23r is for 2.3mm cantilever, DV-17d is for 1.7mm cantilever.
Here is a picture of gemstone Ruby cantilever of my 23RS-MR under macro lens.

Reading the manual i’ve noticed the "S" is for "Super" and applied to both 23 and 17 models with Micro Reach styli.

@harold-not-the-barrel I thing so, but off-centered cantilevers are not for perfectionists, and when it comes to sales the price must be rediced for this reason, so i decided to ship it back to the seller. At least i know that 23RS-MR is a great cartridge after a demo of the perfect one from my mate. I wish i could find a perfect sample.

This is definitely one of the carts that Technics GAE, G, GR owners should try on Technics tonearm! Also EPA-100 tonearm owners.

P.S. Sending back my defective DV23RS MR i got NOS Klipsch MCZ-10 Ruby in. I think @nandric owned some of them, but not Ruby. There is a Diamond version too. They are designed by another legend Mr. Hiroaki Hibino for Paul Klipsch.    
lewm
12,482 posts
 
He’s so legendary, that few of us have ever heard of him. Now that’s an exclusive. I would not have known that Paul Klipsch ever had anything to do with making cartridges.
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